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Mechanisms of Perception and Adaptation

At JLU Giessen, leading researchers from psychology, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience join forces to explore the foundations of adaptive behavior.

A person wearing VR glasses and holding a technical device in their hand.

 

Head to the Cluster of Excellence TAM

Coordinators

Professor Katja Fiehler, Professor Roland W. Fleming 

Abstract of Focus Area

The research focus investigates the fundamental mechanisms of adaptation in perception, thinking, and action that underlie adaptive behavior. It combines cutting-edge research approaches from psychology, behavioral sciences, and artificial intelligence. The interdisciplinary research team enjoys a worldwide leading position thanks to excellent publications and continuous funding of major third-party projects.

Involved Disciplines

General and cognitive psychology, biological and neuropsychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, diagnostics and psychotherapy, sports sciences, applied computer science, artificial intelligence, psychiatry

External Cooperation Partners

In Germany:

  • Philipps University Marburg: Prof. Dr. Nina Alexander; Prof. Dr. Frank Bremmer; Prof. Dr. Dominik Endres; Dr. Mareike Grotheer; Dr. Clemens Helf; AvH-Professor Dr. Stefan G. Hofmann; Prof. Dr. Inge Kamp-Becker; Prof. Dr. Hamidreza Jamalabadi; Prof. Dr. Andreas Jansen; Prof. Dr. Christina Kauschke; Prof. Dr. Tilo Kircher; Prof. Dr. Christiane Melzig; Prof. Dr. Winfried Rief; Prof. Dr. Alexander Schütz; Prof. Dr. Anna Schubö; Prof. Dr. Benjamin Straube 
  • Technichal University Darmstadt: Prof. Georgia Chalvatzaki, PhD; Prof. Dr. Frank Jäkel; Prof. Dr. Kristian Kersting; Prof. Dr. Jan Peters; Prof. Dr. Stefan Roth; Prof. Dr. Constantin A. Rothkopf; Prof. Thomas Wallis, PhD; Prof. Loes van Dam, PhD; AvH-Prof. Angela Yu, PhD
  • Goethe University Frankfurt: Prof. Dr. Christian Fiebach; Prof. Melissa Lê-Hoa Võ, PhD; Prof. Dr. Gremma Roig; Prof. Yee Lee Shing, PhD; Prof. Dr. Ulrich Stangier; Prof. Dr. Jochen Triesch

International:

Structures and Programs for Supporting Early Career Researchers
  • Giessen Graduate Centre for the Life Sciences (GGL), section „Neurosciences”
  • Giessen Graduate Centre for Natural Sciences and Psychology (GGN)
  • Fast Track Program „PreProPsych“ in the M.Sc. degree program "Psychology."
  • International M.Sc. Study Course „Mind, Brain & Behavior“
  • Internationalization and updating of the M.Sc. degree program “Biomechanics-Motor Control-Motion Analysis” to “Human Movement Analytics”
  • Submission of full proposal for the Research Training Group (GRK) “PIMON – Perceiving and Interacting with Materials and Objects in Naturalistic Environments”
  • „European Summer School for Visual Neurosciences” since 2004, initially funded by Volkswagen-Stiftung, since 2017 basic financing by the universities (JLU/UMR)
  • IRTG 1901 – The Brain in Action
  • DyViTo: Innovative Training Network (ITN) within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie-Program by EU
  • Early Career Researcher support within CMBB

Most significant scientific achievements since 2018

Structural elements:

  • 2025–2032: Funding grant for EXC 3066 "The Adaptive Mind" within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments
  • 2021-2025: Funding of the cluster project "The Adaptive Mind" by the federal ministry HMWK in preparation of the Excellence Strategy   (JLU, UMR, TuDa)
  • 2022: Third funding period for SFB/TRR 135 – Cardinal Mechanisms of Perception

  • 2017: Establishment of the CMBB – Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (a joint institution of JLU and UMR under § 53 HessHG)

External funds / awards

  • 2024: Katharina Dobs, ERC Starting Grant "DEEPFUNC"
  • 2023: Roland W. Fleming, ERC Advanced Grant "STUFF"
  • 2022: Daniel Kaiser, ERC Starting Grant "PEP"
  • 2020: Karl Gegenfurtner, ERC Advanced Grant "Color 3.0"
  • 2019: Ben de Haas, ERC Starting Grant "Indivisual"

Publications

  • 2025: Schmidt, F.*; Hebart, M.N.*; Schmid, A.C.; & Fleming, R.W. "Core dimensions of human material perception."  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(10): e2417202122. *shared-first
  • 2023: Schmid, A.C.; Barla, P.; Doerschner, K. "Material category of visual objects computed from specular image structure. Nature Human Behaviour, 7, 1152-1169
  • 2022: Fuehrer, E.; Voudouris, D.; Lezkan, A.; Drewing, K.; Fiehler, K. "Tactile suppression stems from specific sensorimotor predictions." PNAS, USA, 119 (20), e2118445119
  • 2021: Goettker, A.; Pidaparthy, H.; Braun, D.I.; Elder, J.H.; Gegenfurtner, K.R. „Ice hockey spectators use contextual cues to guide predictive eye movement.” Current Biology. 31 (16), R991-R992
  • 2019: de Haas, B.; Iakovidis, A.L; Schwarzkopf, D.S.; Gegenfurtner, K.R.: „Individual differences in visual salience vary along semantic dimensions.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2019, 116(24), 11687-11692.

 

Image source: Cover image: Katarina Friese