Research Project

Contemporary theories on perception take the brain to engage in prediction of change at its sensors (Clark, 2013). To predict events accurately, we have to estimate their probability of occurrence; therefore we implicitly use prior experience in similar contexts. In a recent study, Kühn & Schubotz (2012) found a long-lasting adaptation of the dorsal frontomedian activity (Brodmann Area 9) when subjects re-encounter expected numbers that however have a history of deviation from expectation; this adaptation was interpreted as a destabilization of the prediction. By means of a similar paradigm which was expanded by a further statistical structure and using different neurophysiological methods (Skin Conductance Response (SCR), Electroencephalogram (EEG), and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)), we examine the question as to how the brain combines sequential information and statistical structure to make predictions about the environment.

References
Clark, A. (2012). Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behav. Brain Sci, 1-86.
Kühn, A. B., & Schubotz, R. I. (2012). Temporally remote destabilization of prediction after rare breaches of expectancy. Human brain mapping, 33(8), 1812-1820.
Perruchet, P., & Pacton, S. (2006). Implicit learning and statistical learning: One phenomenon, two approaches. Trends in cognitive sciences, 10(5), 233-238.

PhD Committee

Prof. Dr. Ricarda Schubotz
Prof. Dr. Pienie Zwitserlood
Dr. Maximilian Bruchmann

Conference Contributions

Trempler, I., Kaltwasser, I., Schiffer, A.-M., & Schubotz, R. I. (2014). Changing and changing back: Behavioral and skin conductance responses (SCR) to probabilistic adaptation in young and older participants. Poster presentation at the 49th DGPs-Congress, Bochum.

Kaltwasser, I., Trempler, I., Schiffer, A.-M., & Schubotz, R. I. (2014). Psychophysiological reflections of probabilistic adaptation in young and older participants. Poster presentation at the 7th Donders Discussions, Nijmegen.

Keller, F., Kaltwasser, I., Rassenhofer, M., Fegert, J.M., & Schepker, R. (2013). Modellprojekt zu Traumaambulanzen nach dem Opferentschädigungsgesetz (TRAVESI): Design und erste Erfahrungen im Jugendlichenbereich. Presentation at the 18th DGKJP-Congress, Rostock.

CV