Visuelle Wahrnehmung, perzeptuellen und mentalen Instabilitäten und deren neuronale Korrelate, veränderte Bewusstseinszustände, Bewusstsein und das psychophysische Problem, Lernen und Gedächtnis.
PD Dr. rer. nat. Jürgen Kornmeier
Vorstand, Institutsleiter
+49 (0)761 20721-21

Beruflicher Werdegang
- Studium der Biologie und der Mathematik an der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. Magister Scientiarum (M.Sc.) und dem 1. Staatsexamen als Abschluss in 1998.
- 2002 Promotion in Neurobiologie an der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg mit dem Thema: „Wahrnehmungswechsel bei mehrdeutigen Bildern – EEG-Messungen zum Zeitverlauf neuronaler Mechanismen“.
- 2002–2008 Postdoc in der Sektion Funktionelle Sehforschung der Universitäts-Augenklinik Freiburg.
- 2004–2008 Stellvertretender Leiter der Sektion Funktionelle Sehforschung der Universitäts-Augenklinik Freiburg.
- 2008 Rückkehr ans IGPP als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter.
- 2013 Habilitation in Neurobiologie an der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg mit dem Thema: “Ambiguous Figures – What happens in the brain when perception changes but not the stimulus?”.
- Seit 2013 Privatdozent an der Fakultät für Biologie der Universität Freiburg und Koordinator der Forschungsgruppe „Wahrnehmung und Kognition“.
- Seit 07.2022 Direktor des IGPP.
Arbeitsgebiete / Forschungsinteressen
Aktuelle Forschungsprojekte
Publikationen
Zeitschriftenartikel
Wilson, M., Wittmann, M., & Kornmeier, J. (2025). Behavioural and EEG correlates of forward and backward priming—An exploratory study. PLOS One, 20(5), e0322930. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322930
Friedel, E. B. N., Tebartz Van Elst, L., Beringer, M., Endres, D., Runge, K., Maier, S., Kornmeier, J., Bach, M., Domschke, K., Heinrich, S. P., & Nickel, K. (2024). Reduced contrast sensitivity, pattern electroretinogram ratio, and diminished a-wave amplitude in patients with major depressive disorder. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-024-01826-8
Mozhdehfarahbakhsh, A., Hecker, L., Joos, E., & Kornmeier, J. (2024). Visual imagination can influence visual perception – towards an experimental paradigm to measure imagination. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74693-x
Wilson, M., Joos, E., Giersch, A., Bonnefond, A., Tebartz Van Elst, L., Hecker, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2024). Do smaller P300 amplitudes in schizophrenia result from larger variability in temporal processing? Schizophrenia, 10(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00519-4
Al-Nosairy, K. O., Quanz, E. V., Eick, C. M., Hoffmann, M. B., & Kornmeier, J. (2023). Altered Perception of the Bistable Motion Quartet in Albinism. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 64(14), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.64.14.39
Hecker, L., Tebartz Van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2023). Source localization using recursively applied and projected MUSIC with flexible extent estimation. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, 1170862. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1170862
Knötzele, J., Riemann, D., Frase, L., Feige, B., Van Elst, L. T., & Kornmeier, J. (2023). Presenting rose odor during learning, sleep and retrieval helps to improve memory consolidation: A real-life study. Scientific Reports, 13(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28676-z
Wilson, M., Hecker, L., Joos, E., Aertsen, A., Tebartz Van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2023). Spontaneous Necker-cube reversals may not be that spontaneous. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 17, 1179081. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1179081
Costa, R. M., Campos, P., Wiborg, M., Rebôlo, C., Wittmann, M., & Kornmeier, J. (2022). Prevalence of visual snow and relation to attentional absorption. PLOS ONE, 17(11), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0276971
Friedel, E. B. N., Hahn, H.-T., Maier, S., Küchlin, S., Reich, M., Runge, K., Bach, M., Heinrich, S. P., Kornmeier, J., Endres, D., Ebert, D., Domschke, K., Tebartz Van Elst, L., & Nickel, K. (2022). Structural and functional retinal alterations in patients with paranoid schizophrenia. Translational Psychiatry, 12(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02167-7
Friedel, E. B. N., Tebartz Van Elst, L., Schäfer, M., Maier, S., Runge, K., Küchlin, S., Reich, M., Lagrèze, W. A., Kornmeier, J., Ebert, D., Endres, D., Domschke, K., & Nickel, K. (2022). Retinal Thinning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05882-8
Hecker, L., Wilson, M., Tebartz van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2022). Altered EEG variability on different time scales in participants with autism spectrum disorder: An exploratory study. Scientific Reports, 12(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17304-x
Kornmeier, J., Sosic-Vasic, Z., & Joos, E. (2022). Spacing learning units affects both learning and forgetting. Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 26, 100173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2022.100173
Friedel, E. B. N., Tebartz Van Elst, L., Schmelz, C., Ebert, D., Maier, S., Endres, D., Runge, K., Domschke, K., Bubl, E., Kornmeier, J., Bach, M., Heinrich, S. P., & Nickel, K. (2021). Replication of Reduced Pattern Electroretinogram Amplitudes in Depression With Improved Recording Parameters. Frontiers in Medicine, 8, 732222. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.732222
Hecker, L., Rupprecht, R., Tebartz Van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2021). ConvDip: A Convolutional Neural Network for Better EEG Source Imaging. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15, 569918. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.569918
Kornmeier, J., Bhatia, K., & Joos, E. (2021). Top-down resolution of visual ambiguity – knowledge from the future or footprints from the past? PLOS ONE, 16(10), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258667
Joos, E., Giersch, A., Bhatia, K., Heinrich, S. P., Tebartz van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2020). Using the perceptual past to predict the perceptual future influences the perceived present – A novel ERP paradigm. PLOS ONE, 15(9), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237663
Joos, E., Giersch, A., Hecker, L., Schipp, J., Heinrich, S. P., Elst, L. T. van, & Kornmeier, J. (2020). Large EEG amplitude effects are highly similar across Necker cube, smiley, and abstract stimuli. PLOS ONE, 15(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232928
Neumann, F., Oberhauser, V., & Kornmeier, J. (2020). How odor cues help to optimize learning during sleep in a real life-setting. Scientific Reports, 10(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-57613-7
Staadt, R., Philipp, S. T., Cremers, J. L., Kornmeier, J., & Jancke, D. (2020). Perception of the difference between past and present stimulus: A rare orientation illusion may indicate incidental access to prediction error-like signals. PLOS ONE, 15(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232349
Kornmeier, J., Friedel, Evelyn., Hecker, L., Schmidt, S., & Wittmann, M. (2019). What happens in the brain of meditators when perception changes but not the stimulus? PLOS ONE, 14(10), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223843
Liaci, E., Fischer, A., Atmanspacher, H., Heinrichs, M., Tebartz van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2018). Positive and Negative Hysteresis Effects for the Perception of Geometric and Emotional Ambiguities. PLOS ONE, 13(9), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0202398
Sosic-Vasic, Z., Hille, K., Kröner, J., Spitzer, M., & Kornmeier, J. (2018). When Learning Disturbs Memory – Temporal Profile of Retroactive Interference of Learning on Memory Formation. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00082
Kornmeier, J., Friedel, E., Wittmann, M., & Atmanspacher, H. (2017). EEG correlates of cognitive time scales in the Necker-Zeno model for bistable perception. Consciousness and Cognition, 53, 136–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2017.04.011
Kornmeier, J., Wörner, R., Riedel, A., & Tebartz van Elst, L. (2017). A different view on the Necker cube—Differences in multistable perception dynamics between Asperger and non-Asperger observers. PLOS ONE, 12(12), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0189197
Liaci, E., Fischer, A., Heinrichs, M., Tebartz van Elst, L., & Kornmeier, J. (2017). Mona Lisa is always happy – and only sometimes sad. Scientific Reports, 7, 43511. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43511
Duval, C. Z., Goumon, Y., Kemmel, V., Kornmeier, J., Dufour, A., Andlauer, O., Vidailhet, P., Poisbeau, P., Salvat, E., Muller, A., Mensah-Nyagan, A. G., Schmidt-Mutter, C., & Giersch, A. (2016). Neurophysiological responses to unpleasant stimuli (acute electrical stimulations and emotional pictures) are increased in patients with schizophrenia. Scientific Reports, 6, 22542. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep22542
Kornmeier, J., Wörner, R., & Bach, M. (2016). Can I trust in what I see? – EEG Evidence for a Cognitive Evaluation of Perceptual Constructs. Psychophysiology, 53, 1507–1523. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12702
Liaci, E., Bach, M., Tebartz van Elst, L., Heinrich, S. P., & Kornmeier, J. (2016). Ambiguity in Tactile Apparent Motion Perception. PLOS ONE, 11(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152736
Wernery, J., Atmanspacher, H., Kornmeier, J., Candia, V., Folkers, G., & Wittmann, M. (2015). Temporal processing in bistable perception of the Necker cube. Perception, 44(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1068/p7780
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2014). EEG correlates of perceptual reversals in Boring’s ambiguous old/young woman stimulus. Perception, 43(9), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1068/p7741
Kornmeier, J., & Mayer, G. (2014). The alien in the forest OR when temporal context dominates perception. Perception, 43(11), Article 11. https://doi.org/10.1068/p7844
Kornmeier, J., Spitzer, M., & Sosic-Vasic, Z. (2014). Very similar spacing-effect patterns in very different learning/practice domains. PLoS One, 9(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090656
Kornmeier, J., Wörner, R., Riedel, A., Bach, M., & Tebartz van Elst, L. (2014). A Different View on the Checkerboard? Alterations in Early and Late Visually Evoked EEG Potentials in Asperger Observers. PLoS ONE, 9(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0090993
Mayer, G., & Kornmeier, J. (2014). Rätselhafte Objekte auf den Bildern einer Wildkamera oder: Die Tücken der Wahrnehmung. Zeitschrift für Anomalistik, 14, 7–24.
O’Shea, R. P., Kornmeier, J., & Roeber, U. (2013). Predicting visual consciousness electrophysiologically from intermittent binocular rivalry. PLoS ONE, 8(10), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076134
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2012). Ambiguous figures – what happens in the brain when perception changes but not the stimulus. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6(51), Article 51. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00051
Kornmeier, J., & Sosic-Vasic, Z. (2012). Parallels between spacing effects during behavioral and cellular learning. Front Hum Neurosci, 6, 203. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00203
Ehm, W., Bach, M., & Kornmeier, J. (2011). Ambiguous figures and binding: EEG frequency modulations during multistable perception. Psychophysiology, 48(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2010.01087.x
Kornmeier, J., Pfaffle, M., & Bach, M. (2011). Necker cube: Stimulus-related (low-level) and percept-related (high-level) EEG signatures early in occipital cortex. J Vis, 11(9), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1167/11.9.12
Kornmeier, J., & Sosic-Vasic, Z. (2011). Hirngymnastik nach Plan – Gibt es ein Trainingsprogramm für effizientes Lernen? Nervenheilkunde, 8, 613–620.
Ehm, W., Kornmeier, J., & Heinrich, S. P. (2010). Multiple testing along a tree. Electronic Journal of Statistics, 4(none), Article none. https://doi.org/10.1214/09-EJS496
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2009). Object perception: When our brain is impressed but we do not notice it. Journal of Vision, 9(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1167/9.1.7
Kornmeier, J., Hein, C. M., & Bach, M. (2009). Multistable perception: When bottom-up and top-down coincide. Brain and Cognition, 69(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2008.06.005
Atmanspacher, H., Bach, M., Filk, T., Kornmeier, J., & Römer, H. (2008). Cognitive Time Scales in a Necker-Zeno Model for Bistable Perception. The Open Cybernetics and Systemics Journal, 2, 234–251. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874110X00802010234
Kornmeier, J., Ehm, W., Bigalke, H., & Bach, M. (2007). Discontinuous presentation of ambiguous figures: How interstimulus-interval durations affect reversal dynamics and ERPs. Psychophysiology, 44(4), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00525.x
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2006). Bistable perception—Along the processing chain from ambiguous visual input to a stable percept. Int J Psychophysiol, 62(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2006.04.007
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2005). The Necker cube – an ambiguous figure disambiguated in early visual processing. Vision Res, 45, 955–960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2004.10.006
Kornmeier, J., & Bach, M. (2004). Early neural activity in Necker-cube reversal: Evidence for low-level processing of a gestalt phenomenon. Psychophysiology, 41, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2004.10.006
Kornmeier, J., Bach, M., & Atmanspacher, H. (2004). Correlates of perspective instabilities in visually evoked potentials. Int. J. Bifurcat. Chaos, 14(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218127404009430
Buchbeiträge
Kornmeier, J. (2020). Wahrnehmungsforschung und das psychophysische Problem. In D. Vaitl (Hrsg.), An den Grenzen unseres Wissens: Von der Faszination des Paranormalen (S. 153–173). Herder Verlag.
Ehm, W., Bach, M., & Kornmeier, J. (2010). Variability in gamma activity during observation of ambiguous figures. In A. Bastianelli & G. Vidotto (Hrsg.), Fechner Day 2010 (S. 439–444). International Society for Psychophysics.
Lehre
Vorlesungen und EEG-Praktikum im Modul Kognitive Neurowissenschaften der Masterstudiengänge Neurowissenschaften und Biologie
Beitrag im Kurs: “Consciousness, the psycho-physical problem and exceptional experiences” des University College Freiburg
Mitgliedschaften
- Vorstandsmitglied der Society for Mind-Matter Research