Our brain does an amazing job of making sense of the sounds that surround us. While the sound of an approaching vehicle makes us pay attention, other sounds seem to simply disappear in the background. Which sounds are evaluated as relevant, pleasant or even annoying depends on a variety of factors. Interestingly, however, this evaluation is a highly individual process, so that one and the same sound, which one person has not even noticed, has the potential to attract the entire attention of another person. The factors that determine individual evaluation are manifold and extend far beyond the physical characteristics of the sound. For example, the context in which the sounds are heard and processed plays an important role.

In my PhD project, I am studying the individual perception of sounds in everyday life to get as realistic an impression as possible of how our brain processes everyday soundscapes. In order to get closer to answering the question why people vary in their evaluation of soundscapes, I use, among other methods, long-term ear EEG (cEEGrid) measurements. This form of data collection allows subjects to behave as freely and naturally as possible, since the cEEGrid is inconspicuous and hardly noticeable when used correctly. In addition, it provides reliable insights into how the individual brain reacts to sounds.

Since April 2022

PhD student at the Neuropsychology Lab under supervision of Dr. Martin Bleichner

2019 – 2022

M. Sc. Neurocognitive Psychology, University of Oldenburg, Germany

2015 – 2019

B. Sc. Intercultural Business Psychology, Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt, Germany