Our mission
SfNCA focuses on research that links cognitive performance to neurobiological and computational accounts of brain function. This includes work on:
Reasoning and complex problem-solving
General cognitive ability and intelligence-related constructs
Executive functions (e.g., cognitive control, working memory, flexibility)
Learning efficiency, adaptation, and cognitive resilience
Developmental, aging, and clinical perspectives on higher cognition
We welcome contributions that clarify both shared mechanisms (what is common across people) and individual differences (what varies—and why), including research that integrates behavior, brain, and biology in a unified explanatory framework.
Methods and approaches we support
SfNCA serves researchers who employ neuroimaging techniques as core tools for studying cognition in humans. We actively encourage integrative, multi-method work—because cognitive abilities are complex, and the strongest explanations often come from converging evidence. Our community includes (and is not limited to) researchers using:
Neuroimaging, such as structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion imaging, and related approaches that map brain structure, function, and connectivity
Genetics and genomics, including work that connects genetic variation to cognitive phenotypes and brain-based measures
Interventions and causal methods, including noninvasive brain stimulation and training paradigms—such as tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) and TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation)—to test mechanistic hypotheses and probe causal influence in cognitive systems
Computational and statistical modeling, including psychometrics, cognitive modeling, predictive modeling, and reproducible workflows that strengthen inference
How we connect the community
A major goal of SfNCA is to make it easier for researchers with shared interests to find each other, exchange ideas, and build collaborations. We support connection in several ways:
Annual meeting: SNCA will hold an annual meeting each year to provide a dedicated venue for presenting new findings, sharing methods, debating theory, and forming cross-lab partnerships. We aim for a meeting culture that is welcoming, discussion-oriented, and useful for both established scholars and early-career researchers.
Ongoing discussion channels: We maintain a community chat group to facilitate informal, year-round conversation—where members can ask questions, share resources, seek feedback, and coordinate collaborations.
Paper-sharing and research highlights: Through our website, we will share papers of interest and other scholarly resources relevant to the neuroscience of reasoning, intelligence, and cognitive ability. Our goal is to create a curated but broad stream of work—spanning neuroimaging, genetics, intervention studies, and theory—that helps members stay current and sparks new ideas.
Our values
SfNCA is committed to building a society that strengthens scientific progress and professional community. We emphasize:
Rigor and openness: Strong measurement, appropriate statistical practice, reproducibility, and transparent reporting.
Interdisciplinary collaboration: Cognitive ability research benefits from bridges across neuroscience, psychology, genetics, education, psychiatry, and computational science.
Constructive debate: We welcome disagreement—when it is grounded in evidence and shared curiosity.
Inclusivity and mentorship: The society should support researchers at all career stages and from diverse backgrounds, methods traditions, and institutions.