The Pre-Conference Workshops will be held on Sunday, March 9, on the day of the Welcome Reception. There are Full-Day, Half-Day (morning or afternoon), and Mini-Workshops (90 min). All workshops include coffee breaks. Full Day workshops additionally include a lunch package. Please note that workshop capacity is limited and they will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. A little registration fee applies.
 

Workshop 1 (Full Day) — Deep learning in psychology: Theory and praxis (max. 40 participants)

Chairs: Martin Hebart & Giacomo Aldegheri (University Gießen)
Recent years have seen strong progress in artificial intelligence, with deep neural networks playing a central role in many of these developments. These developments have also entered the cognitive sciences, both as new tools to support experiments and as computational models, with an impressive performance at accounting for a range of diverse behaviors. Still, their ability to explain phenomena rather than merely predict behavior has not been undisputed. In this workshop, we would like participants to learn about recent developments in using deep neural networks to address questions relevant to psychologists, both from a theoretical perspective and with hands-on experience. The workshop will be centered around work on visual cognition, semantic knowledge, and language. In the morning, there will be talks covering basics about commonly used model families and introducing different approaches of how these models can be used in scientific practice. In the afternoon, participants will learn to extract neural network activations, relate them to diverse behaviors, and depending on the background knowledge understand how to finetune or train neural networks. Together, this workshop should offer an entry point for psychologists interested in using and applying recent advances in deep learning.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    10:00 - 10:40 Talk by Dr. Iris Groen "Modelling real-world scene perception in humans with deep learning"
    •    10:40 - 11:05 Talk by Professor Dr. Tom Wallis "Controlled training diets, artificial neural networks and inverse rendering as tools for understanding perception"
    •    11:05 - 11:15 Short Break
    •    11:15 - 11:40 Talk by Dr. Fritz Günther "(Large) Language models and human behavior"
    •    11:40 - 12:05 Talk by Linnea Evanson "Language acquisition in brains and deep learning algorithms"
    •    12:05 - 12:45 Talk by Professor Dr. Felix Wichmann "Deep neural networks in vision science"
    •    12:45 - 14:00 Lunch Break
    •    14:00 - 17:00 Hands-on Workshop

Participant requirements: laptop, programming knowledge in any common language
 

Workshop 2 (Full Day) — Embodied social fNIRS: systemic physiology augmented functional near-infrared spectroscopy (SPA-fNIRS) and hyperscanning hands-on (max. 25 participants)

Chairs: Adam Takacs & Dalila Burin (NIRx)
This workshop starts from the basics of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) with physiological measures and culminates with a hands-on practice on hyperscanning. In the first part, participants will receive a comprehensive introduction to fNIRS, gaining a solid understanding of its principles and benefits, including a focus on NIRx's solutions. Then, physiological measurement techniques will be covered, exploring their fundamentals and common applications, including novel hardware solutions. In the second part, participants will join the hands-on experience: smaller groups will practice the setup of the fNIRS and physiology tools. Finally, during the hyperscanning practice, members of the teams will interact with each other while systemic physiological and cortical activities will be recorded in a synchronized fashion. This workshop offers a concise yet impactful learning experience for both beginners and experienced researchers aiming to enhance their skills in fNIRS and physiological measurements using NIRx solutions.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    11:00-12:00 Introduction to fNIRS and NIR Sport2
    •    12:00-13:00 Introduction to SPA-fNIRS and NIRx WINGS2
    •    13:00-14:30 Lunch Break
    •    14:30-16:30 Hands-on session in teams
    •    16:30-17:00 Question/answer session

Participant requirements: The workshop is open for everyone. Participants with prior fNIRS experience might want to join only from noon onwards. If you decide to do so, please, send us an email at consulting@nirx.net.
 

Workshop 3 (Full Day) — Modern Bayesian statistics (max. 25 participants)

Chairs: Timo von Oertzen & Hannes Diemerling (Thomas Bayes Institute, Berlin)
Null hypotheses testing is no longer state of the art. Nevertheless, many empirical researchers still default to it, even using significance testing, as the switch to modern methods seems a difficult to step to do. In this workshop, we will discuss why Bayesian methods are in fact easier than null hypotheses testing (and way more fun, although sadly not so well suited to show off as you might think). We will play hands-on with theoretical concepts to get to know them better, and work practically on how to do Bayesian analyses efficiently. We will discuss possible choices for priors and how to reach these decisions. Finally, and importantly, we work on what strategies can be employed to switch a project team, a lab, or a whole department to modern Bayesian methods without breaking the flow of things.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    10:00-13:00 Session 1
    •    13:00-14:30 Lunch Break
    •    14:30-16:30 Session 2

Participant requirements: Basic empirical methods (BA Level), Laptop
 

Workshop 4 (Half Day) — Mixed models made easy: An introduction to Jamovi (max. 20 participants)

Chairs: Liza Mekschrath & Jochen Hardt (Mainz University)
The workshop presents an overview to mixed models and their advantages over ANOVA and regression in repeated measurement designs. Based on a sample dataset, handling with Jamovi will be demonstrated and exercised by the participants themselves. We recommend to install Jamovi already onto your computer (download atjamovi.org). Alternatively, Jamovi can be used via internet. Jamovi is free of costs and to our best knowledge free of viruses and advertisements.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    10:00-13:00 Workshop

Participant requirements: Laptop
 

Workshop 5 (Half Day) — Integrating EEG and eye tracking: Bridging neuroscience and behavorial insights (max. 25 participants)

Chairs: Laura Leuchs & Edyta Charyasz (MES)
The combined use of electroencephalography (EEG) and eye tracking offers opportunities to investigate the interplay between brain activity and visual behavior. This workshop aims to provide participants with a fundamental understanding of these complementary methodologies and equip them with the practical skills necessary for their integration in research. The session will begin with an accessible introduction to the theoretical principles of EEG and eye tracking, including their respective strengths, limitations, and the scientific questions they can address when used together. Participants will gain insight into the technical aspects of signal acquisition, data synchronization, and preprocessing. Real-world examples of combined EEG and eye tracking applications will illustrate the potential of this approach. The workshop will emphasize hands-on learning, with ample time dedicated to practical demonstrations and interactive activities. Attendees will explore equipment setup, data collection, and basic analysis workflows using synchronized EEG and eye-tracking datasets. This workshop is designed for researchers, students, and practitioners from diverse fields, including neuroscience, psychology and human-computer interaction. No prior experience is required, but familiarity with basic research concepts will be helpful. By the end of the workshop, participants will have new ideas about incorporating EEG and eye-tracking into their own research and will leave with resources to deepen their expertise.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    10:00-13:00 Workshop

Participant requirements: This will be an introductory course into the world of combined EEG and Eye Tracking. No pre-knowledge required, neither any equipment.
 

Workshop 6 (Half Day) — From Open Science to FAIR science (max. 20 participants)

Chairs: Zefan Zheng, Camila Bruder, Alexandre Lepauvre, Seung-Goo Kim (Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt/M.)
This workshop brings together researchers and practitioners to tackle key challenges in open science, focusing on reproducibility, transparency, and collaboration, with a particular emphasis on cognitive neuroscience. The first talk introduces a FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) workflow to improve the reproducibility of scientific knowledge, enhance data discoverability, and recognize diverse contributions in open science. Through a domain-specific metadata template and a novel dashboard for visualizing research outputs, this session presents actionable solutions to promote fairness for science, data, and scientists. The second talk highlights the transformative potential of registered reports in advancing transparency and replicability. Drawing on the speaker’s experiences with the Peer Community In Registered Reports (PCI-RR) platform, participants will gain practical insights into the benefits and challenges of this format, including its application in both individual research and large-scale collaborations. The third talk focuses on ensuring experimental integrity, addressing a critical gap in reproducibility efforts. This hands-on session equips participants with skills to rigorously test and report experimental setups using tools like PsychoPy and Psychtoolbox, fostering robust and reproducible research. Finally, the fourth talk opens a dialogue on the economic, ethical, and technical dimensions of open-source computing. Exploring sustainability, transparency, and optimal computing languages, it invites attendees to share their experiences and contribute to shaping the future of open science computing. Together, these talks offer practical tools, insights, and discussions to advance open, transparent, and impactful science across disciplines.

Preliminary schedule:
    •    14:00-14:45 Zefan Zheng: A FAIR workflow guide for researchers in human cognitive neuroscience
    •    14:45-15:30 Camila Bruder: An overview of registered report
    •    15:30-15:45 Break
    •    15:45-16:30 Alex Lepauvre: Ensuring experimental integrity: A hands-on session on testing and reporting experimental setup
    •    16:30-17:00 Seung-Goo Kim: Computing languages for Open Science

Participant requirements: Students or researchers in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience who are interested in open science and open practices. It is highly recommended that every participant brings their own laptop.
 

Workshop 7 (Mini) — Cognitive behavioral therapy with VR exposure: Innovative approaches for practice and at home (max. 80 participants)

Chairs: Carola Epple (Lab E) & Patrik Scholler (Life Sciences Consulting)
This workshop explores the integration of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), examining its current applications, innovative practices, and potential future developments. The session begins with an overview by Carola Epple, highlighting the historical evolution of VRET, its efficacy compared to traditional exposure techniques, and its practical implementation in therapy, alongside existing limitations. Dr. Patrik Scholler introduces advanced approaches that enhance patient autonomy, optimize therapeutic outcomes, and address economic considerations, including the potential for at-home therapy solutions. Looking ahead, Carola Epple discusses emerging trends such as interactive intensity adjustments, telemedical support to reduce in-person sessions, and the role of VRET in the broader landscape of digital health. A panel discussion concludes the session, addressing the opportunities and challenges of integrating VRET into clinical practice and everyday life. This presentation offers valuable insights for mental health professionals, researchers, and digital health practitioners seeking to harness the potential of VRET in enhancing CBT. The workshop has a duration of 90 minutes and is offered 4 times in a row (each with max. 20 participants).

Preliminary schedule:
    •    10:00 - 11:30 Mini-Workshop #1
    •    11:30 - 13:00 Mini-Workshop #2
    •    14:00 - 15:30 Mini-Workshop #3
    •    15:30 - 16:00 Mini-Workshop #4

Participant requirements: Everybody can participate without special requirements