Soziale Neurowissenschaft und Sozialpsychologie

Prof. Dr. Daria Knoch

Head of Social Neuroscience and Social Psychology, Full Professor

Telefon
+41 31 684 54 32
E-Mail
daria.knoch@unibe.ch
Büro
A 345
Postadresse
Universität Bern
Institut für Psychologie
Abteilung Soziale Neurowissenschaft und Sozialpsychologie
Fabrikstrasse 8
3012 Bern / Schweiz
Sprechstunde
jeweils jeden Dienstag von 14:30-15:30 nach telefonischer Voranmeldung im Sekretariat (Daniela Kalbermatter).

Professional Interests

My research interests lie in the social and neurobiological aspects of social issues such as fairness, altruism, intergroup hostility, prosocial behavior, norm enforcement and norm violation and selfishness. I combine tools principally from Neuroscience, Social Psychology, and Behavioral Economics to study social decision making. 

Key research questions are:

  • Are humans inherently prosocial or does prosocial behavior require deliberate self-restraint?
  • Are there any neural markers that explain individual differences in social preferences?
  • Can differences in brain structure and resting brain function predict individual differences in social behavior?
  • Can we modulate self-control processes in social contexts with brain stimulation techniques or pharmacological substances?
  • Does self-regulatory training alter brain connectivity and morphometry and do these changes predict greater self-regulatory success in social contexts?

Ausgewählte Publikationen

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Studler, M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Lobmaier, J., Maric, A. & Knoch, D. (2024). Human prosocial preferences are related to slow-wave activity in sleep. Journal of Neuroscience. (*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. 
Studler, M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R. *, Koch, K., Hausfeld, J., Tarokh, L., Maric, A. & Knoch, D. (2022). Local slow-wave activity over the right prefrontal cortex reveals individual risk preferences. Neuroimage. (*shared first co-authorship).

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., Fischbacher, U., Wirtmüller, U., Knoch, D. (2018). The scent of attractiveness: levels of reproductive hormones explain individual differences in women’s body odour. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 285: 20181520

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.
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.*, Knoch, D.*, Hotz, P., Eisengger, C., & Fehr, E.(2011). Dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex orchestrate normative choice. Nature Neuroscience, 14, 1468-1474.  (*shared first co-authorship). download (pdf, 667KB)
Figner, B., Knoch, D., Johnson, E.J., Krosch, A.R., Lisanby, S.H., Fehr, E., & Weber, E.U. (2010). Lateral prefrontal cortex and self-control in intertemporal choice. Nature Neuroscience, 13, 538–539. download (pdf, 175KB)
Knoch, D.*, Gianotti, L.*, Baumgartner, T., & Fehr, E. (2010). A neural marker of costly punishment behavior. Psychological Science,21, 337–342. (*shared first co-authorship). download (pdf, 426KB)
Knoch, D., Schneider, F., Schunk, D., Hohmann, M., & Fehr, E. (2009). Disrupting the prefrontal cortex diminishes the human ability to build a good reputation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 106, 20895–20899. download (pdf, 735KB)
Knoch, D.*, Nitsche, M.*, Fischbacher, U., Eisenegger, C., Pascual-Leone, A., & Fehr, E. (2008). Studying the neurobiology of social interaction behavior with transcranial direct current stimulation – The example of punishing unfairness. Cerebral Cortex, 18, 1987–1990. (*shared first co-authorship). download (pdf, 218KB)
Knoch, D., Pascual-Leone, A., Meyer, K., Treyer, V., & Fehr, E. (2006). Diminishing reciprocal fairness by disrupting the right prefrontal cortex. Science, 314, 829–832. download (pdf, 164KB)

Ausgewählte Publikationen nach Thema

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Neuromodulation of decision making behavior
Wyss, A.M., Baumgartner, T., Guizar Rosales, E., Soutschek, A. & Knoch, D. (2024). Cathodal HD-tDCS above the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increases environmentally sustainable decision-making. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 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. 
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.

Pedroni, A., Eisenegger, C., Hartmann, M. N., Fischbacher, U., & Knoch, D. (2014). Dopaminergic stimulation increases selfish behavior in the absence of punishment threat. Psychopharmacology, 231, 135-141. download (pdf, 212KB)
Baumgartner, T., Schiller, B., Rieskamp, J., Gianotti, L. R., & 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)
Eisenegger, C., Pedroni, A., Rieskamp, J., Zehnder, C., Ebstein, R., Fehr, E., & Knoch, D. (2013). DAT1 Polymorphism Determines L-DOPA Effects on Learning about Others’ Prosociality. PloS one, 8, e67820. download (pdf, 342KB)
Baumgartner, T.*, Knoch, D.*, Hotz, P., Eisengger, C., & Fehr, E.(2011). Dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex orchestrate normative choice. Nature Neuroscience, 14, 1468-1474.  (*shared first co-authorship). download (pdf, 667KB)
Eisenegger, C.*, Knoch, D.*, Ebstein, R.P., Gianotti, L., Sandor, P., & Fehr, E. (2010). DRD4 polymorphism predicts the effect of L-DOPA on gambling behavior. Biological Psychiatry, 67, 702–706 (*shared first co-authorship).download (pdf, 292KB)
Figner, B., Knoch, D., Johnson, E.J., Krosch, A.R., Lisanby, S.H., Fehr, E., & Weber, E.U. (2010).Lateral prefrontal cortex and self-control in intertemporal choice. Nature Neuroscience, 13, 538–539. download (pdf, 175KB)
Knoch, D., Schneider, F., Schunk, D., Hohmann, M., & Fehr, E. (2009). Disrupting the prefrontal cortex diminishes the human ability to build a good reputation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 106, 20895–20899. download (pdf, 735KB)
Knoch, D.*, Nitsche, M.*, Fischbacher, U., Eisenegger, C., Pascual-Leone, A., & Fehr, E. (2008). Studying the neurobiology of social interaction behavior with transcranial direct current stimulation – The example of punishing unfairness. Cerebral Cortex, 18, 1987–1990. (*shared first co-authorship). download (pdf, 218KB)
Knoch, D., & Fehr, E. (2007). Resisting the power of temptations: The right prefrontal cortex and self-control. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1104, 123-134. download (pdf, 518KB)
Fecteau, S., Knoch, D., Fregni, F., Sultani, N., Boggio, P., & Pascual-Leone, A. (2007). Diminishing risk-taking behavior by modulating activity in the prefrontal cortex: a direct current stimulation study. The Journal of Neuroscience, 27, 12500-12505. download (pdf, 173KB)
Knoch, D. (2007). Funktionelle Hemisphärenasymmetrie der Selbstkontrolle? Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie, 18, 183–192.  download (pdf, 333KB)
Knoch, D., Gianotti, L. R., Pascual-Leone, A., Treyer, V., Regard, M., Hohmann, M., & Brugger, P. (2006). Disruption of right prefrontal cortex by low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation induces risk-taking behavior. The Journal of Neuroscience, 26, 6469-6472. download (pdf, 152KB)
Knoch, D., Pascual-Leone, A., Meyer, K., Treyer, V., & Fehr, E. (2006). Diminishing reciprocal fairness by disrupting the right prefrontal cortex. Science, 314, 829-832. download (pdf, 164KB)
Knoch, D., Brugger, P., & Regard, M. (2005). Suppressing versus releasing a habit: frequency-dependent effects of prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation. Cerebral Cortex, 15, 885-887. download (pdf, 130KB)
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Individual differences in decision making behavior
Wunderlin, M.*, Studler, M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R., Züst, M.A. & Knoch, D. (2024). Interindividual differences in mindfulness are linked to sleep-electroencephalographic characteristics. Sleep. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Studler, M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Lobmaier, J., Maric, A. & Knoch, D. (2024). Human prosocial preferences are related to slow-wave activity in sleep. Journal of Neuroscience. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Lobmaier, J.S. & Knoch, D. (2024). Face coverings increase apparent honesty and cooperativeness. Scientific Reports. Link to article.
Wyss, A.M., Berger, S. & Knoch, D. (2023). Pro-environmental behavior in a common-resource dilemma: The role of beliefs. Journal of Environmental Psychology. Link to article. 
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. 
Globig, L.K.*, Gianotti, L.R.R.*, Ponsi, G., Koenig, T., Dahinden, F.M. & Knoch, D. (2023). The path of dishonesty: identification of mental processes with electrical neuroimaging. Cerebral Cortex. (* 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. 
Studler, M.*, Gianotti, L.R.R. *, Koch, K., Hausfeld, J., Tarokh, L., Maric, A. & Knoch, D. (2022). Local slow-wave activity over the right prefrontal cortex reveals individual risk preferences.  Neuroimage. (*shared first co-authorship). Link to article.
Wyss, A.M., Knoch, D. & Berger, S. (2022). When and how pro-environmental attitudes turn into behavior: The role of costs, benefits, and self-control. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 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
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. 
Wyss, A. & Knoch, D. (2021). Neuroscientific approaches to study prosociality. Current Opinion in Psychology. Link to article