von Bastian, Claudia, Professor

Professor Claudia von Bastian

School of Psychology

Professor of Cognitive Psychology

C.C.vonBastian@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 6560

Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences (ICOSS)

Full contact details

Professor Claudia von Bastian
School of Psychology
Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences (ICOSS)
219 Portobello
Sheffield
S1 4DP

Profile

I am a cognitive psychologist and head of the Cognitive Ability & Plasticity Lab. My research focuses on cognitive individual differences and how cognitive abilities can change through experience.

I obtained my Ph.D. from the �� of Zurich, where I worked with Klaus Oberauer. During my PhD, I also spent a year at the �� of Bristol as a visiting researcher in Chris Jarrold's lab. Afterward, I returned to the �� of Zurich as a Research Associate and Lecturer. Before joining ��, I was a Research Associate in Akira Miyake's lab at the �� of Colorado Boulder, working in close collaboration with Mike Kane, and later a Lecturer in Psychology at Bournemouth ��.

Qualifications

PhD Psychology, �� of Zurich, Switzerland (summa cum laude)
MSc Psychology, �� of Zurich, Switzerland (summa cum laude)

Research interests

My work aims at advancing our understanding of individual differences in cognitive abilities and how they can change through experience.

Mechanisms and structure of cognitive abilities

How do people differ in their cognitive abilities? Understanding cognitive individual differences is essential for identifying the best targets for interventions. Given their central role in human cognition, my work focuses particularly on working memory, attentional control and executive functions, and reasoning ability.

Experience-based plasticity

How do experiences shape our thinking, and how can we boost cognitive performance? To answer these questions, I investigate everyday experiences and leisure activities such as being bilingual or playing video games, and I develop and evaluate targeted interventions such as cognitive training or non-invasive brain stimulation. I am particularly interested in the theoretical mechanisms underpinning cognitive change.

Bridging research traditions and approaches

I have experienced looking beyond my own area of research not only as really exciting and enriching, but also incredibly fruitful for finding novel ways to answer the questions that propel my research. I therefore often combine approaches from experimental and differential psychology, and I use computational/mathematical as well as statistical modelling methods to better understand both behavioural and cognitive-neuroscientific data.

Open science and big team science

Throughout my work, I promote and follow open science best practices by regularly , and by developing and maintaining the open-source experiment software alongside experimental materials for anyone to use for free. Furthermore, I have been local Co-Lead of the UK Reproducibility Network and created the role of departmental Open Science Lead to promote robust, transparent, and replicable research practices locally in my department and institution. I am also regularly involved in big team science such as with the Psychological Science Accelerator and other international multi-labs studies, such as the #EEGManyLabs.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Buchanan EM, Lewis SC, Paris B, Forscher PS, Pavlacic JM, Beshears JE, Drexler SM, Gourdon-Kanhukamwe A, Mallik PR, Silan MAA , Miller JK et al (2023) . Scientific Data, 10.
Dorison CA, Lerner JS, Heller BH, Rothman AJ, Kawachi II, Wang K, Rees VW, Gill BP, Gibbs N, Ebersole CR , Vally Z et al (2022) . Affective Science, 3(3), 577-602.
von Bastian C, Reinhartz A, Udale RC, Grégoire S, Essounni M, Belleville S & Strobach T (2022) . BMC Psychology, 10.
Legate N, Ngyuen T-V, Weinstein N, Moller A, Legault L, Vally Z, Tajchman Z, Zsido AN, Zrimsek M, Chen Z , Ziano I et al (2022) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(22).
von Bastian C, Belleville S, Udale R, Reinhartz A, Essounni M & Strobach T (2022) . Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(1), 30-30.
Emch M, von Bastian C & Koch K (2019) . Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13.
Guye S, Röcke C, Martin M & von Bastian CC (2019) . The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
Rey-Mermet A, Gade M, Souza A, von Bastian C & Oberauer K (2019) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Meiran N, Dreisbach G & von Bastian C (2019) . Intelligence, 73, 78-87.
Gustavson DE, Lurquin JH, Michaelson LE, Barker JE, Carruth NP, von Bastian C & Miyake A (2019) . Emotion.
De Simoni C & von Bastian CC (2018) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 147(6), 829-858.
Guye S & von Bastian CC (2017) . Psychology and Aging, 32(8), 732-746.
Kane MJ, Smeekens BA, von Bastian CC, Lurquin JH, Carruth NP & Miyake A (2017) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(11), 1649-1674.
Guye S, De Simoni C & von Bastian CC (2017) . Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.
von Bastian CC & Druey MD (2017) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(9), 1266-1285.
Zimmermann K, von Bastian CC, Röcke C, Martin M & Eschen A (2016) . Psychology and Aging, 31(7), 798-814.
von Bastian CC & Eschen A (2016) . Psychological Research, 80(2), 181-194.
Lurquin JH, Michaelson LE, Barker JE, Gustavson DE, von Bastian CC, Carruth NP & Miyake A (2016) . PLoS ONE, 11(2).
von Bastian CC, Souza AS & Gade M (2016) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 145(2), 246-258.
von Bastian CC & Oberauer K (2014) . Psychological Research, 78(6), 803-820.
Langer N, von Bastian CC, Wirz H, Oberauer K & Jäncke L (2013) . Cortex, 49(9), 2424-2438.
von Bastian CC & Oberauer K (2013) . Journal of Memory and Language, 69(1), 36-58.
von Bastian CC, Langer N, Jäncke L & Oberauer K (2013) . Memory & Cognition, 41(4), 611-624.
von Bastian CC, Locher A & Ruflin M (2013) . Behavior Research Methods, 45(1), 108-115.
von Bastian CC, Schwaninger A & Michel S (2010) . IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, 25(10), 33-38.
von Bastian CC, Belleville S, Reinhartz A & Strobach T () . Nature Reviews Psychology, 2(2), 128-128.
Ripp I, Emch M, Wu Q, Lizarraga A, Udale R, von Bastian C, Koch K & Yakushev I () Adaptive working memory training does not produce transfer effects in cognition and neuroimaging. Translational Psychiatry.
Himi SA, Stadler M, von Bastian C, Bühner M & Hilbert S () . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Piątkowski K, von Bastian CC, Zawadzka K & Hanczakowski M () . Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.
Wang K, Goldenberg A, Dorison CA, Miller JK, Uusberg A, Lerner JS, Gross JJ, Agesin BB, Bernardo M, Campos O , Eudave L et al () . Nature Human Behaviour, 6(9), 1318-1319.
Debowska A, Horeczy B, Boduszek D, Dolinski D & von Bastian C () Development and validation of a stress response measure: The Daily Stress Response Scale (DSRS). Health Psychology Report.
Cafferata RMT, Hicks B & von Bastian C () . Psychological Bulletin.
Kane MJ, Carruth NP, Lurquin JH, Silvia PJ, Smeekens BA, von Bastian C & Miyake A () Individual differences in task-unrelated thought in university classrooms. Memory and Cognition.
Dziemian S, Appenzeller S, von Bastian C, Jäncke L & Langer N () . Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Vergauwe E, von Bastian C, Kostova R & Morey C () Storage and processing in working memory: A single, domain-general resource explains multi-tasking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Chapters

Guye S, Röcke C, Mérillat S, von Bastian CC & Martin M (2021) , Cognitive Training (pp. 141-152). Springer International Publishing
von Bastian C, Guye S & De Simoni C (2019) How strong is the evidence for the effectiveness of working memory training? In Novick JM, Bunting MF, Dougherty MR & Engle RW (Ed.), Cognitive and Working Memory Training Perspectives from Psychology, Neuroscience, and Human Development (pp. 58-75). Oxford �� Press, USA
Guye S, Röcke C, Mérillat S, von Bastian CC & Martin M (2016) , Cognitive Training (pp. 45-55). Springer International Publishing

Conference proceedings papers

von Bastian CC, Schwaninger A & Michel S (2009) . 43rd Annual 2009 International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology, 5 October 2009 - 8 October 2009.

All publications

Journal articles

von Bastian C, Reinhartz A, Hyde E, Jiang S, Loranger E, Ferreri J, Belleville S & Strobach T (2024) . Innovation in Aging, 8(Supplement_1), 670-670.
Buchanan EM, Lewis SC, Paris B, Forscher PS, Pavlacic JM, Beshears JE, Drexler SM, Gourdon-Kanhukamwe A, Mallik PR, Silan MAA , Miller JK et al (2023) . Scientific Data, 10.
Dorison CA, Lerner JS, Heller BH, Rothman AJ, Kawachi II, Wang K, Rees VW, Gill BP, Gibbs N, Ebersole CR , Vally Z et al (2022) . Affective Science, 3(3), 577-602.
Legate N, Nguyen TV, Weinstein N, Moller A, Legault L, Vally Z, Tajchman Z, Zsido AN, Zrimsek M, Chen Z , Ziano I et al (2022) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(36), e2213828119-e2213828119.
von Bastian C, Reinhartz A, Udale RC, Grégoire S, Essounni M, Belleville S & Strobach T (2022) . BMC Psychology, 10.
Legate N, Ngyuen T-V, Weinstein N, Moller A, Legault L, Vally Z, Tajchman Z, Zsido AN, Zrimsek M, Chen Z , Ziano I et al (2022) . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(22).
von Bastian C, Belleville S, Udale R, Reinhartz A, Essounni M & Strobach T (2022) . Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(1), 30-30.
Frischkorn G & von Bastian C (2021) . Journal of Intelligence, 9(3).
Wang K, Goldenberg A, Dorison CA, Miller JK, Uusberg A, Lerner JS, Gross JJ, Agesin BB, Bernardo M, Campos O , Eudave L et al (2021) . Nature Human Behaviour.
Emch M, von Bastian C & Koch K (2019) . Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13.
Guye S, Röcke C, Martin M & von Bastian CC (2019) . The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
Rey-Mermet A, Gade M, Souza A, von Bastian C & Oberauer K (2019) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Meiran N, Dreisbach G & von Bastian C (2019) . Intelligence, 73, 78-87.
Gustavson DE, Lurquin JH, Michaelson LE, Barker JE, Carruth NP, von Bastian C & Miyake A (2019) . Emotion.
Oschwald J, Schättin A, von Bastian CC & Souza AS (2018) . Frontiers in Psychology, 9.
De Simoni C & von Bastian CC (2018) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 147(6), 829-858.
Guye S & von Bastian CC (2017) . Psychology and Aging, 32(8), 732-746.
Kane MJ, Smeekens BA, von Bastian CC, Lurquin JH, Carruth NP & Miyake A (2017) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(11), 1649-1674.
Guye S, De Simoni C & von Bastian CC (2017) . Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.
von Bastian CC & Druey MD (2017) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 146(9), 1266-1285.
Zimmermann K, von Bastian CC, Röcke C, Martin M & Eschen A (2016) . Psychology and Aging, 31(7), 798-814.
von Bastian CC & Eschen A (2016) . Psychological Research, 80(2), 181-194.
Lurquin JH, Michaelson LE, Barker JE, Gustavson DE, von Bastian CC, Carruth NP & Miyake A (2016) . PLoS ONE, 11(2).
von Bastian CC, Souza AS & Gade M (2016) . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 145(2), 246-258.
von Bastian CC & Oberauer K (2014) . Psychological Research, 78(6), 803-820.
Langer N, von Bastian CC, Wirz H, Oberauer K & Jäncke L (2013) . Cortex, 49(9), 2424-2438.
von Bastian CC & Oberauer K (2013) . Journal of Memory and Language, 69(1), 36-58.
von Bastian CC, Langer N, Jäncke L & Oberauer K (2013) . Memory & Cognition, 41(4), 611-624.
von Bastian CC, Locher A & Ruflin M (2013) . Behavior Research Methods, 45(1), 108-115.
von Bastian CC, Schwaninger A & Michel S (2010) . IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine, 25(10), 33-38.
Moretti L, Hornjak R, Koch I & von Bastian CC () Quality over quantity: Focusing on high-conflict trials to improve the reliability and validity of attentional control measures. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition.
James-Brabham E, von Bastian C, Brough C & Blakey E () . Child Development.
Jiang S, Jones M & von Bastian CC () TDCS over PPC or DLPFC does not improve visual working memory capacity. Communications Psychology.
von Bastian CC, Hyde ERA & Jiang S () Tackling cognitive decline in late adulthood: Cognitive interventions. Current Opinion in Psychology.
Reinhartz A, Strobach T, Jacobsen T & von Bastian CC () Mechanisms of training-related change in processing speed: A drift-diffusion model approach. Journal of Cognition.
Jiang S, Jones M & von Bastian CC () . Journal of Cognition.
Garvey WF & von Bastian CC () . Communications Psychology.
von Bastian CC, Belleville S, Reinhartz A & Strobach T () . Nature Reviews Psychology, 2(2), 128-128.
Ripp I, Emch M, Wu Q, Lizarraga A, Udale R, von Bastian C, Koch K & Yakushev I () Adaptive working memory training does not produce transfer effects in cognition and neuroimaging. Translational Psychiatry.
Himi SA, Stadler M, von Bastian C, Bühner M & Hilbert S () . Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Piątkowski K, von Bastian CC, Zawadzka K & Hanczakowski M () . Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.
Wang K, Goldenberg A, Dorison CA, Miller JK, Uusberg A, Lerner JS, Gross JJ, Agesin BB, Bernardo M, Campos O , Eudave L et al () . Nature Human Behaviour, 6(9), 1318-1319.
Debowska A, Horeczy B, Boduszek D, Dolinski D & von Bastian CC () . Health Psychology Report, 10(3), 238-248.
Debowska A, Horeczy B, Boduszek D, Dolinski D & von Bastian C () Development and validation of a stress response measure: The Daily Stress Response Scale (DSRS). Health Psychology Report.
Cafferata RMT, Hicks B & von Bastian C () . Psychological Bulletin.
Kane MJ, Carruth NP, Lurquin JH, Silvia PJ, Smeekens BA, von Bastian C & Miyake A () Individual differences in task-unrelated thought in university classrooms. Memory and Cognition.
Dziemian S, Appenzeller S, von Bastian C, Jäncke L & Langer N () . Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
Vergauwe E, von Bastian C, Kostova R & Morey C () Storage and processing in working memory: A single, domain-general resource explains multi-tasking. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
von Bastian C () . Journal of Cognition.
Frischkorn GT, von Bastian C, Souza AS & Oberauer K () Individual differences in updating are not related to reasoning ability and working memory capacity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Chapters

Guye S, Röcke C, Mérillat S, von Bastian CC & Martin M (2021) , Cognitive Training (pp. 141-152). Springer International Publishing
von Bastian C, Guye S & De Simoni C (2019) How strong is the evidence for the effectiveness of working memory training? In Novick JM, Bunting MF, Dougherty MR & Engle RW (Ed.), Cognitive and Working Memory Training Perspectives from Psychology, Neuroscience, and Human Development (pp. 58-75). Oxford �� Press, USA
Guye S, Röcke C, Mérillat S, von Bastian CC & Martin M (2016) , Cognitive Training (pp. 45-55). Springer International Publishing

Conference proceedings papers

Guye S, von Bastian C, Rocke C & Martin M (2016) DOES PERSONALITY PREDICT WORKING MEMORY TRAINING EFFECTIVENESS IN OLDER ADULTS?. GERONTOLOGIST, Vol. 56 (pp 578-579)
von Bastian C & Oberauer K (2013) Does Training of Working Memory Improve Intelligence?. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 27 (pp 44-44)
von Bastian CC, Schwaninger A & Michel S (2009) . 43rd Annual 2009 International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology, 5 October 2009 - 8 October 2009.

Preprints

Moretti L, Koch I, Hornjak R & von Bastian CC (2025) , Center for Open Science.
Aryanto CB, Aisyah ARK, Timmers R, Blakey E & von Bastian CC (2024) , Center for Open Science.
Moretti L, Koch I, Hornjak R & von Bastian CC (2023) , Center for Open Science.
Moretti L, Koch I, Hornjak R & von Bastian CC (2023) , Center for Open Science.
Strzelczyk D, Clayson PE, Sigurdardottir HM, Mushtaq F, Pavlov YG, Devillez H, Lukashevich A, Rocha HA, Chung YH, Ortego KM , Störmer VS et al (2023) , Center for Open Science.
Jiang S, Jones M & von Bastian C (2023) , Research Square Platform LLC.
Jiang S, Jones M & von Bastian CC (2023) , Center for Open Science.
Buchanan EM, Lewis S, Paris B, Forscher PS, Pavlacic JM, Beshears J, Gourdon-Kanhukamwe A, Mallik PR, Silan MAA, Miller JK , IJzerman H et al (2022) , OSF Preprints.
Legate N, Nguyen T-VT, Weinstein N, Moller AC, Legault L, Maniaci MR, Ebersole CR, Adamkovic M, Adetula GA, Agesin BB , Ahlgren L et al () , Center for Open Science.
von Bastian CC, Blais C, Brewer GA, Gyurkovics M, Hedge C, Kałamała P, Meier ME, Oberauer K, Rey-Mermet A, Rouder JN , Souza AS et al () , Center for Open Science.
Frischkorn GT, von Bastian CC, Souza AS & Oberauer K () , Center for Open Science.
Kane MJ, Carruth N, Lurquin J, Silvia P, Smeekens BA, von Bastian CC & Miyake A () , Center for Open Science.
Wang K, Goldenberg A, Dorison C, Miller JK, Uusberg A, Lerner JS, Gross J, Marcu G, Agadullina E, Adamkovic M , Roczniewska M et al () , Center for Open Science.
Dorison C, Lerner JS, Heller BH, Rothman A, Kawachi II, Wang K, Rees VW, Gill BP, Gibbs N, Ebersole CR , Vally Z et al () , Center for Open Science.

Research group: Neuroscience and Cognition

Are you interested in joining our lively lab as a voluntary research assistant, PhD student or postdoctoral researcher? Please read the information on first before contacting me.

Grants

• ESRC (2023-2026), “Strategy training to support healthy cognitive ageing: behavioural, neuroimaging, and real-world investigations” (£799,864), Co-I. With Louise Nicholls (PI; �� of Strathclyde), Mario Parra Rodriguez (�� of Strathclyde), Richard Allen (�� of Leeds), & Mel Burke (�� of Leeds).

• EPS (2023-2024), “How do we encode novel feature bindings in working memory? A test of serial and parallel processing models” (£9,836), PI.

• ORA VI ESRC, DFG, & SSHRC (2021-2024), “Cognitive training effects across the adult lifespan: A diffusion modelling approach” (£761,482), PI. With Tilo Strobach (Medical School Hamburg, Germany) & Sylvie Belleville (�� of Montreal, Canada).

• British Academy (2019), “Limits when multi-tasking” (£9,983), Co-I. With Candice Morey (PI; Cardiff ��) & Evie Vergauwe (�� of Geneva, Switzerland).

• White Rose �� Consortium (2018-2019), “Assessing functional ability in older adults” (£9,619), PI. with Richard Allen (�� of Leeds), Fiona McNab (�� of York), Tom Stafford, George Pavlidis, James Stone (�� of Leeds), Alan Baddeley (�� of York), Jessica Andrews-Hanna (�� of Arizona, USA), & André Locher (Tatool Web).

• German Research Foundation (DFG; 2016-2019), “Plasticity of large-scale neural connectivity following working memory training” (£289,105), collaborator. With Kathrin Koch & Igor Yakushev (Technical �� Munich, Germany).

• Suzanne and Hans Biäsch Foundation (2014-2016), “Features of an adequate control group for cognitive training studies” (£31,746), mentor. With Carla De Simoni (PI).

• Suzanne and Hans Biäsch Foundation (2014-2016), “Individual differences in the effectiveness of working memory training in older adults” (£44,988), mentor. With Sabrina Guye (PI).

• Swiss National Science Foundation (2013-2016), “Transfer effects of function-based working-memory training” (£199,263), PI. With Klaus Oberauer (applicant).

• Suzanne and Hans Biäsch Foundation (2014-2016), “Is there a bilingual executive processing advantage?” (£30,548), Co-I. With Miriam Gade (PI) & Alessandra Souza.

• Suzanne and Hans Biäsch Foundation (2011-2012), “Neural correlates of working memory training” (£44,359), PI.

• Forschungskredit Candoc, �� of Zurich (2011-2012), “Training and transfer effects in working memory across the life-span” (£36,612), PI.

• Forschungskredit Candoc, �� of Zurich (2009-2011), “Training and transfer effects in working memory” (£107,509), PI.

Teaching activities: Over the past years, I have been teaching cognitive psychology, research methods and statistics, and coding for psychologists in R and JavaScript. I am also a personal tutor to students at all levels and I regularly supervise undergraduate students for their extended essays, and postgraduate students for their MSc dissertations.

Professional activities and memberships

I am a Governing Board Member and Fellow of the Psychonomic Society. I am also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), a Member of the Experimental Psychology Society (EPS), and the European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCoP). I am also co-organising the ESCOP 2025 Conference in Sheffield.

Until recently, I held Action Editor roles at Behavior Research Methods and Communications Psychology. I have also acted as Guest Editor at the Journal of Cognition and Brain Sciences. I am an Editorial Board Member for several journals (Journal of Cognitive Enhancement, Journal of Intelligence, and Frontiers in Psychology).

In our department, I am currently Director of Postgraduate Taught Programme managing the Cognitive Neuroscience Courses, and Deputy Lead of the Cognitive and Neural Processes Across the Lifespan Research Cluster.

PhD Opportunities

I am happy to receive applications for PhD study in my area of research.

We advertise PhD opportunities (Funded or Self-Funded) on

For further information, please see the department PhD Opportunities page.

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School of Psychology

School of Psychology

Professor Claudia von Bastian

Featured publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

All publications

Journal articles

Chapters

Conference proceedings papers

Preprints

Neuroscience and Cognition

Links

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