Human Motivation & Affective Neuroscience Lab
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Welcome
Welcome to the website of the Human Motivation and Affective Neuroscience (HuMAN) laboratory! Research at the HuMAN Lab aims at providing a better understanding of the physiological, cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects of motivation in humans. Our research has a strong emphasis on nonconscious (i.e., implicit) motivational processes that occur and influence behavior without the person becoming aware of them. We also explore how implicit motives relate to and interact with people's conscious goals and beliefs about their motivational needs. The methods we use to explore these questions include non-declarative personality assessment, measurement of salivary hormone levels, assessment of basic cognitive functions, Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning, and brain imaging. The HuMAN Lab is supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Mental Health, and the University of Michigan.
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Latest News: 3 August 2012

High progesterone is associated with less coherent brains

In a new study which will be published in the journal Brain and Cognition, Oliver Schultheiss, Mariya Patalakh, and Andreas Rösch have examined the association between progesterone levels and measures of how well the two brain hemispheres share the work of processing information. Using measures of attention, processing of verbal and nonverbal information, and implicit motives and explicit goal strivings, the authors found that men and women with high levels of progesterone in their saliva had brains whose hemispheres exchanged information less efficiently with each other.
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New edited book on implicit motives available

Oliver C. Schultheiss (Friedrich-Alexander University) and Joachim C. Brunstein (Justus-Liebig University) are the editors of “Implicit Motives”, a new book that brings together the latest and best in theory and research on implicit motives. Written by leading authorities in the field, chapters range from portrayals of power, achievement and affiliation motives and their assessment to accounts of how motives shape cognition and physiological changes, their relationship with the needs people attribute to themselves, and their role in culture and society.
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Implicit Motives Cover
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For foreign students interested in pursuing a doctoral degree (“Dr. phil.”) at Friedrich-Alexander University through the HuMAN Lab:

The HuMAN-Lab provides research opportunities for foreign students interested in doing work that is closely related to the Lab’s mission. However, due to the requirements of the German university system, regular 3-year positions with a teaching load of 3 courses/year are only available to applicants with documented oral and written fluency in German. Applicants who can obtain a stipend (e.g., through the DAAD or funding agencies from their home country) are also welcome to apply. All applicants must have a master’s degree in psychology and must submit, along with documentation of their degrees, a curriculum vitae, a list of at least two individuals who can comment on their academic achievements, and a letter of intent that sketches out in 2 pages or less the specific research aims and interests of the candidate and how they fit the HuMAN Lab’s mission.

Lab News: July 2012

Andreas Rösch rejoins the HuMAN Lab as a freshly minted PhD

Andreas Rösch, who was a member of the HuMAN Lab from 2007 through 2011, has successfully defended in July, graduating summa cum laude. He will rejoin the lab in October, continuing his pioneering work on facial expressions in the context of implicit motives. Congatulations and welcome back, Andreas!


Last updated: 8 August, 2012

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