DSP-Research Group

Brain, Behavior & Health

Individual health has many sources and thus various disciplines make essential contributions to its understanding. Cognitive-affective neural functioning provides the basis for human contact with the environment and uncovers the neural sources and guiding computational principles of our representations of the outer world. Fundamental psychological domains such as cognition, language, sensory perception, consciousness have generated complementary (but also competing) views on how representations of our inner and outer environment influence important end states such as mental and physical health and individual and collective wellbeing. Central end states studied within this DSP include emotions, mental disorders, eating, physical activity, social cognition, and occupational communication, all of which are influenced by – and in turn impact on – such basic cognitive-affective processes.

The present DSP unites research methodologies that range from more fundamental cognitive and physiological domains to overt behaviours such as health related, social and occupational behaviours. Consequentially, PhD projects range from fundamental to more applied themes. Centring on all major disciplines of psychology, but extending beyond it with regard to neuropsychiatric health, exercise science, neurolinguistics, and occupational health this DSP holds the potential of widening the fellows’ views beyond their areas of expertise and therefore provides a solid basis for interdisciplinary cooperation and post-graduate teaching.

The DSP Brain, Behavior & Health (DSP-BBH) follows on from the DSP Cognitive Neuroscience (DSP-CNS 2017-2021) and DSP Bestehen in modernen Arbeitswelten (BimA): Leben und Arbeiten 4.0 an.

  • Doctoral Candidates

    Gina Biczkowski
    Topic: Components of the holistic stress model and its impacts on the everyday working life of professionals in the international arena. (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Eva Traut-Mattausch

    Andrea Bito
    Topic: Cardiorespiratory fitness and brain health – Does it matter? Impact of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness on the development of brain health (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Susanne Ring-Dimitriou

    Michaela Bühler
    Topic: Body Image Resilienz – in und außerhalb der Schule – verstehen und fördern (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Jeremias Braid
    Topic: Behavioural analysis and group processes in football (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Fabio Richlan

    Sabrina Diny
    Topic:Advancing mental health interventions through Cognitive Neuroscience: A Multimodal Approach to Brain-Body Mechanism (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Thomas Probst & Nathan Weisz

    Nicolas Vincent Fröse
    Topic: Capturing Stress Eating and Emotional Eating: Validation, Experience Sampling, and Clinical Relevance (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Arlinda Gashi
    Topic: Dynamics of negative cognitions and other PTSD symptoms (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Frank Wilhelm

    Sabrina Hettegger
    Topic: Post traumatic stress disorder and intrusive memories (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Frank Wilhelm

    Marius Korthauer
    Topic: The effect of posture on depressive symptoms (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Markus Reichert

    Maria Krymtsova
    Topic: Exploring the Interplay Between Physical Activity and Stress: Understanding the Buffering and Amplifying Effects of Exercise (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Sabine Würth

    Anton Kurapov
    Topic: Anxiety, stress responses and health behavior (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Moritz Leimer
    Topic: Building a Bridge Between Medically Unexplained Pain and Trauma: Experimental Investigation of Pain Re-Experiencing After Traumatic Events (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Frank Wilhelm

    Ivan Leonardelli
    Topic: Theoretical and Empirical Foundations and the Further Development of Person-Centered Experiential Psychotherapy (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Thomas Probst

    Luisa Lutz
    Topic: Candidate moderators of the physical behavior–well-being association in daily life: the menstrual cycle and substance use disorderSport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Markus Reichert

    Sarah Nasrouei
    Topic: Fear extinction deficits as an early marker of Alzheimer’s disease (Cognitive Neuroscience)
    Main supervisor: Frank Wilhelm

    Maxine Nawartschi
    Topic: Emotional and Stress Eating: Distinct Constructs or Overlapping Phenomena? Evidence from Self-Reports, Laboratory Experiments, and Daily Life (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Robert Olfermann
    Topic: The Within-Subject Association Between Physical Activity and Mood in Everyday Life: Temporal Stability and Between-Person Moderators (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Markus Reichert

    Johann Rehder
    Topic: Associations of physical activity and affective well-being in daily life: The role of subjective feelings of energy (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Markus Reichert

    Mareike Röttger
    Thema: Approach-Avoidance Interventions for Modifying Eating Behavior (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Jannic Wälde
    Topic: Psychophysiology and cognition during heat stress (Sport and Exercise Science)
    Main supervisor: Thomas Finkenzeller

  • Doctoral Supervision Team

    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jens Blechert (DSP-Kollegleitung)
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Dr. Susanne Ring-Dimitriou (stellvertr. DSP-Kollegleitung)
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Eva Traut-Mattausch (stellvertr. DSP-Kollegleitung)

    Assoz.-Prof. Dr. Mario Braun
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Eva Jonas
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Tuulia Ortner, M.A.
    Univ.-Prof. DDr. MMMag. Belinda Pletzer
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Thomas Probst, Dipl. Psych.
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Astrid Reichel
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Markus Reichert, MSc. Ph.D. 
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dietmar Roehm
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Eugen Trinka
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Nathan Weisz
    Univ.-Prof. Dr Frank Wilhelm

  • Board of Experts

    Associate Professor Alix Timko, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Psychiatry (US)
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Arthur M. Jacobs, Freie Universität Berlin, Allgemeine und Neurokognitve Psychologie (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Markus Quirin, PFH Private Hochschule Göttingen, Persönlichkeitspsychologie und Motivation (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Immo Fritsche, Universität Leipzig, Sozialpsychologie (EU)
    Prof. Dr. John Rauthmann, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Persönlichkeitspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Birgit Derndl, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, AG Psychische Gesundheit & Gehirnfunktion von Frauen (EU)
    Ass.Prof. Dr.rer.pol. Verena Bader, WU Wien, Interdisziplinäres Institut für verhaltenswissenschaftliche orientiertes Management, Personalmanagement und Zukunft der Arbeit (EU)
    Ao.Univ.-Prof.i.R Dr.phil. Mag.rer.nat. MPH Sylvia Titze, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Institut für Bewegungswissenschaften, Sport und Gesundheit, Körperliche Aktivität und Public Health (EU)
    Assoz. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Barbara Wessner, Universität Wien, Zentrum für Sportwissenschaft und Universitätssport, Active Ageing (EU)
    Prof. David Thivel, PhD, Université Clermont Auvergne, Metabolic Adaptation to Exercise under Physio-Pathological Conditions (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Matthias Schlesewesky, University of South Australia, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy (Australia)
    Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Carsten Schermuly, SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg, Wirtschaftspsychologie, Coachingforschung, New Work-Forschung, Teamforschung (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Dr. Florian Mormann, Universität Bonn, Kognitive Neurophysiologie (EU)
    Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Jonas Obleser, Universität zu Lübeck, Institut für Psychologie (EU)
    Prof. Maria Chait, University College London, UCL, Auditory Cognitve Neuroscience, The Ear Institute (UK)
    Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anne Keitel, University of Dundee, Cognitive Neuroscience, Auditory cognition and speech & music processing, Spontaneous and stimulus-dependent neural oscillations, Functional brain organisation (UK)
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Joachim Gross, PhD, Medizinische Fakultät Münster, Institut für Biomagnetismus and Biosignalanalyse (EU)
    Prof. Dipl-Psych PhD Dr. rer. nat. Anke Ehlers, University of Oxford, Oxford Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, Anxiety Disorders and Postraumatic Stress Disorder (UK)
    Prof. Dr. Ulrich Ebner-Priemer, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Mental mHealth Lab (EU)
    Assoz. Prof. Philip Sntangelo, Université du Luxembourg, ALPHA lab – Ambulatory Assessment in Learning, Psychological Health, and Aging (EU)
    Prof. Dr. Marco Giurgiu, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln, Institut für Bewegungstherapie und bewegungsorientierte Prävention und Rehabilitation (EU)

  • Successfully completed Theses

    Ann-Kathrin Arend
    Topic: Emotional Eating Across the Eating Disorder Spectrum – Nomothetic and Idiographic Approaches (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Natalie Badstuber
    Topic: Investigating indicators and strategies of task processing by personality and group (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Tuulia Ortner

    Christoph Bamberg
    Topic: Intervallfasten und Kognition: kurz- und mittelfristige Zusammenhänge (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Kaja Benz
    Topic: Eye Movements in Audiovisual Speech (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Ya-Ping Chen
    Topic: Degraded Speech Processing in Normal Hearing Population and Single-Sided Deaf Cochlear Implant Users (Cognitive Neuroscience)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Elena Fischer
    Topic: The Power of Our Prospection: Measuring Prospection and the Impact of Prospective Coaching on Well-Being (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Anton Laireiter

    Christina Fuchs
    Topic: Human-technology interaction and its effects on organizational structures (Economic Sciences)
    Main supervisor: Astrid Reichel

    David Haag
    Topic: Motivational interventions for physical activity
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Chandra Haider
    Topic: Visual benefits in the listening brain (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Sonja Jungreitmayr
    Topic: ICT-mediated functional fitness programs for people of age (Sports and Exercice Sciences)
    Main supervisor: Susanne Ring-Dimitriou

    Dániel Kovács
    Thema: The Making of a Resource: An Integrated Longitudinal Exploration of the JD-R Theory (Psychologie)
    Hauptbetreuung: Eva Traut-Mattausch

    Moritz Köhler
    Topic: Beyond the Brain: The Rhythmic Inner Ear and Its Involvement in Selective Listening (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Björn Pannicke
    Topic: The Multifaceted Nature of Affective States in Health Behaviours (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Jens Blechert

    Martin Pühringer
    Topic: Sequencing of Ventilatory Indices and Fatoxidaton (Sports and Exercice Scienes)
    Main supervisor: Susanne Ring-Dimitriou

    Lucas Rainer
    Topic: Ob nicht ein Wort sich selbst schon sprach–Epilepsy and Emotion: Insights into Affective Processing in Patients with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Mario Braun

    Lisa Maria Reisinger
    Topic: Tinnitus Between Neural Markers and Risk Factors Shortcomings in Current Tinnitus Research and Guidelines Towards an Integrated Brain Age Perspective (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Fabian Schmidt
    Topic: (A-)periodic activity in human electrophysiology as an interplay between the brain, body and nature (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Anne Schock
    Topic: Assessment of intra-individual variations in personality and gender role (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Anton Lairaiter

    Nina Süß
    Topic: Speech perception in the framework of multisensory integration – Insights from healthy and clinical subpopulations (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Nathan Weisz

    Thomas Vikoler
    Topic: Assessment and Induction of Stress in Everyday Life: The Di-Eu-Stress State Scale and the Salzburg Mobile Stress Induction (Psychology)
    Main supervisor: Eva Traut-Mattausch