1 Introduction

This report summarises the three studies that I plan to run during my PhD, which aims to uncover the neurocomputational mechanisms of social learning and how this is altered in psychopathology.

I firstly provide a detailed account of my initial behavioural study examining transdiagnostic influences on observational and experiential learning by performing a review of the relevant literature, before discussing the methods and hypothesised results. Following this, two neuroimaging studies where I aim to uncover the neurocomputational mechanisms underlying social learning in social anxiety, and its treatment using smartphone-delivered CBT, will be briefly outlined.

Together, this research will provide a formal account of social learning grounded in computational neuroscience, informing novel methods of psychiatric treatment.

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