Current projects

Event-related potentials (ERPs) represent summed brain activity in response to a stimulus. Two ERPs that are typically studied in the context of language processing include the N400 and the P600. Despite their relevance for neurolinguistics, recent research suggests that these components may also relate more generally to adaptation, with the N400 associated with implicit memory and the P600 linked to explicit memory. The current project seeks to further investigate the connections between these ERPs and memory, firstly in a linguistic context, and secondly, in a non-linguistic setting focused on object and action processing. This research has the potential to shed light on the processes that underlie learning in the brain, whilst also informing the extent to which language and other cognitive domains share common neural mechanisms.

Scientific staff: Dr. Sophie Jano (Postdoc)

PIs: Prof. Dr. Milena Rabovsky, Prof. Dr. Isabell Wartenburger & Prof. Dr. Birgit Elsner

Period: May 2025 - May 2028

This project investigates the dynamic processes between body movements and number representations in children and adults, combining educational and cognitive sciences. Assuming that numerical cognition can be considered embodied, we aim to better understand the embodied synergies involved in numerical cognition. The project focuses on mental number line representations by measuring estimation accuracy in the number-to-position task. By systematically manipulating different body movements during the task, we investigate how movement dynamics contribute to improving numerical representations. We also aim to explore the effects on other mathematical skills, such as arithmetic, that may result from improved mental number line representations in elementary school children. Accordingly, this project also contributes to identifying suitable formats for promoting children's numerical competencies.

Scientific staff: Hannah Dittmer (PhD candidate)

PIs: Prof. Dr. Jan Lonnemann & Prof. Dr. Martin Fischer

Period: July 2025 - June 2028

Stress can severely disrupt our ability to recall information, affecting not only students in exams but also professionals in high-pressure situations. This project investigates innovative, non-invasive interventions to protect memory retrieval under stress: transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and heart rate variability biofeedback. Using behavioral, hormonal, and electrophysiological measures, we examine how these techniques influence attention, memory, and stress physiology. Our interdisciplinary approach combines psychology, neuroscience, and computational modeling to uncover for whom and why these interventions are most effective. Ultimately, this research aims to advance our understanding of stress-cognition interactions and provide practical strategies to preserve memory performance in everyday and clinical contexts.

PIs: Manon Giraudier (Focus Topic Postdoc) and Prof. Dr. Mathias Weymar

Period: October 2025 - September 2028