J. Schedlowski (Josefine)

My PhD research examines learning conditions that support associative learning and memory in individuals with mild to severe explicit memory impairments, such as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS). I investigate how stimulus equivalence learning, instructions, and differential outcomes can facilitate learning and memory in these populations. Learning can occur intentionally, resulting in consciously accessible knowledge (explicit learning), or incidentally, often without conscious awareness. Evidence suggests that individuals with amnesia have impaired explicit memory but relatively preserved implicit/incidental learning. This preserved ability offers a potential basis for cognitive interventions, providing cost-effective strategies to help individuals overcome everyday memory challenges, especially in the absence of effective pharmacological treatments. In addition to the impact of instructions promoting either implicit or explicit learning, I also examine how differential feedback, known as the differential outcome procedure (DOP), can strengthen associative learning. In the DOP, distinct outcomes are assigned to specific stimulus-response pairs, promoting prospective processing, unlike common outcomes that rely on retrospective processing. This simple, non-invasive approach reflects everyday situations where different actions lead to different consequences and has been shown to improve learning and retention across clinical and non-clinical populations. By combining behavioural paradigms with electrophysiological measures (EEG), I investigate the neural mechanisms underlying stimulus equivalence learning and the DOP, and examine how these processes may vary across the lifespan. Overall, my research aims to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical applications, informing the development of evidence-based strategies for individuals with amnesia, while advancing our understanding of associative learning and memory.

• Development and lifelong plasticity

• Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation Psychology