Computation and Cognition @ HMU Potsdam

We investigate the computational and cognitive mechanisms of human behavior. A major focus of the group is metacognition — the ability to introspect about own thoughts, actions and perceptions.

The group is part of the Institute of Mind, Brain and Behavior of the Health and Medical University, a private university in Potsdam (just outside of Berlin).

Team


Matthias Guggenmos
Professor for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience

E-mail
Matthias Guggenmos

Marek Němeček
Researcher

E-mail
Marek Němeček

Awritrojit Banerjee
PhD Student

E-mail
Awritrojit Banerjee

Denise Kittelmann
Student assistant

E-mail
Denise Kittelmann

Barbora Wolf
Student assistant

E-mail
Barbora Wolf

Johanna Prugger
Student assistant

E-mail
Johanna Prugger

Boutheina Korchani
Student assistant

E-mail
Boutheina Korchani

We are open to students interested in internships, lab rotations or master theses. To apply, please write us an E-mail with a short motivation and CV.

Ressources

Color constancy test
Test your susceptibility to color illusions
Test:   color-test.org

FAQ:   Link
ReMeta Toolbox
Infering metacognitive parameters from behavioral choice and confidence data
github.com/m-guggenmos/remeta
Tutorial: MEG / EEG
Multivariate patter analysis

Python / Matlab tutorial accompanying 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.02.044
github.com/m-guggenmos/megmvpa
Schafkopf.watch (German)
Statistical analyses of the Bavarian card game Schafkopf
schafkopf.watch
hmu-stats.github.io (German)
Lecture series on the foundations of stastitical inference (aka “Statistik 1”)
hmu-stats.github.io

Key publications

Learning with internal feedback: confidence-based learning

Ptaczynski E, Steinecker I, Sterzer P, Guggenmos M (2022). The value of confidence: Confidence prediction errors drive value-based learning in the absence of external feedback. PLOS Computational Biology 18(10): e1010580  

Guggenmos M & Sterzer P (2017). A confidence-based reinforcement learning model for perceptual learning. RLDM 2017: Paper M94     BioRxiv  

Guggenmos M, Wilbertz G, Hebart MN & Sterzer P (2016). Mesolimbic confidence signals guide perceptual learning in the absence of external feedback. eLife 5: 1–19  


Measuring metacognition

Guggenmos M (2022). Reverse engineering of metacognition. eLife 11: e75420  

Guggenmos M (2021). Measuring metacognitive performance: type 1 performance dependence and test-retest reliability. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2021: 1  


Learning with external feedback

Varrier RS, Rothkirch M, Stuke H, Guggenmos M* & Sterzer P* (2020). Unreliable feedback deteriorates information processing in primary visual cortex. NeuroImage 214, 116701  

Varrier RS, Stuke H, Guggenmos M* & Sterzer P* (2019). Sustained effects of corrupted feedback on perceptual inference. Scientific Reports 9: 5537  


Methods: multivariate pattern analysis in neural data analysis

Guggenmos M, Schmack K, Veer I, Lett L, Sekutowicz M, Sebold M, Garbusow M, Sommer C, Wittchen H-U, Zimmermann U, Smolka M, Walter H, Heinz A & Sterzer P (2020). A multimodal neuroimaging classifier for alcohol dependence. Scientific Reports 10, 1–12  

Gayet S, Guggenmos M, Christophel TB, Haynes J, Paffen CLE, Sterzer P, and Van Der Stigchel S (2020). No evidence for mnemonic modulation of interocularly suppressed visual input. NeuroImage 215, 116801  

Sekutowicz M*, Guggenmos M*, Kuitunen P-S, Garbusow M, Sebold M, Pelz P, Priller J, Wittchen H-U, Smolka MN, Zimmermann U, Heinz A, Sterzer P & Schmack K (2019). Neural Response Patterns During Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer Predict Alcohol Relapse and Young Adult Drinking. Biological Psychiatry 86: 857–863  

Guggenmos M, Sterzer P & Cichy RM (2018). Multivariate pattern analysis for MEG: a comparison of dissimilarity measures. NeuroImage 173: 434–447  

Gayet S, Guggenmos M, Christophel TB, Haynes JD, Paffen CLE, Van Der Stigchel S, and Sterzer P (2017). Visual working memory enhances the neural response to matching visual input. Journal of Neuroscience 37, 6638–6647  


Methods: computational modeling

Sebold M, Nebe S, Garbusow M, Guggenmos M, Schad DJ, Beck A, Kuitunen P-S, Sommer C, Neu P, Zimmermann US, Rapp MA, Smolka MN, Huys QJM, Schlagenhauf F & Heinz A (2017). When habits are dangerous - Alcohol expectancies and habitual decision-making predict relapse in alcohol dependence. Biological Psychiatry 82: 846-856  

Ostwald D, Spitzer B, Guggenmos M, Schmidt TT, Kiebel SJ & Blankenburg F (2012). Evidence for neural encoding of Bayesian surprise in human somatosensation. NeuroImage 62: 177–88  


See Google Scholar for a full list of publications.

Bachelor and Master theses

An overview of past and ongoing Bachelor and Master thesis projects in the lab, as well as a list of potential potential future topics can be found here:

  Thesis projects in the lab  

Teaching

Lecture slides in the links below.

Course Link
Statistik 1 hmu-stats.github.io

Find us

We are located at

Health and Medical University Potsdam (HMU), Institute for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Olympischer Weg 1, 14471 Potsdam