Agency refers to our ability to carry out our intentions, and have ownership of our thoughts and actions. Agency is important for understanding who we are and what we are responsible for. In our work, we often take a relational approach to agency, and we consider how the meaning of what it is to be an agent may shift as neurotechnologies become more integrated in our selves. We also ask participants in neurotechnology research and users of therapeutically-approved neural devices about their experiences of using neurotechnology to get a better understanding of its impacts on human agency.
People: Sara Goering, Eran Klein, Tim Brown, Erika Versalovic, Andreas Schönau, Ishan Dasgupta, Natalie Montes.
Grants:
NIH 1RF1MH117800-01 “Human Agency and Brain Computer Interfaces: Understanding users’ experiences and developing a tool for improved consent” (R01 Neuroethics) Co-PIs Sara Goering and Eran Klein; $1.6 million (2018-2022)
NIH 1R61MH135407-01 “Novel multimodal neural, physiological, and behavioral sensing and machine learning for mental states” (R66/R31). PI Maryam Shanechi (University of Southern California); Sara Goering and Eran Klein, co-investigators for ethics integration. Total award $5,864,619 (2023-2028).
Publications:
- Klein and Goering (2023) “Can I Hold That Thought for You? Dementia and Shared Relational Agency” Hastings Center Report 53(5):17-29.
- Goering and Klein (2023) “Why taking psychosocial effects of neurotechnology seriously matters” AJOB Neuroscience 14(3): 307-309.
- Versalovic, Goering and Klein (2022) “Data, privacy, and agency: beyond transparency to empowerment” AJOB Bioethics.
- Schönau, Goering, Versalovic, Montes, Brown, Dasgupta, Klein (2022) "Asking questions that matter - Question Prompt Lists as tools for improving the consent process for neurotechnology clinical trials" Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 16: 983226.
- Schönau, Brown, Dasgupta, Klein, Versalovic and Goering (2021) “Mapping the Dimensions of Agency” AJOB Neuroscience 12(2-3). 172–186.
- Goering, Brown T and Klein (2021) “Neurotechnology Ethics and Relational Agency” Philosophy Compass.
- Goering, Klein, Dougherty, and Widge (2017) “Staying in the loop: Relational Agency and Identity in Next Generation DBS for Psychiatry.” AJOB Neuroscience 8(2): 59-70.
- Goering, Brown T and Alsarraf (2017) “Other people's contributions to an individual's narrative identity matter for DBS” AJOB Neuroscience 8(3): 176-178.
- Goering (2015) “Stimulating autonomy: DBS and the prospect of choosing to control ourselves through stimulation” (editorial); AJOB Neuroscience 6(4): 1-3.
- Goering (2014) “Is it Still Me? DBS, Agency, and the Extended, Relational Me” AJOB Neuroscience 5(4): 50-51.