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GEM 2025

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Please register by 30.04.2025. There are no registration fees.

GEM 2025 will be 100% in-person. We look forward to welcoming you in Bochum, Germany. Our call for abstracts is open!

This conference is organized and funded by the DFG-funded research group FOR 2812 “Constructing scenarios of the past: A new framework in episodic memory”. On-site childcare can be provided on request. Please request on registration. 

Episodic memories are widely regarded as memories of personally experienced events. Early concepts about episodic memory were based on the storage model, according to which experiential content is preserved in memory and later retrieved. However, overwhelming empirical evidence suggests that the content of episodic memory is – at least to a certain degree – constructed in the act of remembering. Even though very few contemporary researchers would oppose this view of episodic memory as a generative process, it has not become the standard paradigm of empirical memory research. This is particularly true for studies of the neural correlates of episodic memory. Further hindering progress are large conceptual differences regarding episodic memory across different fields, such as neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. This interdisciplinary conference therefore aims to bring together researchers from all relevant fields to advance the state of the art in the research on generative episodic memory.

For more info visit the GEM website: here.

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Relevant Publications

For full list of selected publications, see the publications page

Quo Vadis Psychiatry? Why It Is Time to Endorse Evolutionary Theory

Brüne, 2022 Brüne, M., Palanza, P., Parmigiani, S., & Troisi, A. (2022). Quo Vadis Psychiatry? Why It Is Time to Endorse Evolutionary Theory. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 210(4), 235-245.

Foundation Models – A New Paradigm for Artificial Intelligence

Meske, 2024 Schneider, J., Meske, C. and Kuss, P. (2024). Foundation Models – A New Paradigm for Artificial Intelligence. Business & Information Systems Engineering 66, 221–231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12599-024-00851-0

Optogenetics reveals paradoxical network stabilizations in hippocampal CA1 and CA3

Cheng, 2023 de Jong, L. W., Nejad, M. M., Yoon, E., Cheng, S., & Diba, K. (2023). Optogenetics reveals paradoxical network stabilizations in hippocampal CA1 and CA3. Current Biology. 33(9), 1689-1703.

Olfactory information encoding engages subcortical and cortical brain regions that enable sensory information processing and valence encoding

Manahan-Vaughan, 2022 Strauch C., Angenstein F., Huong, T.H. & Manahan-Vaughan, D. (2022). Olfactory information encoding engages subcortical and cortical brain regions that enable sensory information processing and valence encoding. Cerebral Cortex 30(2)....

Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition

Stacho & Manahan-Vaughan, 2022 Stacho M., & Manahan-Vaughan, D. (2022). Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition. Trends In Neurosciences, 45(4), 284-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2022.01.007

A Model of Semantic Completion in Generative Episodic Memory

Cheng, 2022 Fayyaz, Z., Altamimi, A., Zoellner, C., Klein, N., Wolf, O. T., Cheng, S., & Wiskott, L. (2022). A Model of Semantic Completion in Generative Episodic Memory. Neural Computation, 34(9), 1841–1870.

Profiles of animal consciousness: A species-sensitive, two-tier account to quality and distribution

Newen, 2023 Dung, L., & Newen, A. (2023). Profiles of animal consciousness: A species-sensitive, two-tier account to quality and distribution. Cognition, 235, 105409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105409

Mischaracterization Reconsidered

Horvath, 2022 Horvath, J. (2022). Mischaracterization Reconsidered. Inquiry, 0(0), 1–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020174X.2021.2019894

Reflecting (on) Replica. Can We Have a Good Affective Relationship with a Social Chatbot?

Weber-Guskar, 2022 Weber-Guskar, E. (2022). Reflecting (on) Replica. Can We Have a Good Affective Relationship with a Social Chatbot? In: Social Robotics and the Good Life: The Normative Side of Forming Emotional Bonds With Robots. (2022). transcript Verlag....

Stress-Mediated Abnormalities in Regional Myocardial Wall Motion in Young Women with a History of Psychological Trauma

Brüne, 2023 Aweimer, A., Engemann, L., Amar, S., Ewers, A., Afshari, F., Maiß, C., Kern, K., Lücke, T., Mügge, A., El-Battrawy, I., Dietrich, J. W., & Brüne, M. (2023). Stress-Mediated Abnormalities in Regional Myocardial Wall Motion in Young Women with a History...

Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition

Stacho & Manahan-Vaughan, 2022 Stacho M., & Manahan-Vaughan, D. (2022). Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition. Trends In Neurosciences, 45(4), 284-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2022.01.007

The ALARM theory of consciousness: A two-level theory of phenomenal consciousness

Newen, 2023 Newen, A., & Montemayor, C. (2023). The ALARM theory of consciousness: A two-level theory of phenomenal consciousness. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 30(3-4), 84–105. https://doi.org/10.53765/20512201.30.3.084

Fictional emotions and emotional reactions to social robots as depictions of social agents

Weber-Guskar, 2023 Blatter, J., & Weber-Guskar, E. (2023). Fictional emotions and emotional reactions to social robots as depictions of social agents. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 46, e24. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22001716

Factivity variation in episodic memory reports

Liefke & Werning, 2022 Liefke, K., & Werning, M. (in press). Factivity variation in episodic memory reports. In Y. Katsutoshi, T. Yasufumi, & K. Mineshima (Eds.), New Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Heidelberg:...

Prediction error processing and sharpening of expected information across the face-processing hierarchy

Blank, 2024 Garlichs, A. & Blank, H. (2024). Prediction error processing and sharpening of expected information across the face-processing hierarchy. Nature Communications, 15, 3407.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47749-9

Dynamical Systems Approaches to Cognition

Schöner, 2022 Schöner, G. (in press). Dynamical Systems Approaches to Cognition. In Sun, R (ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Computational Psychology. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press.

When is learning “effortful”? Scrutinizing the concept of mental effort in cognitively-oriented research from a motivational perspective

Roelle, 2024 Grund, A., Fries, S., Nückles, M., Renkl, A., & Roelle, J. (2024). When is learning “effortful”? Scrutinizing the concept of mental effort in cognitively-oriented research from a motivational perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 36, Article...

Minds, Brains, and Deep Learning: The Development of Cognitive Science Through the Lens of Kant’s Approach to Cognition

Schlicht, 2022 Schlicht, T. (2022). 1 Minds, Brains, and Deep Learning: The Development of Cognitive Science Through the Lens of Kant’s Approach to Cognition. Kant and Artificial Intelligence.

Verlangsamung und Stillstand: Über eine Störung des Zeitbewusstseins und ihre ethische Relevanz

Weber-Guskar, 2023 Weber-Guskar, E. (2023). Verlangsamung und Stillstand: Über eine Störung des Zeitbewusstseins und ihre ethische Relevanz. Zeitschrift für Praktische Philosophie, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.22613/zfpp/10.1.9

Quo Vadis Psychiatry? Why It Is Time to Endorse Evolutionary Theory

Brüne, 2022 Brüne, M., Palanza, P., Parmigiani, S., & Troisi, A. (2022). Quo Vadis Psychiatry? Why It Is Time to Endorse Evolutionary Theory. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 210(4), 235-245.

The function of teacher dashboards depends on the amount of time pressure in the classroom situation: results from teacher interviews and an experimental study

Rummel, 2022 Van Leeuwen, A., & Rummel, N. (2022). The function of teacher dashboards depends on the amount of time pressure in the classroom situation: results from teacher interviews and an experimental study. Unterrichtswissenschaft, 50, 561–588....

Fictional emotions and emotional reactions to social robots as depictions of social agents

Weber-Guskar, 2023 Blatter, J., & Weber-Guskar, E. (2023). Fictional emotions and emotional reactions to social robots as depictions of social agents. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 46, e24. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X22001716

Special Issue: Predictive Processing and Consciousness

Schlicht, 2022 Miller, Mark, Andy Clark, und Tobias Schlicht (eds.). „Special Issue: Predictive Processing and Consciousness“. Review of Philosophy and Psychology 13, Nr. 4 (1. Dezember 2022).

Out of touch? How trauma shapes the experience of social touch – neural and endocrine pathways

Scheele, 2024 Stevens L., Bregulla M., Scheele D. (2024). Out of touch? How trauma shapes the experience of social touch – neural and endocrine pathways. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (in press)

Exploring accidental triggers of smart speakers

Kolossa, 2022 Schönherr, L., Golla, M., Eisenhofer, T., Wiele, J., Kolossa, D., & Holz, T. (2022). Exploring accidental triggers of smart speakers. Computer Speech & Language, 73, 101328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csl.2021.101328

Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition

Manahan-Vaughan, 2022 Stacho M, Manahan-Vaughan D (2022) Mechanistic flexibility of the Retrosplenial Cortex enables its contribution to spatial cognition. Trends Neurosci. 45:284- 296. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2022.01.007

A Model of Semantic Completion in Generative Episodic Memory

Wiskott, 2022 Fayyaz, Z., Altamimi, A., Zoellner, C., Klein, N., Wolf, O. T., Cheng, S., & Wiskott, L.. (2022). A Model of Semantic Completion in Generative Episodic Memory. Neural Computation, 34(9), 1841–1870. http://doi.org/10.1162/neco_a_01520

Opposing serial effects of stimulus and choice in speech perception scale with context variability

Blank, 2024 Ufer, C. & Blank, H. (2024) Opposing serial effects of stimulus and choice in speech perception scale with context variability. iScience:110611.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110611

Neural dynamic foundations of a theory of higher cognition: The case of grounding nested phrases.

Schöner & Sabinasz, 2023 Sabinasz, D., Richter, M., & Schöner, G. (2023). Neural dynamic foundations of a theory of higher cognition: The case of grounding nested phrases. Cognitive Neurodynamics.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11571-023-10007-7

Prediction error processing and sharpening of expected information across the face-processing hierarchy

Blank, 2024 Garlichs, A. & Blank, H. (2024). Prediction error processing and sharpening of expected information across the face-processing hierarchy. Nature Communications, 15, 3407.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47749-9