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On April 10, 2026, Waseda University held an on-campus research exchange event on the theme of “Science of the Mind” at the Komatsu 100th Anniversary Hall in the Research Innovation Center (Building 121). 

This event, designed to connect the University’s diverse research fields and promote cross-disciplinary exchange, brought together more than 100 researchers and students from various backgrounds across all campuses. 

With the broad theme of “Science of the Mind” as a central focus, it served as an opportunity to deepen interdisciplinary exchange and demonstrate the potential for discovering new research themes.

[Part 1] Research Introduction 

Ten researchers from across the University, transcending the boundaries of science and engineering, social sciences, human sciences, and literature, presented their research with a focus on learning about each other’s work. They shared a diverse range of insights, including perspectives from clinical psychology and social psychology (social anxiety disorder, depression, conspiracy theories, responses to war reporting), political science analyses (voting behavior and emotions), and even neuroscience and engineering approaches (the neural mechanisms of language, the impact of 3D images, bird mimicry). Each presentation demonstrated how multifaceted and open the subject of “the mind” is to interdisciplinary research. The lively question-and-answer session fostered new insights and broadened interests as perspectives from different fields intersected. 

(Moderator/Facilitator: Kazuyo Shiroya, Center for Research Strategy) 
 
Professor Rieko Osu (Faculty of Human Sciences) | An Invitation to Cognitive Neuroscience — From Social Anxiety Disorder to ASD 
 
Professor Osu specializes in cognitive neuroscience, and from among her many research projects, she presented case studies on social anxiety disorder, ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), and hemispatial neglect (*). 
(*) A condition in which, despite no visual impairment, attention is unable to be directed toward the side of space opposite the site of brain injury 
 
Social anxiety disorder is a condition in which individuals experience persistent and intense fear and anxiety in situations where they are the focus of attention or evaluation by others, which significantly impairs their daily lives. One of the contributing factors is “self-focus,” which is an excessive awareness of one’s own internal negative state. When self-focus is high, excessive activity is observed in a brain region called the “right frontal pole.” 
 
Therefore, to clarify whether this brain region is truly involved in self-focus, Professor Osu suppressed the activity of this region by applying static magnetic field stimulation from outside the head. She confirmed that the degree of self-focus decreased in subjects with high social anxiety tendencies. 

Additionally, her research on ASD, hemispatial neglect, and other related topics also engaged the event participants’ interest in the world of cognitive neuroscience.

Professor Yoshikuni Ono (Faculty of Political Science and Economics) | What determines votes? — Voting behavior is influenced by impressions and emotions 
 
According to Professor Ono, recent research on voting behavior suggests that voters may be making decisions based not only on policy content but also on intuitive clues, using “heuristics (*).”
(*) A “shortcut in thinking” based on experience and intuition, a simple method for quickly solving complex problems.

The study asked voters to rate candidates’ faces on a five-point scale from “beautiful” to “unattractive,” and compared these results with actual election outcomes. The study found a tendency for candidates with higher “attractiveness” to receive more votes. This suggests that voters’ voting behavior may be influenced by factors unrelated to policy, such as a candidate’s appearance.

Further factors influencing voters’ decisions included candidates’ facial expressions in election posters and campaign broadcasts, and the tone of their statements on social media.

With the spread of social media and other platforms, the information voters encounter in elections has diversified, potentially increasing the influence of heuristics. The impact of intuitive impressions and emotions on voting decisions will become an even more important research topic in the future. Professor Ono’s research asks what clues voters use when voting and what they should pay attention to.

Professor Takashi Kawai (Faculty of Science and Engineering) | Advanced Imaging and Ergonomics — From “Safe 3D” to “Measures Against Space Sickness”

Professor Kawai, whose research focuses on “Advanced Imaging and Ergonomics,” has been studying the effects of 3D imagery on visual function and other aspects since the 1990s, and has been involved in the production of numerous 3D projects.

The audience was treated to a lineup of familiar films, including the first 3D theatrical film from Scandinavia “Moomins and the Comet Chase” (2010), as well as “Kaibutsu-kun” (2011) and “STAND BY ME Doraemon” (2014), and the venue was filled with gasps of surprise.

For the first two works, the aim was to create “safe 3D” and “comfortable 3D,” incorporating features that would not strain the eyes. In “STAND BY ME Doraemon,” the focus was on designing a sense of depth that would amplify emotions in accordance with the story’s progression. It can truly be called ” emotionally moving 3D.”

Professor Kawai’s current interests lie in space. Around 2040, the era of space travel for ordinary civilians will arrive. Therefore, space sickness is an issue that needs to be resolved beforehand.

He is working on developing video technology that can reduce space sickness. It is expected to become an essential item for space travel in the near future.

Professor Yutaka Kosaki (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences) | The Human Mind and the Animal Mind — The Science of “Intention” and “Purpose”

In Professor Yutaka Kosaki’s presentation on the theme of “The Human Mind and the Animal Mind,” he presented experiments using rats to show how mental processes such as “intention” and “purpose” can be understood.

In one experiment, rats were trained to press a lever using food as a reward, and then the value of the food was reduced by combining food with the administration of lithium chloride. As a result, rats administered lithium chloride pressed the lever less frequently in test scenarios where no food was actually dispensed, compared to the control group. This result suggests that the behavior is not merely a reaction but is based on “specific expectations of the outcome.”

On the other hand, when similar tasks were continued for a long period, cases were observed where the behavior was maintained even after the perceived value of the task had decreased. This indicates a shift in behavior from being purposeful to becoming a habitual response.

Professor Kosaki mentioned that elucidating the conditions for the transition from purposeful behavior to habit, and the neural basis supporting it, could lead to a better understanding of mental processes such as intention and purpose associated with our behavior, and even to a better understanding of diseases such as drug addiction. He stated that the mechanisms of habit formation, extinction, and relapse are important research topics for the future. He concluded his presentation by introducing the latest research that detected a recursive perception of “agency” in relation to behavior in mice, emphasizing the significance of animal research in the science of the mind.

Professor Tetsuro Kobayashi (Faculty of Political Science and Economics) | Why do “conspiracy theories” become a political phenomenon? — An examination from the perspective of social psychology

Professor Kobayashi, who has analyzed political phenomena based on social psychology, chose “conspiracy theories” as the theme for this presentation.

Generally, it is believed that people who are more likely to believe in conspiracy theories are less likely to vote. However, in recent years, political parties that espouse conspiracy-like claims have gained a certain level of support in various countries, which has been pointed out as a discrepancy with existing knowledge. Professor Kobayashi focused on the concept of “Collective Efficacy” as a way to explain this point.

Collective Efficacy is the idea that “I can’t change politics alone, but we can make an impact if we work together.”

A 2023 survey found that people more prone to conspiracy theories tended to rate government responsiveness lower but felt a stronger sense of Collective Efficacy. In other words, people who believe in conspiracy theories may be more inclined to participate in politics because they believe in the power of the collective.

Professor Kobayashi acknowledged that Collective Efficacy itself is an important element supporting participatory democracy but cautioned that conspiracy theories can exert political influence through this process. He concluded his presentation by asking the audience whether this phenomenon should be seen as a revitalization or a distortion of democracy.

Professor Hiromu Sakai (Faculty of Science and Engineering) | Where in the brain is “meaning” located? — Estimating concepts from brain activity patterns

Professor Sakai aims to go beyond the traditional understanding of where in the brain the neural circuits that process language are located and instead elucidate how the meaning of individual words is represented within those circuits.

The experimental method involves presenting subjects with multiple images and measuring their brain activity using magnetic sensors. The obtained data is treated as vectors, mapped onto a high-dimensional space, and then classified using a Support Vector Machine (SVM), a type of machine learning technique.

This method was used to test how well the objects a subject is looking at can be estimated solely from patterns of brain activity. When images were classified into “food” and “tools,” it was shown that the two could be distinguished with nearly 100% accuracy.

These findings suggest that concepts such as “food” and “tools” may be represented in the brain as patterns of neural activity. As a new approach to understanding concepts in the brain, the research attracted significant attention from the audience. 

Associate Professor Eriko Sugimori (Faculty of Human Sciences) | What happens in the “pre-stage” of depression? — Anxiety and tension manifest in facial expressions

Associate Professor Sugimori conducts research focusing on how information from the external environment is perceived and expressed, as well as the individual differences in these processes.

In her presentation, she introduced her recent research findings on “subthreshold depression.” Subthreshold depression refers to a state in which a person exhibits depressive tendencies, but not to the point of seeking medical attention.

Associate Professor Sugimori analyzed the perception and expression of facial expressions, as well as the impressions they give to others, in these individuals.

It is generally known that individuals with clinical depression tend to perceive others’ facial expressions as more negative and display fewer smiles themselves. In contrast, this study confirmed that individuals with subthreshold depression perceive others’ facial expressions in the same way as those without depression.

However, regarding their own facial expressions, the findings suggest a tendency for positive expressions to diminish, while expressions of anxiety and tension are more likely to appear. This indicates that depressive tendencies may be affecting facial expressions in a manner distinct from the typical “decrease in smiling.”

These findings are likely to provide clues to understanding psychological and behavioral changes in the early stages of depression, and we look forward to further research in this area.

Professor Atsushi Tago (Faculty of Political Science and Economics) | The Science of the Mind Surrounding War — How Do People React to War Reports?

Professor Tago’s presentation introduced research on the psychological reactions of ordinary citizens, who are far removed from war, when they witness war through news reports and other means.

In recent years, ordinary citizens have had more opportunities to be exposed to images of war. However, compared to research on soldiers and victims, there is limited research dealing with the reactions of ordinary people in distant locations to horrific scenes. Therefore, Professor Tago conducted an experiment using images related to war with students at Waseda University.

In the experiment, participants were presented with images related to war, and their heart rate changes and perceptions of the cost of war were measured. The results showed no significant changes in response to images depicting destruction, weapons, or survivors. However, images containing corpses were associated with a tendency to rate the cost of war higher, along with a decrease in heart rate. This decrease in heart rate is thought to be due to “disgust.” 

While it was stated that there are many unresolved issues in this field and that further research is necessary, this is valuable research for considering the nature of war reporting. 

Associate Professor Masashi Tanaka (Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences) | The Science of Human-Bird Culture — How Does Imitative Learning Arise?

Associate Professor Tanaka is researching the high imitation and cultural transmission abilities shared by humans and songbirds.

His research on birds has shown that when young birds listen to adult songs face-to-face, dopamine is released in the motor association area of ​​the brain. Furthermore, blocking this dopamine transmission prevents imitation, while artificially inducing dopamine release allows imitation to occur even when songs are played back from a speaker, which would normally be difficult to imitate.

Furthermore, regarding the function of the amygdala, which is known to be associated with emotions, results showed that while normal birds approach specific adult birds to learn songs, birds with amygdala damage approach any adult bird and fail to identify a specific model to imitate. Experiments involving humans have also reported that the imitation of speech and songs can be facilitated by manipulating emotions.

This study suggests that the mechanisms linking the ability to imitate, which is crucial for cultural transmission, with emotional and social behaviors are shared by humans and birds, both of which are rare animals capable of transmitting culture; as such, these findings are drawing attention for their contribution to our understanding of the biological basis of cultural transmission.

Professor Katsumi Watanabe (Faculty of Science and Engineering) | Studying the Mind — A Perspective Connecting Diverse Academic Fields 
 
Professor Watanabe reflected on each presentation in the first part of the event, saying he realized there were many connections between his own research and those of the other presentations. 
 
In his lecture, he introduced several of his research themes, frankly acknowledging that even he himself felt he was “doing too much.” He then encouraged the audience to enjoy this very diversity, which he sees as the essence of the science of the mind.

He also touched upon his own background, mentioning that despite graduating from the Faculty of Letters, he is currently involved in research and education at the Faculty of Science and Engineering. He stated that the appeal of “the study of the mind” lies in its ability to transcend disciplines if one establishes a position of “studying the mind” and adheres to a consistent methodology. Furthermore, he emphasized that the study of the mind can connect with diverse fields, and that it is important to continue the inquiry without rushing to conclusions, concluding his presentation with this point.

*Summary of Part 1*

To conclude the first part, Professor Yasushi Sekine, Director of the Center for Research Strategy, offered praise, stating that the diverse themes “strongly stimulated intellectual curiosity.” He viewed the University’s interdisciplinary breadth as a major strength and expressed his hopes for its future development. Finally, he offered enthusiastic encouragement to young researchers, urging them to broaden their horizons by actively engaging with diverse fields and to “become pioneers of a new era.” 

[Part Two] Poster Presentations and Networking Session

A total of 14 young researchers, including students, presented their research.

The venue was packed with attendees, and crowds gathered in front of each poster, indicating a lively and successful event. Many participants also gathered around the researchers who presented in the first part of the event, and networking across disciplines was evident as business cards were exchanged and information was shared throughout the venue. In his concluding remarks, Professor Katsumi Watanabe emphasized that free inquiry, transcending disciplinary boundaries, is the essence of the “science of the mind,” and stressed the importance of continuing such collaborations in the future. The event concluded successfully.

(Moderator/Facilitator: Katsutoshi Ara, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering) 

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Digest Video 

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Information on Participants  

(This analysis includes only participants who pre-registered. The campus breakdown is compiled based on the location of each participant’s Faculty.) 

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 Date: April 10, 2026 (Friday) 
Venue: Building 121, Waseda University 
Co-sponsored by: Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering/ Center for Research Strategy 
Event Advisor: Professor Katsumi Watanabe, Faculty of Science and Engineering 
Organizers: Katsutoshi Ara, Daisuke Takahashi, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering / Kazuyo Shiroya, Center for Research Strategy 
Operations: “Science of the Mind” Event Management Office (within Research Institute for Science and Engineering Office/ Center for Research Strategy Office) 

Video Production: Office of Communications and Public Relations 
Article Creation Assistance: Writer Yoko Seki 
(Reference) Event Announcement (Japanese language only): https://www.waseda.jp/fsci/wise/news/2026/02/03/11302/