In our new preprint, Olga investigated, through three extensive experiments, whether saccadic selection in visual working memory can extend to an object or occurs exclusively spatially at the saccade target. We found strong spatial selection and also report on object-based selection and where it can be found. A lot of energy and perseverance went into this project, and I am delighted to now see the final product on bioRxiv

The MIAlab visited the Intuitive Physics Workshop in Cambridge, organised by Mariel Goddu and Marta Halina, where Sven presented his recent work on the adaptation of causal perception. This workshop was a real highlight of the year and will be hard to top. Sunny Cambridge was the perfect setting for discussing recent scientific research across different disciplines.

In April, we uploaded a new preprint. Laura has completed her first first-author manuscript on the spatial specificity and time course of the adaptation of causal relations. The manuscript includes three exciting adaptation experiments, one of which incorporates a podcast break, along with many detailed analyses (e.g. non-linear piecewise regression models). Moreover, huge congratulations to Jan for his new paper on finding limited awareness for catch-up saccades that occur during smooth pursuit. The project was part of Jan’s doctoral thesis and got now published in Journal of Vision.

The MIAlab is moving to Stendal. We are grateful for the many wonderful years at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin that shaped our thinking. Now we are excited to begin a new chapter at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, where Sven will take on the Professorship for General Psychology. We look forward to the new opportunities, collaborations, and ideas that this move will bring. Thank you, Berlin – and hello Stendal.

Since the current semester, we have been lucky to welcome multiple new students to the lab. Laura Ackermann and Maria Fischer are conducting causality experiments in the lab as part of their bachelor theses in Psychology. Lara Ramp is working on microsaccades in her bachelor thesis. Gamze Kahyaoglu and Tessa Chambon are interns from The Netherlands enrolled in the Neuroscience and Cognition master programme. Gamze is doing a research project on corrective saccades, and Tessa is doing a literature assignment as well as an EEG project. Welcome to the lab all, we’re happy to have you! [authored by LvZ]