My research is focused on the cognitive psychology and the cognitive neuroscience of memory and executive function. Besides of behavioral experiments, my colleagues and I use high-resolution event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic  resonance imaging (fMRI) in order to investigate the temporal and spatial orchestration of brain activity subserving these cognitive functions.

Within this field I am working on the following four topics:

In this part of my research, my coworkers and I investigate according to which general principles conceptual object knowledge is stored in human long-term memory. Hereby we test the assumption that conceptual knowledge is not abstract, but modality-specific that is it is essentially derived from our perceptual and motor interactions with the outside world. More information regarding this research project is found on the home page of the Semantic Memory Research Group.

How is semantic knowledge accessed during word recognition? What are the electrophysiological correlates of automatic vs. controlled access to semantic memory? In order to study automatic semantic priming in isolation, we used a visual masking procedure, which rendered the prime words unavailable to conscious experience. Nevertheless, although not consciously perceived, these prime words modulated behavioral reactions as well as the N400 ERP component. We were able to show that conscious and unconscious semantic priming exhibit in principle the same brain areas, but show different time courses. More information is found on the home page of the Unconscious Visual Perception Research Group. This research is conducted within the research network "Neuro-cognitive Mechanisms of Conscious and Unconscious Visual Perception" funded by the German Research Foundation.

The coordination of processes underlying cognition and action is an important prerequisite for goal-directed behavior. It  is assumed that some of the working memory systems are mainly dedicated for holding relevant information on line while others (executive function) are involved in manipulating this information and in the goal-directed orchestration of information processing. My colleagues and I investigate the functional neuroanatomy of working memory systems and their dysfunction in psychiatric disorders.

Emotions have important modulatory influences on cognitive processes such as memory and executive functions. It is assumed that emotions configure the cognitive system thereby improving human adaptation to enviromental challenges. Meanwhile it is well accepted that emotional mood states trigger different cognitive styles and -
as a consequence - influence memory processes. However, the precise neuro-cognitive mechanisms underlying the emotion/cognition interface are unclear. To address this issue, we investigate the influences of positive and negative mood states on episodic memory encoding.