November 03, 2023 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Semester Welcome Brunch
Speaker: Thomas Lachmann
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
November 10, 2023 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Intuitive XR - Using physiological data for immersive virtual experiences
Speaker: Marius Klug (Brandenburg Universtiy of Technology Cottbus - Senftenberg; invited by Omar Jubran)
Abstract: Virtual Reality (VR) and Extended Reality (XR) offer unprecedented opportunities for creating immersive experiences. However, the challenge remains: How can we make interactions within these virtual worlds as intuitive and natural as possible? This talk aims to shed light on the utilization of physiological data—captured via techniques like EEG, EMG, EKG, and eye-tracking—as a groundbreaking approach to enhancing XR interfaces. We will explore the foundational principles of Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) and passive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) that enable real-time, dynamic user interaction. Delving into ongoing experiments, we will discuss how physiological signals can be integrated into XR experiences, effectively "humanizing" our engagement with virtual worlds. Finally, the talk will address potential pitfalls and ethical considerations, as well as the transformative possibilities this research holds for the fields of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), neuroscience, and beyond.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
November 17, 2023 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Visual global and local processing - A link to autistic-like traits in a neurotypical sample
Speaker: Hannah Plückebaum (PhD sutdent; supervisor - Thomas Lachmann)
Abstract: How we visually perceive our environment has been shown to vary vastly between individuals. Conceptualizing our environment as consisting of global parts and their local constituents, many studies have focused on the investigation of individual differences in the performance on various visual local/global tasks. Evidence for superior performance in these tasks was not only found for autistic individuals compared to non-autistic controls but also for neurotypical individuals with higher compared to lower levels of autistic-like traits. This supports the idea of a broader autism phenotype in which autistic-like traits are continuously distributed across the general population. However, findings on this relationship between autistic-like traits and visual local/global processing are not consistent due to between-study differences in tasks as well as participant samples. Moreover, most studies have followed quantile approaches in which task performance was compared between groups with extremely high or low traits, thereby neglecting those in the middle of the distribution. Thus, our study adopts a continuous approach to investigate visual global/local processing in a sample of neurotypical adults (18-35 years). To this end, we assessed participants’ performance on two commonly used tasks - the Embedded Figures Test (EFT) and the Compound Figures Test (CFT) - in relation to their autistic-like traits quantified by the Autism-Spectrum Quotient. Consistent with prior research, our findings reveal a connection between enhanced performance on the EFT and social autistic-like traits, as opposed to non-social traits. While age and gender did not serve as mediators in this relationship, significant age effects were observed for the relationship between CFT performance and social autistic-like traits. These findings lend support to the notion of a continous distribution of autistic-like traits without discrete boundary in the general population for this specific form of visual processing. Simultaneously, they highlight the importance of recognizing between-task differences in understanding the intricate interplay between autistic-like traits and visual local/global processing.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
November 24, 2023
Title: Mini - Conference - Cognitive Science
Speaker: Master students from Cognitive Science
Abstract: Talks ans poster presentations from various labrotations
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
December 08, 2023 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Aircraft noise impact on health: Investigation of mediation and moderation role of some factors
Speaker: Antoine Kodji (PhD Student - Universtiy of Gustave Eiffel)
Abstract: Aircraft noise is an important environmental health issue. More than 20 million people worldwide are still affected by noise levels exceeding the guide value of 55 decibels. The impact of transportation noise on health is a significant concern, as prolonged exposure to noise can have adverse consequences on human health. The first question to address is how noise affects our health. To answer this question, we conduct a mediation analysis to identify the intermediate factors through which noise exposure influences our health. In other words, understand the underling mechanism between noise and health. The second question involves determining whether specific individual characteristics make some people more susceptible to the adverse effects of noise. We answer this question by conducting moderation analysis. The following items will be discussed during the presentation: 1) the adverse effects of noise on our health, 2) The mediating and moderating roles of certain factors between noise exposure and adverse health events from noise, and 3) causal inference approach to handle with confounding factors.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
January 12, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Predictive Eye Looks in L2 English Speakers are Easily Disrupted by Cognitive Load
Speaker: Christopher Allison (PhD student; supervisors -Thomas Lachmann & Shanley Allen)
Abstract: The idea of the brain as a sort of prediction machine is pervasive in neuroscience. Prediction is thought to be one of the underlying mechanisms through which our brains make sense of the world around us. However, the role of prediction in reading and language comprehension is unclear. Some groups argue strongly that prediction is critical for language, while other groups argue that it offers little benefit. We used eyetracking to examine predictive looks using the Visual World Paradigm (VWP) in combination with three different levels of cognitive load. We find that predictive looks are modulated by cognitive load, with the highest load level completely eliminating predictive looks. We also find that the time course of prediction formation is similarly modulated by cognitive load, with control conditions allowing for very fast prediction formation and higher load conditions delaying prediction formation. Individual differences (English proficiency, Rapid Automatized Naming, Working Memory, Inhibitory Control) were also measured and there is evidence that the importance of these measures for the formation of linguistic predictions vary based on cognitive load.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
January 19, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Creativity in Solo or Team Settings: Where Do the Best Ideas Emerge?
Speaker: Zhino Ebrahimi (PhD student; supervisors - Thomas Lachmann & Saskia Jaarsveld)
Abstract: This study explores how creative ideas happen. Do they come more from thinking alone or working in groups? Having a sample of 120 participants, the research examines creative performance in two distinct settings: individual tasks and team collaborations. Participants engage in the Creative Reasoning Task (CRT) and the Test for Creative Thinking-Drawing Production (TSD-Z) under both conditions. The hypothesis expects enhanced performance in divergent and convergent thinking aspects of the CRT and higher TSD-Z scores in the team setting.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
January 26, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Mini - Conference - Cognitive Science
Speaker: Master students from Cognitive Science
Abstract: Talks ans poster presentations from various labrotations
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
February 02, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title:
Speaker: Felix Hekele (PhD student; supervisor - Thomas Lachmann)
Abstract: In this talk, I will present a proto version of my PhD work in the format of the disputation (20 min). The talk will give a brief overview over research conducted within the last six years and focus in particular on two VR-based papers. These papers will be embedded in the theoretical framework of my PhD and their results discussed from a perspective reflecting recent developments in virtual reality and learning literature.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
February 09, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Design and analysis of experiments using continuous response tracking - Session I
Speaker: Omar Jubran (Graduate School member)
Abstract: This two-session workshop introduces participants to the design and analysis of experiments using continuous response tracking. The workshop aims to demonstrate the potential of hand movements to offer dynamic insights into human behavior. We will incorporate hand movements as an alternative to simple reaction times. The workshop consists of two sessions. In the first session, we will introduce the theory behind continuous hand movements in psychological experiments and how to design such experiments using Unity. The second session will delve into analysis methods of continuous hand movements and how to make inferences about cognitive processes using hand movements.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09
February 16, 2024 at 10:00 (MEZ - in-person)
Title: Design and analysis of experiments using continuous response tracking - Session II
Speaker: Omar Jubran (Graduate School member)
Abstract: This two-session workshop introduces participants to the design and analysis of experiments using continuous response tracking. The workshop aims to demonstrate the potential of hand movements to offer dynamic insights into human behavior. We will incorporate hand movements as an alternative to simple reaction times. The workshop consists of two sessions. In the first session, we will introduce the theory behind continuous hand movements in psychological experiments and how to design such experiments using Unity. The second session will delve into analysis methods of continuous hand movements and how to make inferences about cognitive processes using hand movements.
Location: RPTU - Campus Kaiserslautern, Building 6
OR
Zoom Link: https://uni-kl-de.zoom-x.de/j/69747250582?pwd=VjFTeDFyYTlmQ2VkTFpUUUFWeVNLUT09