Joined OCC in 2026
Research Project
The Mismatch Negativity (MMN) is an event-related component that can be studied using oddball paradigms. It is characterised by a relative negative deflection of the signal in response to infrequently presented deviant stimuli embedded within a sequence of frequently presented standard stimuli. Current research on MMN increasingly focuses on the neuronal mechanisms underlying this response. In this context, the predictive coding framework has gained considerable attention, while the adaptation account is also widely discussed. Studies employing modern approaches, such as computational modelling, suggest that adaptation processes tend to occur earlier, whereas prediction error processes emerge later within the MMN time window. In the spatial domain, adaptation is mainly observed in sensory areas, while prediction error was reported in higher-order areas of the brain. Although these results make a substantial contribution to understanding the underlying mechanisms of mismatch responses, it remains unclear whether similar relationships can be observed when mismatch processing is altered, e.g., due to anxiety. Therefore, my research project aims to ivestigate the impact of state and trait anxiety on the spatiotemporal dynamics of neuronal mismatch responses, as well as on the underlying mechanisms contributing to altered mismatch processing.
PhD Committee
Prof. Dr. Thomas Straube
Apl. Prof. Dr. Jens Bölte
Dr. Insa Schloßmacher
CV
| *1996 | Siegen, Germany |
| 2018-2022 | B.Sc. Psychology at the Hamburger Fernhochschule |
| 2022-2025 | M.Sc. Psychology the University of Münster |
| since 2025 | Beginning of PhD research project, at the Institute for Medical Psychology and Systems Neuroscience, University of Münster |