Associated scientist

Dr. Christian Scharinger

Dr. Christian Scharinger

Portrait of Christian Scharinger

Member of the Multimodal Interaction Lab

Starting in October 2018, Christian Scharinger is Principal Investigator (PI) of the DFG-project 'Potentials of neurophysiological measures for research on instructional design: The case of decorative pictures'. Since July 2010 he is working as research scientist at the IWM in the Multimodal Interaction lab, first as PhD student (defense October 2015 in Cognitive Science, University of Tuebingen), then as postdoc. At the IWM Christian Scharinger is specifically in charge of setting up and running a combined EEG-eye-tracking laboratory. His research interests comprise the use of innovative digital technologies (e.g., virtual reality, VR) and (neuro-) physiological process measures (e.g., pupil dilation, EEG frequency band power) in instructional psychology. Therein, focusing on both, basic and applied research questions, he is interested in studying relevant cognitive processes during information processing and learning in digital environments (e.g., hypertext, web search result pages, multimedia, VR) and factors influencing these processes (e.g., pictorial seductive details, working memory load, or cognitive conflicts). In addition, he is interested in aspects of designing user-friendly digital environments. As specific methods, Christian Scharinger uses combined EEG and eye-tracking data analyses to examine cognitive processes in free text reading or picture viewing situations.

Before he joined the IWM, Christian Scharinger worked as a Usability Engineer at the internet portal WEB.DE, Karlsruhe, and as a researcher in the DFG-research group 'Person Perception', Psychological Department, University of Jena. He studied linguistics, informatics and media sciences at the University of Trier and the University of Konstanz (M.A. 2007) and defended his doctoral thesis in Cognitive Science at the University of Tübingen in 2015. During February to September 2017 he has been appointed as a postdoc at the chair of Applied Cognitive Psychology and Media Psychology at the University of Tübingen.

Christian Scharinger is a member of the IWM postdoc network 'Cognitive Conflicts During Media Use'.

Dr. Christian Scharinger

Schleichstr. 6

72072 Tübingen

Room

+49 7071 979-360c.scharinger@iwm-tuebingen.de

Lab membership

Projects

Projects with a current term and projects that have taken place in the last 5 years are shown.

Publications

Articles (peer-reviewed)

  • Scharinger, C. (2024). Task-irrelevant decorative pictures increase cognitive load during text processing but have no effects on learning or working memory performance: an EEG and eye-tracking study. Psychological Research(88), 1362–1388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-024-01939-8

    Open Access

  • Appel, T., Gerjets, P., Hoffmann, S., Moeller, K., Ninaus, M., Scharinger, C., Sevcenko, N., Wortha, F., & Kasneci, E. (2023). Cross-task and cross-participant classification of cognitive load in an emergency simulation game. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 14(2), 1558-1571. https://doi.org/10.1109/taffc.2021.3098237

    View article

  • Scharinger, C. (2023). Effects of emotional decorative pictures on cognitive load as assessed by pupil dilation and EEG frequency band power. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37(4), 861-875. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.4087

    Open Access

  • Scharinger, C., Prislan, L., Bernecker, K., & Ninaus, M. (2023). Gamification of an n-back working memory task – Is it worth the effort? An EEG and eye-tracking study. Biological Psychology, 179, Article 108545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108545

    Open Access

  • Scharinger, C. (2022). Effects of decorative pictures on mental processing demands and learning: An EEG and eye-tracking study. Acta Psychologica, 231, Article 103798. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103798

    Open Access

  • Grissmann, S., Spüler, M., Faller, J., Krumpe, T., Zander, T. O., Kelava, A., Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2020). Context Sensitivity of EEG-based Workload Classification under different Affective Valence. IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing, 11(2), 327-334. https://doi.org/10.1109/taffc.2017.2775616

    View article

  • Scharinger, C., Schüler, A., & Gerjets, P. (2020). Using eye-tracking and EEG to study the mental processing demands during learning of text-picture combinations. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 158, 201-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.09.014

    Open Access

  • Appel, T., Scharinger, C., Gerjets, P., & Kasneci, E. (2018). Cross-subject workload classification using pupil-related measures. Proceedings of the 2018 ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications - ETRA '18. ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3204493.3204531

    Open Access

  • Krumpe, T., Scharinger, C., Rosenstiel, W., Gerjets, P., & Spüler, M. (2018). Unity and diversity in working memory load: Evidence for the separability of the executive functions updating and inhibition using machine learning. Biological Psychology, 139, 163-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.09.008

    View article

  • Scharinger, C., Soutschek, A., Schubert, T., & Gerjets, P. (2017). Comparison of the working memory load in n-back and working memory span tasks by means of EEG frequency band power and P300 amplitude. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11:6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00006

    Open Access

  • Grissmann, S., Faller, J., Scharinger, C., Spüler, M., & Gerjets, P. (2017). Electroencephalography based Analysis of Working Memory Load and Affective Valence in an N-back Task with Emotional Stimuli. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11:616. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00616

    Open Access

  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2016). Fixation-related EEG frequency band power analysis: a promising neuro-cognitive methodology to evaluate the matching-quality of web search results? In C. Stephanidis (Ed.). Communications in Computer and Information Science series, Vol. 617 (pp. 245-250). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-40548-3_41

    View article

  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2015). Pupil dilation and EEG alpha frequency band power reveal load on executive functions for link-selection processes during text reading. PLOS ONE, 10, e0130608. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130608

    Open Access

  • Scharinger, C., Soutschek, A., Schubert, T., & Gerjets, P. (2015). When flanker meets the n-back: What EEG and pupil dilation data reveal about the interplay between the two central-executive working memory functions inhibition and updating. Psychophysiology, 52(10), 1293-1304. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12500

    Open Access

Books and book chapters

To overview
  • Spüler, M., Krumpe, T., Walter, C., Scharinger, C., Rosenstiel, W., & Gerjets, P. (2017). Brain-computer interfaces for educational applications. In J. Buder & F. Hesse (Eds.). Informational Environments: Effects of Use, Effective Designs (pp. 177-201). Springer International Publishing.

Proceedings and special issues

To overview
  • Scharinger, C. (Ed.). (2018). Fixation-related EEG frequency band power analysis: A promising methodology for studying instructional design effects of multimedia learning material. Frontline Learning Research, 6(3).

Presentations und Conferences

Talks

  • Scharinger, C. (2022, September 10-15). Augmented data to study augmented learning materials: Using EEG and pupil dilation data to study the effects of decorative elements on text reading and working memory performance. 52. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Hildesheim. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Fischer, N., Halfmann, M., & Gerjets, P. (2022, September 10-15). Lernen in VR: (K)ein Seductive-Details-Effekt der virtuellen Umgebung? 52. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Hildesheim. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Klötzel, A., Halfmann, M., & Gerjets, P. (2021, September 14-16). (K)ein Seductive-Details-Effekt für virtuelle Umgebungen? Eingeladener Vortrag auf einem Symposium „Lernen mit VR- und AR-Technologie: Konzeptuelle Grundlagen und empirische Befunde“ der 18. Tagung der Fachgruppe Pädagogische Psychologie (PaePsy 2021). Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg. [Talk]
  • Gerjets, P., Brucker, B., Scharinger, C., & Kasneci, E. (2021, August 23-27). Can and should we assess and optimize learners’ engagement and cognitive load with machine learning? Invited talk at the SIG 7 Symposium „What does machine learning offer for learning and instruction: Potentials and ethical considerations” at 19th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Special Interest Group (SIG) 7. Gothenburg, Sweden. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2021, April 26). Promises and pitfalls of using neurophysiology to study the effects of pictorial seductive details during text reading. Invited talk at Research Reading Unit, University of Valencia. Valencia, Spain. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2021, August 23-27). Using EEG and Eye-Tracking to study the seductiveness of decorative pictures. 19th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Gothenburg, Sweden. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2020, January). Potentials of neurophysiological measures for research on instructional design: The case of decorative pictures. Invited talk at Rationality Enhancement Lab, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. Tübingen. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2020, December). Promises and pitfalls of using neurophysiology to study the effects of pictorial seductive details. European Association for Research on Learning and Insruction (EARLI). Special Interest Group (SIG) 27 (online conference). [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2020, January). The effects of 'pictorial seductive details' on working memory and text reading comprehension. Invited talk at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Kolloquium Allgemeine Psychologie. Halle. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2020, March). The effects of decorative pictures on text reading and working memory performance as revealed by EEG alpha frequency band power and pupil dilation data. 62. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Jena. (Conference cancelled). https://teap2020.dryfta.com/ [Talk]

    View talk

  • Appel, T., Scharinger, C., Gerjets, P., & Kasneci, E. (2018, June). Cross-subject workload classification using pupil-related measures. Tenth ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications (ETRA). Warsaw, Poland. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Soutschek, A., Schubert, T., & Gerjets, P. (2018, March). Sensitivity of pupil dilation and EEG alpha frequency band power for working memory load in n-back and span working memory tasks. 60. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Marburg. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Halfmann, M., Lachmair, M., & Gerjets, P. (2018, June). Using the EEG and Virtual Reality to study the effect of immersion on cognitive processing and learning. 2nd Earli SIG 27 Conference & 6th Polish Eye Tracking Conference. Warsaw, Poland. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2017, August). Combining eye-tracking with EEG data analysis: Potentials and methodological challenges. 17th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Tampere, Finnland. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2017, August). Raven revisited: Fixation-related EEG alpha frequency band power and pupil dilation unravel fluctuations in cognitive load during task performance. 19th European Conference on Eye Movements (ECEM). Wuppertal. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Schüler, A., & Gerjets, P. (2017, March). Text-picture integration during learning reduces working memory load as revealed by EEG frequency band power. 59. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Dresden. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Schüler, A., & Gerjets, P. (2017, March). Text-picture integration during learning reduces working memory load as revealed by EEG frequency band power. 59. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Dresden. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2016, December). Fixation-related EEG frequency band power analysis: A promising neuro-cognitive methodology to study integration processes during reading of web search results? European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Special Interest Group (SIG) 27. Oulu, Finland. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2016, March). Pupil dilation and EEG alpha frequency band power reveal increased cognitive load for link-selection processes during hypertext-like reading. 58. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Heidelberg. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2016, June). When flanker meets the n-back. Eingeladener Vortrag beim Max-Planck-Institut für biologische Kybernetik. Tübingen. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Soutschek, A., Schubert, T., & Gerjets, P. (2016, September). When flanker meets the n-back: What EEG and pupil dilation data reveal about the interplay between the two central-executive working memory functions inhibition and updating. Invited talk at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR). Minneapolis, MN, USA. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2014, September). Measuring cognitive load by means of Electroencephalography (EEG) and pupil dilation. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2014, April). Measuring cognitive load by means of electroencephalography (EEG) and pupil dilation. Le Laboratoire des Usages en Technologies d'Information Numériques (LUTIN Userlab). Cité des sciences et de l'industrie. Paris, France. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2014, April). When Flanker meets the n-back task: Pupil dilation and EEG correlates for load on executive working memory functions. 56. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Gießen. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2013, August). Comparison of changes in EEG frequency band power and in pupil diameter as measures of cognitive load during working memory and text reading tasks. 17th European Conference on Eye Movement Research. Lund, Sweden. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2013, June). EEG frequency band power and pupil dilation as measures of cognitive load in hyperlink-like selection processes during text reading. 6th International Cognitive Load Theory Conference. Toulouse, France. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2013, September). Measuring cognitive load by means of Electroencephalography (EEG) and pupil dilation. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. [Talk]
  • Kammerer, Y., Oloff, C., Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2013, August). The impact of hyperlinks on text comprehension in encyclopedic texts. 15th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). München. [Talk]
  • Scharinger, C. (2012, June). EEG correlates of working memory load. Biologische Psychologie, Universität Tübingen. [Talk]

Poster presentations

To overview
  • Scharinger, C. (2022, May 9). The effects of time-pressure and pictorial seductive details on learning, pupil dilation, and heart rate. 4th Meeting of EARLI Emerging Field Group "The potential of biophysiology for understanding learning and teaching experiences". University of Padua, Italy. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C. (2019, August). Using EEG and eye-tracking as process measures to study the effects of pictorial seductive details. 18th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Aachen, Germany. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C. (2018, June). EEG and eye-tracking as measures of cognitive load in instructional psychology. IWM Summer School: Multimodality and Knowledge Processes. Tübingen. [Poster Presentation]
  • Lachmair, M., Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2018, March). Near-hand effect revisited. Potential of Virtual Reality (VR) to study psychological processes. 60. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Marburg. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Lachmair, M., & Gerjets, P. (2018, July). Selective information processing nearby the hands: The near-hand effect revisited using Virtual Reality (VR) and EEG. 2. Vector-Workshop 'Virtual Environments: Current Topics in Psychological Research'. Tübingen. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Kammerer, Y., & Gerjets, P. (2016, July). Fixation-related EEG frequency band power analysis: A promising neuro-cognitive methodology to evaluate the matching-quality of web search results? 18th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI International). Toronto, Canada. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Schüler, A., & Gerjets, P. (2016, June). Text-picture integration during learning – EEG frequency band power correlates of congruency effects. European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Special Interest Group (SIG) 22. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., & Gerjets, P. (2015, August). Working memory matters, near-hand postures do not. Why are the effects of working-memory load and interference-control demands on pupil dilation not influenced by the near-hand effect? 18th European Conference on Eye Movement Research. Wien, Austria. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Soutschek, A., Schubert, T., Walter, C., & Gerjets, P. (2014, October). When flanker meets the n-back: The interplay between the executive working memory functions inhibition and updating as revealed by EEG oscillatory, P300, and pupil dilation data. International Conference of Executive Functions (ICEF). Stuttgart. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Cierniak, G., & Gerjets, P. (2013, March). When stroop and task shifting meet the n-back: Behavioral, electrophysiological (EEG), and eyetracking correlates of working memory load in a modified n-back task. 55. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen (TeaP). Wien, Austria. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Cierniak, G., Walter, C., Zander, T. O., & Gerjets, P. (2012, May). Measuring cognitive load by means of EEG-data - how detailed is the picture we can get? Meeting of the EARLI SIG 22 Neuroscience and Education. London, Great Britain. [Poster Presentation]
  • Scharinger, C., Cierniak, G., Walter, C., Zander, T. O., & Gerjets, P. (2012, September). Same, same, but different: EEG correlates of n-back and span working memory tasks. 48. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs). Bielefeld. [Poster Presentation]

Other conference contributions

To overview
  • Scharinger, C., & Ninaus, M. (2021, August 23-27). Multiple perspectives on seductive details. Session P. 19th Biennial Conference of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI). Gothenburg, Sweden. [Symposium Organisation]

Event organisation

  • Bahnmüller, J., Ditrich, L., & Scharinger, C. (2019). Cognitive Conflicts in the Wild. Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Tübingen. 02.-03.04.2019. [Conference Organisation]

Teaching

  • Scharinger, C. (2023). Natural user interfaces. SoSe 2023. Seminar. Hochschule Tuttlingen.
  • Scharinger, C. (2023). Psychologie und Technik. Seminar. Hochschule Fresenius Heidelberg.