PD Dr. Bernhard Pastötter

Building D   Room 314
Phone: +49 (0)651 201 2939
e-mail

Consultation by appointment (please send an e-mail)
 

Biographic Sketch

2018
Umhabilitation in Psychology, University of Trier

since 2016
Senior Lecturer at Psychology Department, University of Trier, Head: Prof. Dr. Christian Frings

2014-2016
Senior Lecturer at Psychology Department, University of Regensburg, Head: K.-H. Bäuml

2014
Habilitation in Psychology, University of Regensburg

2008-2014
Lecturer at Psychology Department, University of Regensburg, Head: K.-H. Bäuml

2008
Ph.D. in Psychology, University of Regensburg

2005-2008
Research Assistant at Psychology Department, University of Regensburg, Head: K.-H. Bäuml

2004
Diploma in Psychology, University of Regensburg

Teaching WS 2024/25

In the lecture “Statistik I” (B1, BSc), students learn about the basics of psychometrics, descriptive statistics, sampling issues,
and inferential statistics (t test, analysis of variance). Wed 12-14.

In the “Empiriepraktikum” (C2, BSc), students do experimental research on the forward testing effect.
Students practice the writing of research reports and prepare scientific posters. Wed 10-12.

In two seminars “Kognitive & affektive Verhaltensneurowissenschaften: Fortgeschrittene Methoden I & II” (17a & 17b, MSc Psychologie),
students learn about the EEG method, the collection, preprocessing and statistical analysis of EEG data.
Wed 14-16 and six additional hands-on sessions on Tuesday 16-19.

Reviewing Activity

Associate Editor for:

  • Frontiers in Psychology: Cognition

Consulting Editor for:

  • Memory & Cognition

Ad hoc Reviewer for:

  • Acta Psychologica
  • Advances in Cognitive Psychology
  • American Journal of Psychology
  • Applied Cognitive Psychology
  • Biological Psychology
  • Brain and Cognition
  • British Journal of Psychology
  • Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology
  • Cerebral Cortex
  • Cerebral Cortex Communications
  • Chemical Senses
  • Cognition
  • Cognition & Emotion
  • Cognitive Processing
  • Cortex
  • Current Directions in Psychological Science
  • Educational Psychology Review
  • Emotion
  • European Journal of Developmental Psychology
  • European Journal of Neuroscience
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
  • Frontiers in Psychology
  • International Journal of Psychophysiology
  • Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
  • Journal of Cognition
  • Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Journal of Cognitive Psychology
  • Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition
  • Journal of Memory and Language
  • Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs
  • Journal of the American Aging Association
  • Learning and Individual Differences
  • Memory
  • Memory & Cognition
  • Metacognition and Learning
  • Nature Communications
  • Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 
  • NeuroImage
  • NeuroImage: Reports
  • Neuropsychologia
  • Neuropsychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Neuroscience Letters
  • npj Science of Learning
  • Perceptual & Motor Skills
  • PLOS One
  • Psychological Research
  • Psychology Learning and Teaching
  • Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
  • Psychophysiology
  • Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
  • Scientific Reports
  • Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
  • The Journal of Experimental Education
  • The Journal of Neuroscience
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences
  • Unterrichtswissenschaft

Grants

German Research Council (DFG) grant
since 2022
Hyperbinding effects in patients with GTS – taking a closer look
Investigators: T. Bäumer, C. Frings, B. Hommel, B. Pastötter, J. Verrel

German Research Council (DFG) grant
since 2022
How binding and retrieval of control-states supports cognitive control
Investigators: D. Dignath, B. Hommel, A. Kiesel, B. Pastötter

German Research Council (DFG) grant
since 2022
Feature (un)binding and retrieval in action discarding
Investigators: W. Kunde, C. Beste, B. Pastötter

German Research Council (DFG) grant
since 2022
Gating features into actions II
Investigators: C. Frings, B. Pastötter, R. Pfister

Rhineland-Palatinate research group
2017-2023
Psychobiology of stress
Investigators:  G. Domes, C. Frings, T. Hechler, S. Kamp, J. Meyer, R. Neumann, B. Pastötter, H. Schächinger, E. Walther

German Research Council (DFG) grant
2010-2013
How selective is directed forgetting?
Investigators:  K.-H. Bäuml, B. Pastötter

Publications

Journal Articles (peer-reviewed)

Haciahmet, C. C., Friehs, M. A., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2024). Anodal tDCS of the left inferior parietal cortex enhances memory for correct information without affecting recall of misinformation. Memory, 32, 1371-1380.

Frings, C., Foerster, A., Moeller, B., Pastötter, B., & Pfister, R. (2024). The relation between learning and stimulus-response binding. Psychological Review, 131, 1290-1296.

Frings, C., Beste, C., Benini, E., Möller, M., Dignath, D., Giesen, C., Hommel, B., Kiesel, A., Koch, I., Kunde, W., Mayr, S., Mocke, V., Moeller, B., Münchau, A., Parmar, J., Pastötter, B., Pfister, R., Philipp, A., Qiu, R., ... Schmalbrock, P. (2024). Consensus definitions of perception-action-integration in action control. Communications Psychology, 2, 7.

Li, B., Pastötter, B., Zhong, Y., Su, N., Huang, T., Zhao, W., Hu, X., Luo, L., & Yang, C. (2024). Judgments of learning reactively improve memory by enhancing learning engagement and inducing elaborative processing: Evidence from an EEG study. Journal of Intelligence, 12, 44.

Mocke, V., Beste, C., Pastötter, B., & Kunde, W. (2024). Action plan discarding leads to unbinding of action features. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 50, 903-917.

Pastötter, B., Haciahmet, C. C., Beste, C., Münchau, A., & Frings, C. (2024). The interplay of cognitive control and feature integration: Insights from theta oscillatory dynamics during conflict processing. Cerebral Cortex, 34, bhae326.

Pastötter, B., Weissbach, A., Takacs, A., Moye, J., Verrel, J., Chwolka, F., Friedrich, J., Paulus, T., Zittel, S., Bäumer, T., Frings, C., Beste, C., & Münchau, A. (2024). Increased beta synchronization underlies perception-action hyperbinding in functional movement disorders. Brain Communications, 6, fcae301.

Pastötter, B., & Frings, C. (2023). Prestimulus alpha power signals attention to retrieval. European Journal of Neuroscience, 58, 4328-4340.

Haciahmet, C. C., Golubickis, M., Schäfer, S., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2023). The oscillatory fingerprints of self-prioritization: Novel markers in spectral EEG for self-relevant processing. Psychophysiology, 60, e14396.

Haciahmet, C. C., Frings, C., Beste, C., Münchau, A., & Pastötter, B. (2023). Posterior delta/theta EEG activity as an early signal of Stroop conflict detection. Psychophysiology, 60, e14195.

Pastötter, B., von Dawans, B., Domes, G., & Frings, C. (2023). The forward testing effect is resistant to acute psychosocial retrieval stress. Experimental Psychology, 70, 32-39.

Weissbach, A., Moyé, J., Verrel, J., Takacs, A., Chwolka, F., Friedrich, J., Paulus, T., Zittel, S., Bäumer, T., Frings, C., Pastötter, B., Beste, C., & Münchau, A. (2023). Perception-action integration is altered in functional movement disorders. Movement Disorders, 38, 1399-1409.

Frings, C., Moeller,  B., Beste, C., Münchau, A. & Pastötter, B. (2022). Stimulus decay functions in action control. Scientific Reports, 12, 20139.

Pastötter, B., & Haciahmet, C. C. (2022). Can people intentionally and selectively forget prose material? Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 928533.

Pastötter, B., Urban, J., Lötzer, J., & Frings, C. (2022). Retrieval practice enhances new learning but does not affect performance in subsequent arithmetic tasks. Journal of Cognition, 5, 22.

Haciahmet, C. C., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2021). The effect of social-evaluative cold pressor stress on Stroop interference: a time-frequency based approach. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. Stage 1 Registered Report, date of in-principle acceptance: 22/09/2021.

Friehs, M. A., Greene, C. M., & Pastötter, B. (2021). Transcranial direct current stimulation over the left anterior temporal lobe during memory retrieval differentially affects true and false recognition in the DRM task. European Journal of Neuroscience, 544609-4620.

Haciahmet, C. C., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2021). Target amplification and distractor inhibition: Theta oscillatory dynamics of selective attention in a flanker task. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 21, 355-371.

Pastötter, B., Moeller, B., & Frings, C. (2021). Watching the brain as it (un)binds: Beta synchronization relates to distractor-response binding. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 331581-1594.

Runge, Y., Frings, C., Tempel, T., & Pastötter, B. (2021). Electrophysiological correlates of saving-enhanced memory: Exploring similarities to list-method directed forgetting. European Journal of Neuroscience, 546060-6074.

Tempel, T., & Pastötter, B. (2021). Abrufeffekte im Gedächtnis: Ein Überblick zur aktuellen Grundlagenforschung. Psychologische Rundschau, 72, 249-258.

Wirth, M., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T (2021). Oscillatory correlates of selective restudy. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15679823.

Ergo, K., De Loof, E., Debra, G., Pastötter, B., & Verguts, T. (2020). Failure to modulate reward prediction errors in declarative learning with theta (6 Hz) frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation. PLOS One, 15(12): e0237829.

Dignath, D., Kiesel, A., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2020). Electrophysiological evidence for action-effect prediction. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 149, 1148-1155.

Kliegl, O., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2020). Does amount of precue encoding modulate selective list-method directed forgetting? Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1403.

Pastötter, B., von Dawans, B., Domes, G., & Frings, C. (2020). The forward testing effect is immune to acute psychosocial encoding/retrieval stress. Experimental Psychology, 67, 112-122.

Tempel, T., Frings, C., & Pastötter, B. (2020). EEG beta power increase indicates inhibition in motor memory. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 150, 92-99.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2019). Testing enhances subsequent learning in older adults. Psychology and Aging, 34, 242-250.

Pastötter, B., & Frings, C. (2019). The forward testing effect is reliable and independent of learners’ working memory capacity. Journal of Cognition, 2, 37.

Pastötter, B., Engel, M., & Frings, C. (2018). The forward effect of testing: Behavioral evidence for the reset-of-encoding hypothesis using serial position analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1197.

Pastötter, B., & Frings, C. (2018). It’s the other way around! Early modulation of sensory distractor processing induced by late response conflict. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 30, 985-998.

Pastötter, B., Tempel, T., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2017). Long-term memory updating: The reset-of-encoding hypothesis in list-method directed forgetting. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 2076.

Pastötter, B., Eberle, H., Aue, I., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2017). Retrieval practice fails to insulate episodic memories against interference after stroke. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1074.

Kuhbandner, C., Spachtholz, P., & Pastötter, B. (2016). Bad things come easier to the mind but harder to the body: Evidence from brain oscillations. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 768-778.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2016). Reversing the testing effect by feedback: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 16, 473-488.

Pastötter, B., Kliegl, O., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2016). List-method directed forgetting: Evidence for the reset-of-encoding hypothesis employing item-recognition testing. Memory, 24, 63-74.

Kliegl, O., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2015). The contribution of encoding and retrieval processes to proactive interference. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 41, 1778-1789.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2014). Distinct slow and fast cortical theta dynamics in episodic memory retrieval. NeuroImage, 94, 155-161.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2014). Retrieval practice enhances new learning: the forward effect of testing. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 286.

Pastötter, B., Dreisbach, G., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2013). Dynamic adjustments of cognitive control: Oscillatory correlates of the conflict adaptation effect. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 25, 2167-2178.

Pastötter, B., Weber, J., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2013). Using testing to improve learning after severe traumatic brain injury. Neuropsychology, 27, 280-285.

Pastötter, B., Gleixner, S., Neuhauser, T., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2013). To push or not to push? Affective influences on moral judgment depend on decision frame. Cognition, 126, 373-377.

Kliegl, O., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2013). List-method directed forgetting can be selective: Evidence from the 3-list and the 2-list tasks. Memory & Cognition, 41, 452-464.

Pastötter, B., Kliegl, O., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2012). List-method directed forgetting: The forget cue improves both encoding and retrieval of postcue information. Memory & Cognition, 40, 861-873.

Pastötter, B., Berchtold, F., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2012). Oscillatory correlates of controlled speed-accuracy tradeoff in a response-conflict task. Human Brain Mapping, 33, 1834-1849.

Pastötter, B., Schicker, S., Niedernhuber, J., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2011). Retrieval during learning facilitates subsequent memory encoding. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 37, 287-297.

Bäuml, K.-H., Pastötter, B., & Hanslmayr, S. (2010). Binding and inhibition in episodic memory - Cognitive, emotional, and neural processes. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 34, 1047-1054.

Pastötter, B., Hanslmayr, S., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2010). Conflict processing in the anterior cingulate cortex constrains response priming. NeuroImage, 50, 1599-1605.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. (2010). Amount of postcue encoding predicts amount of directed forgetting. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition, 36, 54-65.

Kuhbandner, C., Hanslmayr, S., Maier, M. A., Pekrun, R., Spitzer, B., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. (2009). Effects of mood on the speed of conscious perception: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 4, 286-293.

Hanslmayr, S., Leipold, P., Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. (2009). Anticipatory signatures of voluntary memory suppression. The Journal of Neuroscience, 29, 2742-2747.

Pastötter, B., Bäuml, K.-H., & Hanslmayr, S. (2008). Oscillatory brain activity before and after an internal context change - Evidence for a reset of encoding processes. NeuroImage, 43, 173-181.

Bäuml, K.-H., Hanslmayr, S., Pastötter, B., & Klimesch, W. (2008). Oscillatory correlates of intentional updating in episodic memory. NeuroImage, 41, 596-604.

Hanslmayr, S., Pastötter, B., Bäuml, K.-H., Gruber, S., Wimber, M., & Klimesch, W. (2008). The electrophysiological dynamics of interference during the Stroop task. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 20, 215-225.

Pastötter, B., Hanslmayr, S., & Bäuml, K.-H. (2008). Inhibition of return arises from inhibition of response processes: An analysis of oscillatory beta activity. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 20, 65-75.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. (2007). The crucial role of postcue encoding in directed forgetting and context-dependent forgetting. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 33, 977-982.

Aslan, A., Bäuml, K.-H. & Pastötter, B. (2007). No inhibitory deficit in older adults’ episodic memory. Psychological Science, 18, 72-78.

 
Book Chapters

Pastötter, B., Oberauer, K. & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2018). Gedächtnis und Wissen. In A. Kiesel & H. Spada (Hrsg.), Lehrbuch Allgemeine Psychologie, 4. Auflage (S. 121-195). Hogrefe.

Pastötter, B., & Bäuml, K.-H. T. (2010). Retrieval inhibition in autobiographical memory.  In J. H. Mace (Ed.), The act of remembering: Toward an understanding of how we recall the past (pp. 202-227). Wiley-Blackwell.

 

Research Interests

Action Control:
The BRAC (binding and retrieval in action control) framework postulates two core processes: binding and retrieval of stimulus-response episodes. Our current research examines the role of EEG brain oscillations for these two processes in tasks with sequential prime-probe structure. We assume that beta oscillations are related to binding, whereas theta oscillations are related to retrieval.

Cognitive Control:
Midfrontal theta oscillations, originating in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), are associated with conflict detection and cognitive control. In our current research, we are investigating the interplay of these midfrontal theta oscillations with parietal delta/theta oscillations. We hypothesize that these parietal brain regions detect conflict before the ACC.

Memory Control:
Retrieval practice can have several positive effects on memory and learning. One of them is the prominent (backward) testing effect for retention of the practiced (old) information. The forward testing effect refers to the finding that retrieval practice enhances memory for subsequently studied (new) information. Our current research examines both effects with behavioral and psychophysiological means.