Socio-Cognitive Neuroergonomics

University of Stuttgart · Institute of Human Factors and Technology Management (IAT)

We aim to understand how the brain allocates cognitive resources as demands shift, allowing us to interpret social cues and act together in the real world.

Central hypothesis
  • Cognitive demands
  • Social demands
  • Emotional demands

These demands draw on shared control processes.

  1. Individual

    Multisensory processing and executive control

    We study how people prioritise what they see and hear when they multitask, switch goals, or filter distractions.

  2. Teams

    Social cognition and coordination

    We study how teammates anticipate one another’s actions and adapt as task demands change.

  3. Hybrid teams

    Human–AI and human–robot collaboration

    We ask when AI and robots ease cognitive demands and when they add work through monitoring or coordination.

Selected Research

Methods

We study cognitive and socio-emotional processes in near-real-world settings, including virtual environments and team tasks. We combine multimodal neuroimaging (M/EEG and fNIRS) with eye tracking, behavioural performance measures, and self-reports. We use multivariate statistics and machine learning to analyse neuroimaging data and decode mental states.