ABSTRACT
Computational modelling has the potential to be an invaluable tool in understanding the relationship between brain and behaviour because it addresses not only what functions are performed by brain regions, but how they are performed (Rolls & Treves, 1997). Although most researchers have a theoretical framework that informs and motivates their experiments, the particular mechanisms that could yield predicted results are often not made explicit. Computational modelling can be particularly useful in that it brings forward such implicit assumptions. Because of this, models can be important tools for the analysis of data, and can help in the development of clearly motivated experiments with clear predictions. Furthermore, computational models can provide a common language to help with communication across researchers, thereby reducing the perennial problem of ambiguity of terminology.
