Thank you for your interest in writing a thesis in the Department of Cognitive Psychology!

We continuously offer topics for Bachelor's and Master's theses within the research fields of our department. Theses are typically written as part of larger research projects, with each student working on their own (sub-)question. Data collection often takes place in teams, but data analysis and reporting must be conducted independently. We only supervise empirical theses in our lab.

As part of the research projects listed below, extensive data is being collected, for example, on chronic stress experiences, anxiety, or depressive symptoms. Therefore, it is also possible to work on sub-questions within these projects that are independent of the main research question.

Feel free to reach out to us! We are happy to discuss both the content and timeline of your thesis with you individually.

Current research projects:

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What is a habit? – Investigating complex association structures

What exactly is a habit? Traditionally, this question has been explored through dual-system theories, which suggest that human behavior is controlled either by a goal-directed system (focused on achieving specific goals) or by a habitual system (Balleine & Dickinson, 1998). This project aims to test and expand upon an alternative, integrative theory of complex habits (Du et al., 2022), with a particular focus on how habits contribute to motor skill learning.
In this computer-based experiment, we will investigate whether different types of associations can become habitual independently of one another.

Study design and measurements:
During the learning phase, participants will learn different associations (e.g. between a goal and a stimulus, or between a goal and a response) by responding to various stimuli. In this phase, different features of the response, and the stimuli will be manipulated to affect the associative strength.
In the test phase, we will examine how these associations influence behaviour. For this, we will first focus on reaction times, error rates and the quality of errors, and, in later studies also investigate brain activity via EE.

For who is this project?:
This project is an excellent opportunity for Bachelor’s or Master’s students, offering hands-on experience with developing a research question, collecting data and gather experience with analyzing the results.
 
Contact:
sarah.koch"AT"uni-hamburg.de  

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Repetition, depth of processing, and memory consolidation Background

Why do we remember some things for weeks while other memories quickly fade away? This project combines two parallel studies investigating how initial encoding conditions shape the long-term stabilization of memories in the brain. 
The role of repetition: We investigate whether repeating information during learning "fast-tracks" memory stabilization to neocortical networks, and whether this rapid neural shift makes memories more abstract or preserves detailed episodic details.
Depth of processing: We look at how mental effort during learning (e.g., deciding if a word fits a sentence versus simply judging its letter case) affects memory durability and its neural reorganization over a 4-week delay. This study is based on a very famous and foundational Levels of Processing theory. 

Design & measurements:
Both studies combine behavioral memory testing with high-resolution functional MRI (fMRI). Because these two projects are run together, we collect a highly comprehensive dataset that includes: 
- High-resolution 3T functional MRI (fMRI). 
- Eye-tracking metrics (pupil size dynamics, gaze dispersion, and fixation patterns). 
- Autonomic measures (pulse and skin conductance). 
- Psychological and cognitive baseline profiles (e.g., stress, mood, anxiety, depression, processing speed questionnaires). 

Options for students:
Since these studies are run in parallel, you will have access to a rich dataset and a wide variety of research questions. 
Bachelor’s students can focus on behavioral data, eye-tracking metrics, or explore how individual differences (such as stress, anxiety, or processing speed) relate to memory performance. 
Master’s students have the additional option to dive into advanced neuroimaging (fMRI) data, analyzing univariate brain activity or multivariate pattern similarity. 

Your involvement in the project will include assisting with participant recruitment, helping with data collection (including MRI preparation and physiological measurements), and analyzing the data to answer your specific research question. 

Timeline:
Data collection started in late 2025 and is currently ongoing. 

Contact:
ivana.marijanovic@uni-hamburg.de (ivana.marijanovic"AT"uni-hamburg.de ) 

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Merging Memories Over Time: How the Brain Blurs Spatial and Temporal Boundaries (MergeMem)
 
Background:
Episodic memories allow us to remember what happened, where, and when. However, as time passes and memories rely less on the hippocampus, do the boundaries between distinct events begin to blur? 
In this project, we investigate "spatiotemporal merging"- the process by which memories originally encoded in different places and on different days become overlapping and interchangeable in the brain. We use a multi-day paradigm and repeated functional neuroimaging to track how these spatial and temporal boundaries change in the hippocampus and neocortex. 
 
Design & measurements
This is a multi-day study where participants learn specific person-detail associations within different visual background contexts across two successive days. Memory retrieval is tested in the MRI scanner either immediately or after a 6-day delay to track how boundaries fade over time. We record: 
- High-resolution fMRI (focusing on pattern similarity along the hippocampal axis and neocortex). 
- Eye-tracking metrics (gaze dispersion and pupil size). 
- Behavioral metrics (memory accuracy, specific error/lure patterns, and reaction times). 
- Psychological and cognitive baseline profiles (e.g., stress, mood, anxiety, depression, processing speed questionnaires). 

Options for students
This project is an excellent fit for students interested in cognitive neuroscience, memory transformation, and neuroimaging. 
- Bachelor’s students can investigate behavioral patterns of memory merging, eye-tracking markers of retrieval effort, or look at how sleep quality and stress levels relate to memory fading. 
- Master’s students can also work with advanced neuroimaging analyses, such as representational similarity analysis (RSA) or encoding-retrieval similarity (ERS). 
Your involvement in the project will include assisting with participant recruitment, helping with data collection (including MRI preparation and physiological measurements), and analyzing the data to answer your specific research question. 

Timeline:
Data collection started in June 2026 and is currently ongoing.

Contact:
ivana.marijanovic"AT"uni-hamburg.de