The Need to Know: Dopamine, Memory, and the Need to Scroll
with Deepu Murty, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, Principal Investigator in the Adaptive Memory Laboratory at the University of Oregon
About the Lecture
It’s 11 p.m. You open TikTok to check one thing, and suddenly it’s after midnight. That pull isn’t a lack of willpower. It’s curiosity, one of the brain’s most powerful motivational signals. When we feel uncertain and want to know what happens next, the brain floods key memory regions with dopamine, the same chemical messenger that guides us to seek reward like food or drugs. Curiosity evolved to help us learn about our world, but what happens when our digital environments try to keep us curious forever?
In this talk, Dr. Deepu Murty will take us inside the brain science underlying why we sometimes crave more information. We’ll explore how curiosity makes us seek out new information, how it helps us remember not just the answers we seek but everything around them, and how stress and anxiety may change these learning states. Then we’ll turn to our screens, looking at how infinite feeds, autoplay, and “For You” pages tap into these same learning systems, and why doomscrolling can feel both irresistible and empty. You’ll leave with a new appreciation for your curious brain, and maybe a few ideas for taking back control of your thumb.
Science Pubs are a casual lecture series located in fun venues across the region, recommended for ages 10 and over.
Tickets
$8 suggested donation | Advance tickets recommended
Zoom Option
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on Zoom. You must register in advance. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
About the Speaker
Dr. Deepu Murty is an associate professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, where he leads the Adaptive Memory Laboratory. Heearned his PhD at Duke University and continued his research training at New York University and University of Pittsburgh, before starting his own lab. His research asks how what motivation and emotion shapes what we remember, and how those memories guide our future choices. When he’s not in the lab, he enjoys being obsessed with his dog, consuming and performing comedy, and playing card games.
Questions? Email sciencepub@omsi.edu
Ticketing questions call 503.797.4000 x0
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are unable to join us in person, you can watch on zoom. You must register in advance via the ticketing page or the link above. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
To guarantee a seat at this event, we recommend you purchase your ticket in advance. Please show your ticket at the check-in table in front of the theater upon arrival.
We will usually have tickets available at the door. They are first-come, first-served, and admission will remain a suggested donation.
Kennedy School Theater has everything from pizza to burgers to popcorn and candy. Food and drink are welcome in the theater. No outside food or drink is allowed.
It is free to park in McMenamins Kennedy School parking lot and there is plenty of free street parking in the neighborhood.
Venue Information
Sponsored by
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible Entrance