PhD defence
Dealing with Uncertainty: The roles of age, anxious traits, and social context in learning and decision-making
- S. Topel
- Date
- Tuesday 10 November 2026
- Time
- Location
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden
Supervisor(s)
- Prof.dr. E.R.A. de Bruijn
- Prof.dr. A.C.K. van Duijvenvoorde
Summary
How do we make decisions when we do not know the result of our decisions?
From speaking up in a meeting to accepting a new job, uncertainty is part of everyday life. This dissertation explores how people who differ in age, anxiety-related traits and in social situations make decisions under uncertainty and learn from the outcomes of their decisions to make better ones. The research combines a review of existing studies, computer-based experiments in which participants made choices, and electrophysiological measures. Mathematical models and measurements of brain activity helped reveal how people adjusted their expectations and behavior.
The findings suggest that older age does not always mean learning better, adolescents may also have an advantage when circumstances change frequently. Other findings in this dissertation showed that people who were more worried about being judged negatively by others relied more strongly on recent outcomes when making choices, particularly in social situations rather than considering a wider collection of past experiences. Social settings also more generally amplified emotional responses to uncertainty. People who suffer from social anxiety symptoms adjusted their behaviors more strongly following mistakes through increased brain responses. Furthermore, a strong desire for predictability was associated with gathering more information before deciding.
Together, these findings show that responses to uncertainty depend not only on personal characteristics, but also on the type of uncertainty and the situation. These insights may help explain why everyday decisions and social interactions are especially challenging for some people. They provide a foundation for future research into support that better reflects differences in how people experience and manage uncertainty.
PhD dissertations
Approximately one week after the defence, PhD dissertations by Leiden PhD students are available digitally through the Leiden Repository, that offers free access to these PhD dissertations. Please note that in some cases a dissertation may be under embargo temporarily and access to its full-text version will only be granted later.
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