Professional / Educational History

Since Oct. 2019
Postdoc position, Department of Cognitive Psychology, Prof. Dr. Christian Frings, University of Trier

Oct. 2019
PhD, University of Trier
Title of the dissertation: "When the (irrelevant) location matters: An investigation in the processing of vision and touch."
Grade: summa cum laude.
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Christian Frings, University of Trier & Prof Charles Spence, PhD, University of Oxford

May 2018 - Aug. 2018
Academic visitor, Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Prof. Charles Spence, PhD, University of Oxford

Oct. 2016 - Oct. 2019
PhD student, Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Trier
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Christian Frings, University of Trier & Prof Charles Spence, PhD, University of Oxford

Feb. 2016 - Apr. 2016
Internship, Department of Educational Psychology, Prof. Dr. Michael Schneider, University of Trier

Oct. 2014 - Sep. 2016
Master of Science in Psychology, University of Trier
Supervisors of Master’s Thesis: Prof. Dr. Christian Frings & Dr. Birte Moeller, University of Trier

Mar. 2014 - Apr. 2014
Internship, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Institute of Flight Guidance, Braunschweig

Jan. 2013 - Sep. 2016
Research Assistant, Department of General Psychology I, Prof. Dr. Christian Frings, University of Trier

Oct. 2012 - Mar. 2013
Internship, Department of General Psychology I, Dr. Nadine Nett, University of Trier

Oct. 2011 - Feb. 2015
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Trier
Supervisors of Bachelor’s Thesis: Prof. Dr. Christian Frings & Dr. Frank Mast, University of Trier

Research Interests

Object localization
Perceptual biases of dynamic object
Multisensory perception
Multisensory selection

Grants / Prices

Grants:

German Research Council (DFG) ME 5568/1-1
Perception of dynamic objects: Prior speed expectations as the underlying cause?
Principal Investigator: S. Merz in cooperation with C. Frings & C. Spence (as of January 2021)

Prices:

TeaP Selected Poster Awards (2021) – 1st place
Award for outstanding doctorates – University of Trier

Reviewing Activity

Ad-Hoc Gutachten:

Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics
Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioural Neuroscience
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
IEEE Transactions on Haptics
Journal of Bionic Engineering
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Neuropsychologica
Neuroscience
Plos One
Scientific Reports

Co-Gutachten:

Journal of Neurophysiology

Publications

Journal articles (peer reviewed)
2022 / 2023 / in press
Soballa, P., Frings, C., Schmalbrock, P., & Merz, S. (In press). Multisensory integration reduces landmark distortions for tactile but not visual targets. Journal of Neurophysiology, .
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2023). Need for (expected) speed: Exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 85(8), 2637–2654. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-023-02796-0	Open Access
Merz, S., Weiten, J., Hubbard, T. L. (2023). Does a Concurrent Motor Process Influence Representational Momentum? Perception, 12(10), 681-756. https://doi.org/10.1177/03010066231194955
Merz, S., Frings, C., & Spence, C. (2023). Motion perception in touch: Resolving contradictory findings by varying probabilities of different trial types. Psychological Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-023-01849-1	Open Access
Rapoport, O., Merz, S., Möcklinghoff, S., & Neidhardt, E. (2023). "Can I please postpone my dentist appointment?" - Exploring a new area of procrastination. Current psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04598-x	Open Access
Merz, S., Beege, F., Schöpper, L.-M., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2023). Investigating attentional control sets: Evidence for the compilation of multi-feature control sets. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 85, 596-612. *shared first-authorship. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-022-02566-4	Open Access
Friehs, M. A., Stegemann, M., Merz, S., Geißler, C., Frings, C., & Meyerhoff, H. S. (2022). The influence of tDCS on perceived bouncing/streaming. Experimental Brain Research, 241, 59-66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06505-5 *shared first authorship.	Open Access
Merz, S. (2022). Motion perception investigated inside and outside of the laboratory: Comparable performances for the representational momentum and representational gravity phenomena. Experimental Psychology, 69(2), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000545	Open Access
Merz, S., Soballa, P., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2022). The speed prior account: A new theory to explain multiple phenomena regarding dynamic information. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 151(10), 2418–2436. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001212
Meyerhoff, H.S., Gehrer, N. A., Merz, S., & Frings, C. (2022). The Beep-Speed Illusion: Non-Spatial Tones Increase Perceived Speed of Visual Objects in a Forced-Choice Paradigm. Cognition, 219, 104978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104978
Soballa, P., Schöpper, L.-M., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2022). Spatial biases in inhibition of return. Visual Cognition, 30, 696-715. https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2023.2188336
2020 / 2021
**Schneider, M., Merz, S., Stricker, J., De Smedt, B., Torbeyns, J., Verschaffel, L., & Luwel, K. (2021). The Importance of Replicating Meta-Analyses: Commentary on “Conceptual replication and extension of the relation between the number line estimation task and mathematical competence across seven studies”. Journal of Numerical Cognition. **Non peer-reviewed commentary.
Laub, R., Merz, S., Dröschel, H., & Frings, C. (2021). The level of representation of irrelevant stimuli – Distractor-response binding within and between the senses. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 83, 2256-2266. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-021-02249-6	Open Access
Merz, S., Frings, C., Spence, C (2021). Tactile temporal offset cues reduce visual representational momentum. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 83, 2113-2122. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-021-02285-2	Open Access
Merz, S., Frings, C., Spence, C (2021). When irrelevant information helps: Extending the Eriksen-flanker task into a multisensory world. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 83, 776-789. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-020-02066-3	Open Access
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2020). Interference of irrelevant information in multisensory selection depends on attentional set. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics , 82, 1176--1195. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01848-8
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2020). Perception it is: Processing level in multisensory selection. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 82, 1391-1406. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-019-01830-4
Merz, S./Jensen, A., Burau, C., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2020). Higer-order cognition does not affect multisensory distractor processing. Multisensory Research, 34, 351-364.(shared first authorship). https://doi.org/10.1163/22134808-bja10013
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H.S., Frings, C., & Spence, C. (2020). Representational Momentum in vision and touch: Visual motion information biases tactile spatial localization. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 82, 2618-2629. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-020-01989-1	Open Access
2018 /2019
Frings, C., Merz, S., & Hommel, B. (2019).The impact of stimulus uncertainty on attentional control. Cognition,183, 208-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.10.017
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019). Overt spatial attention modulates multisensory selection. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 45, 174-188. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000595
Merz, S., Deller, J., Meyerhoff, H.S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019). The contradictory influence of velocity: Representational momentum in the tactile modality. Journal of Neurophysiology. 121, 2358-2363. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00128.2019	Open Access
Merz, S., Jensen, A., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019). Multisensory distractor processing is modulated by spatial attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 45, 1375-1388. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000678
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H.S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019). Implied tactile motion: Localizing dynamic stimulations on the skin. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 81, 794-808. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-018-01645-9
Meyerhoff, H.S., Merz, S., & Frings, C. (2018). Tactile stimulation disambiguates the perception of visual motion paths. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 25, 2231-2237. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-018-1467-0
Schneider, M., Merz, S., Stricker, J., De Smedt, B., Torbeyns, J., Verschaffel, L., & Luwel, K. (2018). Associations of number line estimation with mathematical competence: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 89, 1467-1484. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13068
2017
Schneider, M., Beeres, K., Coban, L., Merz, S., Schmidt, S., Stricker, J., & De Smedt, B. (2017). Associations of non‐symbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude processing with mathematical competence: a meta‐analysis. Developmental science, 20, e12372. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12372

Invited talks
Merz, S., (2023, June 7). The speed prior account: Exploring the mechanism underlying the perception of dynamic stimuli [invited talk]. Department of Experimental Psychology (Prof. Dr. Uwe Mattler), Göttingen, Germany.
Merz, S., (2022, December 21). The perception of moving objects – From a child’s game to a new theory of motion perception [Keynote, invited]. Expra Congress at the University of Luxembourg, Belval, Luxembourg.
Merz, S.(2021, June 14). The speed prior account: Investigating the mechanism underlying the localization of moving stimuli [Invited virtual talk]. Department of Biopsychologie und Kognitive Neurowissenschaften (Prof. Dr. Heed), Bielefeld, Germany.
Merz, S. (2018, June 19). Implied tactile motion: localizing dynamic stimulations on the skin [Invited talk]. Tactile Perception Laboratory (Daniel Goldreich), Hamilton, Canada.

Talks / Posters
Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2023, June 27-30). Landmark distortions of target localizations within and across modalities. [Poster]. 21st Annual Meeting of the International Multisensory Research Forum (IMRF), Brussels, Belgium.
Laub, R., Merz, S., Dröschel, H., & Frings, C. (2023, March 27-29). Distractor-Response Binding within and between the senses. [Poster]. 65th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP), Trier, Germany.
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2023, March 27-29). Speeding up (and down) expectations: Investigating the influence of experimental context on speed perception. [Talk]. 65th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP), Trier, Germany.
Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2023, March 27-29). Spatial distortions in persistent and temporary tactile landmarks [Talk]. 65th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Trier, Germany.
Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2022, October. 7-9). How landmarks influence tactile target localization [Talk]. 54th Herbsttreffen Experimentelle Kognitionspsychologie (HexKoP), Greifswald, Germany.
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C., (2022, August 28 – September 1). Offset localization of dynamic stimuli: Can speed characteristics of the experimental context influence the Representational Momentum Phenomenon [Poster]. European Conference of Visual Perception (ECVP), Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2022, July 8-10). How tactile landmarks change where tactile targets were felt [Talk]. 11. Doktorand*innenworkshop Allgemeine Psychologie (A-Dok), Bremen, Germany.
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2022, March 21-23). The influence of experimental context on representational momentum. [Talk]. 64th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), virtual Meeting hosted in Cologne, Germany.
Soballa, P., Schöpper, L.-M., Frings, C., & Merz, S. (2022, March 21-23). Effects of spatial influences on inhibition of return in online studies [Talk]. 64th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), virtual Meeting hosted in Cologne, Germany.
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2021, November 4-7). Eliminating Representational Momentum - The influence of stimulus context on representational momentum. [Talk]. 62nd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (Psychonomics), virtual Meeting.
Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2021, October 8-10). The influence of stimulus context on representational momentum. [Talk]. 53rd Herbsttreffen experimentelle Kognitionspsychologie (HexKop), Würzburg, Germany.
Merz, S., Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Spence, C.(2021, March 14-16). The speed prior account: Explaining localization biases of moving stimuli with prior speed expectations. [Poster]. 63rd Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Ulm, Germany. [Online conference].
Merz, S., Soballa, P., Frings, C., & Spence, C.(2020, November 19-22). Localizing implied motion in touch: The interplay between the Fröhlich, onset-repulsion and representational momentum effect. [Poster]. 61st Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society (Psychonomics). [Online conference].
Merz, S., Deller, J., Meyerhoff, H. S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019, July 25-28). Tactile Representational Momentum: the contradictory influence of velocity. [Talk]. 8th Doktorand*innenworkshop der Allgemeinen Psychologie (A-Dok), Mannheim, Germany.
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2019, April 15-17). Processing level of distractor interference in multisensory selection. [Talk]. 61th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*inen (TeaP), London, United Kingdom.
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2018, June 14-17). Overt spatial attention modulates multisensory selection. [Poster]. IMRF (International Multisensory Research Forum), Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada.
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2018, July 12-15). Processing single features in multisensory selection. [Talk]. 7th Doktorand*innenworkshop der Allgemeinen Psychologie (A-Dok), Mainz, Germany.
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H. S., Spence, C., & Frings, C.(2018, June 14-17). Implied tactile motion: Localizing dynamic stimulations on the skin. [Poster]. 19th Annual International Multisensory Research Forum (IMRF), Toronto, Canada
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H. S., Spence, C., & Frings, C.(2018, March 12-14). Implied tactile motion: Localizing dynamic stimulations on the skin. [Talk]. 60th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Marburg, Germany
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2018, March 12-14). It’s just a matter of focus: distractor processing in a multisensory flanker task is modulated by gaze. [Talk]. 60th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Marburg, Germany.
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H. S., Spence, C., & Frings, C.(2017, November 3-5). Dynamic objects in the tactile modality: An investigation of systematic mislocalizations [Talk]. 50th Herbsttreffen experimentelle Kognitionspsychologie (HexKoP), Ulm, Germany.
Jensen, A., Merz, S., Spence, C., & Frings, C. (2017, November 3-5). It’s just a matter of focus: distractor processing in a multisensory flanker task is modulated by gaze [Talk]. 50th Herbsttreffen experimentelle Kognitionspsychologie (HexKop), Ulm, Germany.
Frings, C., Merz, S., & Hommel, B. (2017, March 27-29). Context modulates feature weighting [Talk]. 59th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Dresden, Germany.
Merz, S., Meyerhoff, H. S., Spence, C., & Frings, C.(2017, March 27-29). Tactile localization is modulated by implied motion [Talk]. 59th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Dresden, Germany.
Meyerhoff, H. S., Merz, S., & Frings, C.(2017, March 27-29). Tactile stimulation disambiguates the perception of visual motion paths [Talk]. 59th Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog*innen (TeaP), Dresden, Germany.
Merz, S., Frings, C., & Mast, F. (2015, March 8-11). The construction plan for top-down sets: The task environment modulates contingent capture [Poster]. 57th Conference of Experimental Psychologist, Hildesheim, Germany.
Merz, S., Nett, N., Hennrichs, J., May, L., Partetzke, T., & Wachtmeister, W. (2013, March, 24-27). Social vibration! Rhythm as the base of the Social Simon Effect [Poster]. 55th Conference of Experimental Psychologist, Vienna, Austria.