Christoph T. Weidemann

Honorary Associate Professor at Swansea University Department of Psychology This page features my public/academic research. E-mail: ctw@cogsci.info

Research Interests

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Vita

Publications

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Cognitive processes, such as those involved in perception, memory, and decision making, are highly context dependent. Previous experiences, expectations, and goals all shape how sensory input is transformed into percepts, how memories are stored and retrieved and how available information is evaluated to guide behavior. This feature of human information processing is fascinatingly pervasive and can be easily experienced, especially in cases when it leads to errors. For example, it is often difficult to identify a familiar face outside of its usual context ("the butcher on the bus" phenomenon) and the the erroneous repetition of written words often goes unnoticed ("repetition blindness"; an example is embedded in this very sentence). Despite leading to errors in some cases, the integration of context with current processing is integral to cognition because it constitutes the foundation for learning and adaptive behavior. My research investigates how context shapes human information processing. To this end I measure accuracy and speed of overt behavior as well as activity in the human brain as assessed with tools such as electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG) and direct recordings from electrodes that are implanted in the brains of neurosurgery patients. I use statistical and computational models to account for overt behavior and brain activity in an effort to precisely characterize cognitive processes.

Brief vita

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Research

Publications

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August, 2021 – present:

Honorary Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology ,
Swansea University, Wales, UK

September, 2023 – October, 2024:

Data Scientist for Cross-Meta Teen Experiences,
Meta , New York, NY, USA

July, 2022 – September, 2023:

Data Scientist Contractor for neuromotor interfaces at Meta Reality Labs ,
Meta, New York, NY, USA

March, 2023 – May, 2023:

Visiting Associate Professor at the Department of Global Studies,
Duke University (Remote)

December, 2019 – July, 2022:

Associate Reseach Scientist at the Department of Biomedical Engineering ,
Columbia University, USA

March, 2010 – July, 2021:

Lecturer – Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology ,
Swansea University, Wales, UK

July, 2019 – December, 2019:

Visiting Scholar at the Computational Memory Lab ,
Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, USA

August, 2015 – July, 2018:

Visiting Scholar at the Computational Memory Lab ,
Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, USA

October, 2006 – March, 2010:

Post-doctoral research fellow at the Computational Memory Lab ,
Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, USA; supervisor: Prof. Michael J. Kahana

August, 2006:

PhD in psychology and cognitive science (minor in neuroscience).
Indiana University, Bloomington, USA; adviser: Prof. Richard M. Shiffrin

Spring & Summer, 2004:

Pre-doctoral research fellow at the Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition ,
Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany

September, 2002:

Diplom (German degree similar to MS/MA/MSc) in psychology.
University of Bonn, Germany

Publications & Manuscripts

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Research

Vita

Links

(my profile on Google Scholar )

I had to transfer the copyright for some of the articles listed below to the publishers of the journals in which they appeared. However, I am allowed to distribute copies to individuals for personal and/or research use. Your click on any of the links below constitutes your request to me for a personal copy of the linked article. A detailed copyright notice appears in the articles. Nature's web debates published an interesting relevant article by Richard M. Stallman titled "Science must `push copyright aside´" .

2024

• Kahana, M. J., Lohnas, L. J., Healy, M. K., Aka, A., Broitman, A., Crutchley, P., Crutchley, E., Alm, K. H., Katerman, B. S., Miller, N. E., Kuhn, J. R., Li, Y., Long, N. M., Miller, J., Paron, M. D., Pazdera, J. K., Pedisich, I., & Weidemann, C. T. (2023). The Penn Electrophysiology of Encoding and Retrieval Study. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 50, 1421–1443.
  • PsyArXiv preprint.

2023

• Rubinstein, D. Y., Weidemann, C. T., Sperling, M. R., & Kahana, M. J. (2023). Direct brain recordings suggest a causal subsequent-memory effect. Cerebral Cortex, 33, 6891–6901.
  • bioRxiv preprint.

2021

• Kunz, L., Brandt, A., Reinacher, P. C., Staresina, B. P., Reifenstein, E. T., Weidemann, C. T., Herweg, N. A., Tsitsiklis, M., Kempter, R., Kahana, M. J., Schulze-Bonhage, A., & Jacobs, J. (2021). A neural code for egocentric spatial maps in the human medial temporal lobe. Neuron, 109, 1–16.
  • bioRxiv preprint.
  • Data & analysis scripts.
• Weidemann, C. T. & Kahana, M. J. (2021). Neural measures of subsequent memory reflect endogenous variability in cognitive function. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 47, 641–651.
  • Supplementary table.
  • bioRxiv preprint.
  • Data & analysis scripts. (e-mail for alternative arrangements / assistance)

2020

• Rahnev, D., Desender, K., Lee, A. L. F., Adler, W. T., Aguilar-Lleyda, D., Akdoğan, B., Arbuzova, P., Atlas, L. Y., Balcı, F., Bang, J. W., Bègue, I., Birney, D. P., Brady, T. F., Calder-Travis, J., Chetverikov, A., Clark, T. K., Davranche, K., Denison, R. N., Dildine, T. C., Double, K. S., Duyan, Y. A., Faivre, N., Fallow, K., Filevich, E., Gajdos, T., Gallagher, R. M., de Gardelle, V., Gherman, S., Haddara, N., Hainguerlot, M., Hsu, T.-Y., Hu, X., Iturrate, I., Jaquiery, M., Kantner, J., Koculak, M., Konishi, M., Koß, C., Kvam, P. D., Kwok, S. C., Lebreton, M., Lempert, K. M., Lo, C. M., Luo, L., Maniscalco, B., Martin, A., Massoni, S., Matthews, J., Mazancieux, A., Merfeld, D. M., O'Hora, D., Palser, E. R., Paulewicz, B., Pereira, M., Peters, C., Philiastides, M. G., Pfuhl, G., Prieto, F., Rausch, M., Recht, S., Reyes, G., Rouault, M., Sackur, J., Sadeghi, S., Samaha, J., Seow, T. X. F., Shekhar, M., Sherman, M. T., Siedlecka, M., Skóra, Z., Song, C., Soto, D., Sun, S., van Boxtel, J. J. A., Wang, S., Weidemann, C. T., Weindel, G., Wierzchoń, M., Xu, X., Ye, Q., Yeon, J., Zou, F., & Zylberberg, A. (2020). The confidence database. Nature Human Behaviour, 4, 317–325.
  • PsyArXiv preprint.
  • Data & analysis scripts.
• Boyce, W. P., Whiteford, S., Curran, W., Freegard, G., & Weidemann, C. T. (2020). Splitting Time: Sound-Induced Illusory Visual Temporal Fission and Fusion. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 46, 172–201.
  • Data & analysis scripts.

2019

• Starns, J. J., Cataldo, A. M., Rotello C. M., Annis, J., Aschenbrenner, A., Bröder, A., Cox, G., Criss, A., Curl, R. A., Dobbins, I. G., Dunn, J., Enam, T., Evans, N. J., Farrell, S., Fraundorf, S. H., Gronlund, S., Heathcote, A., Heck, D. W., Hicks, J. L., Huff, M. J., Kellen, D., Key, K. N., Kılıç, A., Klauer, K. C., Kraemer, K. R., Leite, F. P., Lloyd, M. E., Malejka, S., Mason, A., McAdoo, R. M., McDonough, I. M., Michael, R. B., Mickes, L., Mizrak, E., Morgan, D. P., Mueller, S. T., Osth, A., Reynolds, A., Seale-Carlisle, F. T. M., Singmann, H., Sloane, J. F., Smith, A. M., Tillman, G., van Ravenzwaaij, D., Weidemann, C. T., Wells, G. L., White, C. N., & Wilson, J. (2019). Assessing theoretical conclusions with blinded inference to investigate a potential inference crisis. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 2, 335–349.
  • Data & materials.
• Weidemann, C. T.^*, Kragel, J. E.^*, Lega, B. C., Worrell, G. A., Sperling, M. R., Sharan, A. D., Jobst, B. C., Khadjevand, F., Davis, K. A., Wanda, P. A., Kadel, A., Rizzuto, D. S., & Kahana, M. J. (2019). Neural activity reveals interactions between episodic and semantic memory systems during retrieval. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 148, 1–12. ^{*Contributed equally.}
  • Data & analysis scripts. (e-mail for alternative arrangements / assistance)
• Weidemann, C. T. & Kahana, M. J. (2019). Dynamics of brain activity reveal a unitary recognition signal. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 45, 440–451.
  • bioRxiv preprint.
  • Data & analysis scripts. (e-mail for alternative arrangements / assistance)

2017

• Burns, E. J., Bennetts, R. J., Bate S., Wright, V. C., Weidemann, C. T., & Tree, J. J. (2017). Intact word processing in developmental prosopagnosia. Scientific Reports, 7, 1683.
  • Supplemental Information. / DOC format
  • Scientific Reports.

• DelPozo-Baños, M. & Weidemann, C. T. (2017). Localized component filtering for electroencephalogram artifact rejection. Psychophysiology, 54, 608–619.
  • Supplemental Information.

2016

• Weidacker, K., Weidemann, C. T., Boy, F., & Johnston, S. J. (2016). Cathodal tDCS improves task performance in participants high in Coldheartedness. Clinical Neurophysiology, 127, 3102–3109.
• Weidemann, C. T. & Kahana, M. J. (2016). Assessing recognition memory using confidence ratings and response times. Royal Society Open Science, 3, 150670.
  • Electronic Supplemental Material (data & analysis scripts).
  • Data in tab-separated text format.
  • Python script to generate a text file from the HDF5 data file included in the electronic supplemental material (linked above).
  • Royal Society Open Science.

2015

• DelPozo-Baños, M., Travieso, C. M., Weidemann, C. T., & Alonso, J. B. (2015). EEG biometric identification: A thorough exploration of the time-frequency domain. Journal of Neural Engineering, 12, 056019.
  • Supplemental Information.

2014

• Burns, E. J., Tree, J. J., & Weidemann, C. T. (2014). Recognition Memory in Developmental Prosopagnosia: Electrophysiological Evidence for Abnormal Routes to Face Recognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 622.
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
• Ramayya, A. G., Zaghloul, K. A., Weidemann, C. T., Baltuch, G. H. & Kahana, M. J. (2014). Electrophysiological evidence for functionally distinct neuronal populations in the human substantia nigra. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 655.
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

2013

• Jacobs, J., Weidemann, C. T., Miller, J. F., Solway, A., Burke, J., Wei, X.-X., Suthana, N., Sperling, M., Sharan, A. D., Fried, I., & Kahana, M. J. (2013). Direct recordings of grid-like neuronal activity in human spatial navigation. Nature Neuroscience, 16, 1188–1190.
  • Supplemental Information.
  • Cover Image.
• Leighton, I. D., Hiemstra, J. F., & Weidemann, C. T. (2013). Recognition of micro-scale deformation structures in glacial sediments — pattern perception, observer bias and the influence of experience. Boreas, 42, 463–469.

2012

• Blagrove M., Fouquet N. C., Baird A. L., Pace-Schott E. F., Davies A. C., Neuschaffer J. L., Henley-Einion J. A., Weidemann C. T., Thome J., McNamara P., & Turnbull O. H. (2012). Association of salivary-assessed oxytocin and cortisol levels with time of night and sleep stage. Journal of Neural Transmission, 119, 1223–1232.
• Miller, J. F., Weidemann, C. T., & Kahana, M. J. (2012). Recall termination in free recall. Memory & Cognition, 40, 540–550.
• Zaghloul, K. A., Weidemann, C. T., Lega, B. C., Jaggi, J. L., Baltuch, G. H., & Kahana, M. J. (2012). Neuronal activity in the human subthalamic nucleus encodes decision conflict during action selection. Journal of Neuroscience, 32, 2453–2460.
• Mueller, S. T. & Weidemann, C. T. (2012). Alphabetic Letter Identification: Effects of perceivability, similarity, and bias. Acta Psychologica, 139, 19–37.
  • Letter identification tables.
  • Letter Similarity Data Set Archive.

2011

• Davelaar, E. J., Tian, X., Weidemann, C. T., & Huber, D. E. (2011). A Habituation Account of Change Detection in same/different judgments. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 11, 608–626.
  • Supporting Online Material.

2009

• Zaghloul, K. A., Blanco, J. A., Weidemann, C. T., McGill, K., Jaggi, J. L., Baltuch, G. H., & Kahana, M. J. (2009). Human substantia nigra neurons encode unexpected financial rewards. Science, 323, 1496–1499.
  • Supporting Online Material.
• Weidemann, C. T., Mollison M. V., & Kahana, M. J. (2009). Electrophysiological correlates of high-level perception during spatial navigation. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 16, 313–319.
  
  • Electrophysiology data.

2008

• Weidemann, C. T. & Mueller, S. T. (2008). Decision noise may mask criterion shifts: Reply to Balakrishnan and MacDonald (2008). Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 15, 1031–1034.
  
• Mueller, S. T. & Weidemann, C. T. (2008). Decision noise: An explanation for observed violations of Signal Detection Theory. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 15, 465–494.
  
  • Experimental data.
• Weidemann, C. T., Huber, D. E., & Shiffrin, R. M. (2008). Prime diagnosticity in short-term repetition priming: Is primed evidence discounted, even when it reliably indicates the correct answer? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 34, 257–281.
  
  • Data for Experiments 1–4.

2005

• Weidemann, C. T., Huber, D. E., & Shiffrin, R. M. (2005). Confusion and compensation in visual perception: Effects of spatiotemporal proximity and selective attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 31, 40–61.
  

Quality links

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Research

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Publications

Selected colleagues and collaborators:

• David E. Huber: Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
• Michael J. Kahana: Professor at the Psychology Department, University of Pennsylvania, USA
• Shane T. Mueller: Associate professor at Michigan Technological University, USA
• Sean M. Polyn: Consummate scientician and Associate professor at the Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, USA
• Amanda Q. X. Nio: Research assistant at the Biomedical Engineering Department, Kings College, London, UK
• Adam N. Sanborn: Professor at the Department of Psychology, The University of Warwick, UK
• Per B. Sederberg: Associate professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA
• Richard M. Shiffrin: Professor at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, USA

Great software for science:

Below I am posting links to a few selected programs (not written by me) that I find particularly useful for scientific work. All programs linked below are free in the sense that anyone may download, install, use, modify, and re-distribute them (detailed information can be found on the respective websites linked below). This freedom is particularly valuable for scientific work, because it allows the free sharing of one's work with collaborators, colleagues, students, or anyone else without requiring permission of the copyright holder of the associated program. All the programs linked below run on a variety of platforms such as Linux, Windows, and MacOS.

The Python programming language

A nice object oriented programming language, well suited for scientific computing. Various libraries cover a wide range of possibly applications. Of particular interest are

• Scientific Python (SciPy),
• PsychoPy Psychology Software in Python,
• the plotting libraries Matplotlib and
• Seaborn , as well as
• various libraries for artificial intelligence and machine learning (see the Python for artificial intelligence WIKI for an overview).

Substantial documentation is available on the Python documentation website and the websites of the respective libraries.

The R project for statistical computing

A powerful software environment for statistical computing and graphics. Relevant related software includes

• Emacs Speaks Statistics (ESS) ,
• JASP: A fresh way to do statistics ,
• the BayesFactor R packages for Bayesian data analysis , and
• RPy: a Python interface for R .

LaTeX

A high-quality document preparation and typesetting system optimized for technical and scientific documents. Also useful for creating presentations and posters.

Unison

A great file synchronizer. Not directly science related, but useful for anybody who regularly uses more than one computer and wants to keep them synchronized.