An essential role of psychology is to help understand why and how we differ from one person to another. At the CIMCYC, we investigate how individual differences in cognitive, personality and brain functioning predict performance in language, attention, learning, decision-making, music and sports, as well as how bilingualism, music and sports modulate cognitive functioning in general.
For example, we investigate how individual differences in cognitive control relate to memory problems in the elderly, as well as individual differences in decision-making and their role in the etiology of gambling behavior. Furthermore, we investigated how personality dispositions influence attention and executive control, showing, for example, an interesting dissociation between ADHD symptoms in adulthood and in childhood.
Additionally, CIMCYC researchers investigate individual differences in cognition and brain activity associated with regular physical exercise. They have shown, for example, that the type of sport is a better predictor of cognitive performance than cardiovascular fitness. On the other hand, musical training can be understood as an enhancer of other cognitive abilities, as suggested by the most comprehensive meta-analyses conducted by researchers at the center in collaboration with other world-renowned research centers.
Another fruitful line of research explores the influence of bilingualism on various cognitive processes. For example, numerous studies conducted in international collaborations in this area have shown that bilingual individuals activate both languages simultaneously.