Publications
“The argument from authority tries to justify a conclusion by pointing out that some expert or authority endorses the conclusion. […] “My parents say that Santa Claus exists. Therefore Santa Claus exists” […] In the case of the JIF, a high impact factor of a journal would play the role of an authority for the quality of the papers within it.”
- Most recent
- Clinical
- Hormones/Neuromodulators
- Meta-Science (Implications)
- Meta-Science (Methods)
- Social Cognition
- Social Emotions
- Social Learning
- Social Reward
The impact factor fallacy
August 3, 2018
Frontiers in Psychology
Abstract The use of the journal impact factor (JIF) as a measure for the quality of individual manuscripts and the merits of scientists has faced ...
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The causal role of the somatosensory cortex in prosocial behaviour
May 3, 2018
eLife
Abstract Witnessing another person’s suffering elicits vicarious brain activity in areas that are active when we ourselves are in pain. Whether this activity influences prosocial ...
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Peripheral oxytocin predicts higher-level social cognition in men regardless of empathy quotient
March 3, 2018
Pharmacopsychiatry
Abstract Introduction: Pharmaceutical oxytocin (OT) administration is being tested as a novel treatment for social deficits in various psychiatric populations. However, little is known about how ...
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Sleep to be social: The critical role of sleep and memory for social interaction
December 3, 2017
Behavioral Brain Sciences
Abstract Humans are highly social animals who critically need to remember information from social episodes in order to successfully navigate future social interactions. We propose ...
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Microstructural white matter changes and their relation to neuropsychological deficits in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
November 4, 2017
Epilepsy and Behavior
Abstract Objective: Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is the most common idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome. Neuropsychological, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies have led to the hypothesis that JME ...
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Ketamine-induced NMDA receptor blockade during natural speech production and Its implications for formal thought disorder in schizophrenia: A Pharmaco-fMRI Study
November 3, 2017
Neuropsychopharmacology
Abstract Structural and functional changes in the lateral temporal language areas have been related to formal thought disorder (FTD) in schizophrenia. Continuous, natural speech production ...
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The social neuroscience of interpersonal emotions
July 4, 2017
Abstract In our daily lives, we constantly engage in reciprocal interactions with other individuals and represent ourselves in the context of our surrounding social world. ...
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Study protocol of the ASD-Net, the German research consortium for the study of Autism Spectrum Disorder across the lifespan: from a better etiological understanding, through valid diagnosis, to more effective health care
June 4, 2017
BMC Psychiatry
Abstract Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a severe, lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder with early onset that places a heavy burden on affected individuals and their families. ...
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Laugh or cringe? Common and distinct processes of reward-based schadenfreude and empathy-based fremdscham
June 4, 2017
Neuropsychologia
Abstract Witnessing others’ plights can be funny for observers, but may also trigger one to empathically cringe with the victim of the predicament. In the ...
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Reward: From basic reinforcers to anticipation of social cues
May 4, 2017
Abstract Reward processing plays a major role in goal-directed behavior and motivation. On the neural level, it is mediated by a complex network of brain ...
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Mechanisms of hemispheric lateralization: A replication study
April 4, 2017
Cortex
Abstract It has been shown, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that hemispheric lateralization of brain activity depends on the requirements of the cognitive task ...
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Clinical trial of modulatory effects of oxytocin treatment on higher-order social cognition in autism spectrum disorder: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind and crossover trial
December 4, 2016
BMC Psychiatry
Abstract Background: Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental conditions with severe impairments in social communication and interaction. Pioneering research suggests that oxytocin can improve motivation, cognition and ...
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Mindfulness meditation regulates anterior insula activity during empathy for social pain
December 4, 2016
Human Brain Mapping
Abstract Mindfulness has been shown to reduce stress, promote health, and well-being, as well as to increase compassionate behavior toward others. It reduces distress to ...
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Neural correlates of naturalistic social cognition: brain-behavior relationships in healthy adults
November 4, 2016
Abstract Being able to infer the thoughts, feelings and intentions of those around us is indispensable in order to function in a social world. Despite ...
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Handedness is related to neural mechanisms underlying hemispheric lateralization of face processing
June 4, 2016
Scientific Reports
Abstract While the right-hemispheric lateralization of the face perception network is well established, recent evidence suggests that handedness affects the cerebral lateralization of face processing ...
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Fronto-insula network activity explains emotional dysfunctions in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: combined evidence from pupillometry and fMRI
December 5, 2015
Cortex
Abstract Emotional instability, difficulties in social adjustment, and disinhibited behavior are the most common symptoms of the psychiatric comorbidities in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). This ...
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Neural pathways of embarrassment and their modulation by social anxiety
December 5, 2015
NeuroImage
Abstract While being in the center of attention and exposed to other’s evaluations humans are prone to experience embarrassment. To characterize the neural underpinnings of ...
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Journal impact factor shapes scientists’ reward signal in the prospect of publication
December 5, 2015
PLOS One
Abstract The incentive structure of a scientist’s life is increasingly mimicking economic principles. While intensely criticized, the journal impact factor (JIF) has taken a role ...
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Neuronal pathways of embarrassment
December 4, 2015
Abstract Who has not already experienced the unpleasant feeling, when, for example, you were called to the board in school and could not answer the ...
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Effects of smoking cessation on presynaptic dopamine function of addicted male smokers
December 4, 2015
Biological Psychiatry
Abstract Background: There is evidence of abnormal cerebral dopamine transmission in nicotine-dependent smokers, but it is unclear whether dopaminergic abnormalities are due to acute nicotine abuse ...
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