Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology

Contact

Dr. Thomas Baumgartner

Phone
+41 31 684 40 01
E-Mail
thomas.baumgartner@unibe.ch
Office
B 308c
Postal Address
University of Bern
Institute of Psychology
Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology
Fabrikstrasse 8
3012 Bern / Switzerland

Selected Publications

 
Baumgartner, T.*, Guizar Rosales E.* & Knoch, D. (2023). Neural mechanisms underlying interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior. Scientific Reports. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article. 
Guizar Rosales, E.*, Baumgartner, T.* & Knoch, D. (2022). Interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior are associated with cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Neuroimage. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article. 
Baumgartner, T.*, Hausfeld, J., dos Santos, M. & Knoch, D. (2021). Who initiates punishment, who joins punishment? Disentangling types of third-party punishers by neural traits. Human Brain Mapping.

Link to article. 
 Publication cover image Baumgartner, T.*, Dahinden, F.M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R. & Knoch, D. (2019). Neural traits characterize unconditional cooperators, conditional cooperators, and noncooperators in group‐based cooperation. Human Brain Mapping. Link to article.
Baumgartner, T.*, Nash, K., Hill, C., & Knoch, D. (2015). Neuroanatomy of intergroup bias: A white matter microstructure study of individual differences. Neuroimage, 122, 345-354. download (pdf, 1.0 MB)
Baumgartner, T.*., Gianotti, L., Knoch, D. (2013). Baseline activation in anterior insula predicts inter-individual differences in deceptive behavior.Biological Psychology, 94, 192-197. download (pdf, 878KB)
Baumgartner, T.*., Schiller, B., Hill, C., Knoch, D. (2013). Impartiality in humans is predicted by brain structure of dorsomedial prefrontal Cortex. Neuroimage, 81, 317-324. download (pdf, 578KB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Schiller, B., Rieskamp, J., Gianotti, L., Knoch, D.  (2014). Diminishing parochialism in intergroup conflict by disrupting the right temporo-parietal junction. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience,9, 653-660. download (pdf, 251KB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Knoch, D., Hotz, P., Eisenegger, C., Fehr, E. (2011). Dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex orchestrate normative choice. Nature Neuroscience, 14,1468-1474. download (pdf, 667KB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Götte, L., Gügler, R., Fehr, E. (2012). The mentalizing network orchestrates the impact of parochial altruism on social norm enforcement. Human Brain Mapping, 33, 1452-1469. download (pdf, 2.1 MB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Fischbacher, U., Feierabend, A., Lutz, K., & Fehr, E. (2009). The Neural Circuitry of a Broken Promise. Neuron, 64, 756-770.  download (pdf, 1.3 MB)

 
Baumgartner, T.*, Heinrichs, M., Vonlanthen, A., Fischbacher, U. & Fehr, E. (2008). Oxytocin Shapes the Neural Circuitry of Trust and Trust Adaption in Humans.Neuron, 58, 639-650.  download (pdf, 648KB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Speck, D., Wettstein, D., Masnari, O., Beeli, G., Jäncke, L. (2008). Feeling present in arousing virtual reality worlds: prefrontal brain regions differentially orchestrate presence experience in adults and children. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2, 1-12. download (pdf, 2.6 MB)

All Publications (sorted by topic)

_

Social Decision-Making: The Interacting Brain
Baumgartner, T.*, Guizar Rosales E.* & Knoch, D. (2023). Neural mechanisms underlying interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior. Scientific Reports. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article. 
Guizar Rosales, E.*, Baumgartner, T.* & Knoch, D. (2022). Interindividual differences in intergenerational sustainable behavior are associated with cortical thickness of the dorsomedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Neuroimage. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article. 
Baumgartner, T.*, Hausfeld, J.*, dos Santos, M. & Knoch, D. (2021). Who initiates punishment, who joins punishment? Disentangling types of third-party punishers by neural traits.Human Brain Mapping. (*shared first co-authorship).  Link to article. 

Baumgartner, T., Lobmaier, J.S., Ruffieux, N. & Knoch, D. (2021). Feeling of guilt explains why people react differently to resource depletion warnings. Scientific reports. Link to article. 
Wyss, A. M., Berger, S., Baumgartner, T. & Knoch, D. (2021). Reactions to warnings in the climate commons. Journal of Environmental Psychology.Link to article
Langenbach, B.P., Savic, B., Baumgartner, T., Wyss, A.M. & Knoch, D. (2021). Mentalizing with the future: Electrical stimulation of the right TPJ increases sustainable decision-making. Cortex. Link to article. 
Lobmaier, J.S., Savic, B., Baumgartner, T. & Knoch, D. (2021). The cone of direct gaze: A stable trait. Frontiers in Psychology. Link to article. 
Langenbach, B.P.*, Baumgartner, T.*, Cazzoli, D.,  Müri, R.M. & Knoch, D. (2019). Inhibition of the right dlPFC by theta burst stimulation does not alter sustainable decision-making. Scientific reports.  (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Langenbach, B.P.*, Savic, B.*, Baumgartner, T., Knoch, D. (2020). Repeated anodal HD-tDCS stimulation might render silver chloride electrodes unreliable. Brain Stimulation, 13, 525-526. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Baumgartner, T.*, Dahinden, F.M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R. & Knoch, D. (2019). Neural traits characterize unconditional cooperators, conditional cooperators, and noncooperators in group‐based cooperation. Human Brain Mapping. (*shared first co-authorship).  Link to article.
Langenbach, B.P., Berger, S., Baumgartner, T. & Knoch, D. (2019). Cognitive resources moderate the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes and green behavior.Environment and Behavior. Link to article
Rudorf, S., Baumgartner, T., Knoch, D. (2019). Peer effects on control-averse behavior. Scientific reports. Link to article.
Schiller, B.*, Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Baumgartner, T., Knoch, D. (2019). Theta resting EEG in the right TPJ is associated with individual differences in implicit intergroup bias.Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article. 
Baumgartner, T.*, Langenbach, B.P.*, Gianotti, L.R.R., Müri, R.M. & Knoch, D. (2019). Frequency of everyday proenvironmental behaviour is explained by baseline activation in lateral prefrontal cortex.Scientific reports.(*shared first co-authorship). Link to article
Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Dahinden, F.M.*, Baumgartner, T. & Knoch, D. (2018). Understanding Individual Differences in Domain-General Prosociality: A Resting EEG Study. Brain Topography. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article
Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Nash, K.*, Baumgartner, T., Dahinden, F.M. & Knoch, D. (2018). Neural signatures of different behavioral types in fairness norm compliance. Scientific reports. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article
Saulin, A.*, Baumgartner, T.*, Gianotti, L.R.R., Hofmann, W. & Knoch, D. (2018). Frequency of helping friends and helping strangers is explained by different neural signatures. Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article
Rudorf, S., Baumgartner, T., Markett, S., Schmelz, K., Wiest, R., Fischbacher, U., Knoch, D. (2018).  Intrinsic connectivity networks underlying individual differences in control-averse behavior. Human Brain Mapping. Download (PDF, 1.4 MB)
Calluso, C., Saulin, A., Baumgartner, T. & Knoch, D. (2018). Distinct patterns of cognitive conflict dynamics in promise keepers and promise breakers. Frontiers in Psychology. Link to article.
Rudorf, S., Schmelz, K., Baumgartner, T., Wiest, R., Fischbacher, U., Knoch, D. (2018). Neural mechanisms underlying individual differences in control-averse behavior. Journal of Neuroscience. Link to article.
Nash, K.*, Baumgartner, T.*, Knoch, D. (2017). Group-focused morality is associated with limited conflict detection and resolution capacity: Neuroanatomical evidence. Biological Psychology, 123, 235-240. (*shared first co-authorship). Download (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Baumgartner, T., Saulin, A., Hein, G., Knoch, D. (2016). Structural Differences in Insular Cortex Reflect Vicarious Injustice Sensitivity. PLoS ONE 11(12): e0167538. Link to article.
Schiller, B.*, Gianotti, L.R.R*, Baumgartner, T., Nash K., Koenig, T. & Knoch, D. (2016). Clocking the social mind by identifying mental processes in the IAT with electrical neuroimaging. PNAS, 113 (10), 2786-2791.(*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Baumgartner, T., Nash, K., Hill, C., & Knoch, D. (2015). Neuroanatomy of intergroup bias: A white matter microstructure study of individual differences. Neuroimage,122, 345-354. download (pdf, 1.0 MB)
Schiller, B.*, Baumgartner, T.*, Knoch, D. (2014). Intergroup bias in third-party punishment stems from both ingroup favoritism and outgroup discrimination. Evolution and Human Behavior, 35, 169-175. (*shared first co-authership) download (pdf, 432KB)
Nash, K., Schiller, B., Gianotti, L.R.R., Baumgartner, T., Knoch, D. (2014). "Electrophysiological Indices of Response Inhibition in a Go/NoGo Task Predict Self-Control in a Social Context." Plos One. download (pdf, 624KB)
Baumgartner,T., Gianotti, L., Knoch, D. (2013). Who is honest and why: Baseline activation in anterior insula predicts inter-individual differences in deceptive behavior. Biological Psychology, 94, 192-197. download (pdf, 878KB)
Baumgartner,T., Schiller, B., Hill, C., Knoch, D. (2013). Impartiality in humans is predicted by brain structure of dorsomedial prefrontal Cortex.  Neuroimage, 81, 317-324. download (pdf, 578KB)
Baumgartner, T., Schiller, B., Rieskamp, J., Gianotti, L., Knoch, D. (2013).Diminishing parochialism in intergroup conflict by disrupting the right temporo-parietal junction. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9, 653-660.  download (pdf, 251KB)
Baumgartner, T., Knoch, D., Hotz, P., Eisenegger C., Fehr E. (2011). Dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex orchestrate normative choice. Nature Neuroscience, 14, 1468-1474. download (pdf, 667KB)
Baumgartner, T., Götte, L., Gügler, R., Fehr, E. (2012). The mentalizing network orchestrates the impact of parochial altruism on social norm enforcement. Human Brain Mapping, 33, 1452-1469.  download (pdf, 2.1 MB)
Baumgartner, T., Fischbacher, U., Feierabend, A., Lutz, K., & Fehr, E. (2009). The Neural Circuitry of a Broken Promise. Neuron, 64, 756-770. download (pdf, 1.3 MB)
Baumgartner, T., Heinrichs, M., Vonlanthen, A., Fischbacher, U., & Fehr, E. (2008).Oxytocin shapes the neural circuitry of trust and trust adaptation in humans. Neuron, 58, 639-650. download (pdf, 648KB)
Knoch, D., Gianotti, L.R.R., Baumgartner, T., Fehr, E. (2010). A neural marker of costly punishment behavior. Psychological Science, 21, 337-342. download (pdf, 426KB)
Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Ehlert, U. (2003). Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biol.Psychiatry, 54, 1389-1398. download (pdf, 173KB)
 

Emotional Perception and Experience: The Aroused Brain
Baumgartner, T., Willi M. & Jäncke L. (2007). Modulation of corticospinal activity by strong emotions evoked by pictures and classical music: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Neuroreport, 18, 261-265. download (pdf, 140KB)
Baumgartner, T., Esslen, M. & Jäncke, L. (2006). From emotion perception to emotion experience: Emotions evoked by pictures and classical music. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 60, 34-43. download (pdf, 289KB)
Baumgartner, T., Lutz, K., Schmidt, C. & Jäncke, L. (2006). The emotional power of music: How music enhances the feeling of affective pictures. Brain Research, 1075, 151-164. download (pdf, 422KB)
Kaffenberger, Tina, Brühl, A.B., Baumgartner, T., Jäncke, L. & Herwig, U. (2010). Negative bias of processing ambiguously cued emotional stimuli. Neuroreport, 21, 601-605. download (pdf, 191KB)
Kaffenberger, T., Baumgartner, T., Koeneke, S., Jancke, L., & Herwig, U. (2008). Chronometric features of processing unpleasant stimuli: a functional MRI-based transcranial magnetic stimulation study. Neuroreport, 19, 777-781. download (pdf, 125KB)
 

Virtual Reality: The Regulating Role of the Prefrontal Cortex
Jäncke, L., Cheetham, M. & Baumgartner, T. (2009). Virtual reality and the role of the prefrontal cortex in adults and children. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 3, 52-59. download (pdf, 1.7 MB)
Baumgartner, T., Speck, D., Wettstein, D., Masnari, O., Beeli, G., & Jäncke, L. (2008). Feeling present in arousing virtual reality worlds: prefrontal brain regions differentially orchestrate presence experience in adults and children. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2, 1-12. download (pdf, 2.6 MB)
Baumgartner, T., Valko, L., Esslen, M. & Jäncke, L. (2006). Neural correlate of  Spatial Presence in an arousing and non-interactive virtual reality world – an EEG and Psychophysiology study. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9, 30-45. download (pdf, 247KB)
Beeli, G., Casutt, G., Baumgartner, T., & Jancke, L. (2008). Modulating presence and impulsiveness by external stimulation of the brain. Behav Brain Funct, 4, 1-7. download (pdf, 636KB)
Dey, M., Gschwend, B., Baumgartner, T., Jäncke, P. & Jäncke L. (2006). Effekte von Musik auf das Fahrverhalten. Zeitschrift für Verkehrssicherheit, 52, 32-36. download (pdf, 623KB)
Wirth, W., Hartmann, T., Böcking, S., Vorderer, P., Klimmt, C., Schramm, H., Saari, T., Laarni, J., Ravaja, N., Ribeiro Gouveia, F., Baumgartner, T. et al. (2007). A process model of the formation of Spatial Presence experiences. Media Psychology, 9, 493-525. download (pdf, 276KB)
 

Emotional Anticipation: The Pessimistic Brain
Herwig, U., Brühl, A.B., Kaffenberger, T., Baumgartner, T., Boeker, H., & Jäncke, L. (2009). Neural correlates of ‚pessimistic’ attitude in depression. Psychological Medicine, 40, 789-800. download (pdf, 175KB)
Herwig, U., Baumgartner, T., Kaffenberger, T., Brühl, A., Kottlow, M., Schreiter-Gasser, U., Abler, B., Jancke, L., and Rufer, M. (2007). Modulation of anticipatory emotion and perception processing by cognitive control. Neuroimage, 37, 652-662. download (pdf, 1.1 MB)
Herwig, U., Kaffenberger, T., Baumgartner, T. & Jäncke L. (2007). Neural correlate of a „pessimistic“ attitude when anticipating events of unknown emotional valence. Neuroimage, 34, 848-858. download (pdf, 928KB)

Research Fields

I investigate the foundations of human emotional and social behavior using a multi-method and interdisciplinary approach combining theories, paradigms, and techniques from disciplines as varied as neuroscience (e.g., functional and structural MRI, TMS, combined TMS-fMRI, EEG), social psychology (e.g., questionnaires, social stress paradigms), psychobiology (e.g., hormonal and autonomic measures), and economics (e.g., game theoretic paradigms such as the ultimatum, trust and prisoner’s dilemma games).

More specifically, I am interested in the study of the neural and hormonal mechanisms underlying social and non-social decision making; emotional perception, experience and anticipation. My further research involves the study of emotion-regulation capacities, their role in (social) decision making, and their impact on emotional experience and anticipation.

Curriculums Vitae

 
since August 2014

Senior Scientific researcher at the Department of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Switzerland
2010-2014

Senior Scientific researcher at the Institute for Psychology, Department of Social and Affective Neuroscience & Department of Economic Psychology, University of Basel, Switzerland
2005-2010

Scientific researcher (Post-Doc) at the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, University of Zurich, Switzerland
July, 2005

Dissertation Thesis: Neural Correlates of Higher Cognitive and Emotional Functions of the Human Brain (summa cum laude)
2002-2005

PhD Studies in Neuroscience at the University of Zurich, Department of Neuropsychology (Supervisor Prof. Dr. L. Jäncke)
July, 2002

Graduation: Master in Psychology, Psychopathology and Neurophysiology (summa cum laude)
Master Thesis: Social support and Oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress
1996-2002

Studies of Psychology, Psychopathology and Neurophysiology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland

Teaching

University of Berne

Seminars:

  • An introductory course in the analyses of fMRI data

    • Winter term 2019
    • Winter term 2020
    • Winter term 2021

  • The impact of emotions on social decision-making and behavior 

    • Winter term 2014
    • Summer term 2016

  • Affective neurosciences:

    • Winter term 2016
    • Winter term 2017
    • Winter term 2018 
    • Summer term 2020
    • Summer term 2021
    • Summer term 2022

  • Hands-on introduction to brain stimulation techniques

    • Summer term 2018

Proseminars:

  • An introductory course in the analyses of fMRI data

    • Winter term 2020
    • Winter term 2021

University of Zurich and Basel

  • Seminar in Affective and Social Neuroscience:

           Summer Term 2004 until Winter Term 2012: 12 seminars

  • Neuropsychological Methods (EEG, fMRI, PET, TMS):

           Summer Term 2003 and Winter Term 2004: 2 seminars

  • Block course in neuropsychological methods (EEG, fMRI, PET, TMS):

           Winter Term 2004: 1 seminar