Researchers Separate Random and Deterministic Noise
Researchers Siyu Wang and Robert C. Wilson publish March 17, 2026, in PLoS Computational Biology a study quantifying deterministic versus random sources of variability in explore-exploit decisions. Using a repeated-choice task and computational modeling, they estimate at least 14% of variability is stimulus-driven and up to 86% is unexplained 'random' noise. Findings show both deterministic and random variability scale with exploration value, suggesting a shared noise-gating mechanism.
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Methodological advance with peer-reviewed evidence and practical implications, but limited generalizability beyond task specifics and samples.
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