PD Dr. Kerstin Fröber
PD Dr. Kerstin Fröber
Heisenberg-Stelle
Lehrstuhl Psychologie III
Röntgenring 11
97070
Würzburg
Deutschland
Gebäude:
Hörsaalgebäude
Raum:
H 11
Telefon:
+49 931 31-84262
E-Mail:
kerstin.froeber@uni-wuerzburg.de
Organizational
| time | occupation |
| 08/2026- today | Senior researcher (Heisenberg_Stelle) with Prof. Wilfried Kunde, University of Würzburg |
| 10/2023- 09/2025 | Temporary professor at University of Cologne |
| 06/2020 - 12/2025 | Senior researcher (Akademische Öberrätin a.Z.) with Prof. Gesine Dreisbach, University of Oregon |
| 09/2018 - 02/2019 | Visiting researcher at the University of Oregon (Eugene, USA) with Prof. Ulrich Mayr |
| 06/2013- 06/2020 | PostDoc researcher (Akademische Rätin a.Z.) with Prof. Gesine Dreisbach, University of Regensburg |
| 11/2009- 05/2013 | Research associate and PhD student with Prof. Gesine Dreisbach, University of Regensburg |
| 11/2008- 10/2009 | Research assistant with Prof. Marianne Hammerl, Prof. Marc Greenlee, and Prof. Christoph Wagner, University of Regensburg |
| 10/2003 - 04/2009 | Diplom Psychologie, University of Regensburg |
Research
| Project title | Year | Funded by |
| The many faces of cognitive flexibility | since 2026 | DFG 565603008 |
| Mechanismus underlying flexible task choice: Understanding context and reward effects | 2019-2023 | DFG 423229271 |
| Research stay at University of Oregon | 2020 | Mobilitätsstipendium Universität Regensburg |
| Voluntary task switching as a tool to investigate age-related deficits in cognitive flexibility and to identify possible countermeasures | 2018-2019 | Feodor-Lynen-Stipendium, Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung |
| The influence of sequentially changing reward prospect on cognitive flexibility during (voluntary) task switching | 2015-2020 | DFG 423229271 |
| Promotionsanschubfinanzierung | 2009 | FAS Universität Regensburg |
2026[ to top ]
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Michalik, J., Bukowski, M., Majchrowicz, B., & Fröber, K. (2026). The mental price of losing control: Rewards and willingness to invest mental effort under conditions of uncontrollability. Motivation and Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11031-026-10243-4- [ DOI ]
2025[ to top ]
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Janczyk, M., Danwitz, L., Fröber, K., & von Helversen, B. (2025). Task switching with probabilistic reward schemes. Acta Psychologica. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105029- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Pastötter, B. (2025). The influence of free choice on recognition memory in the face of distraction. Memory. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658211.2025.2551797- [ DOI ]
2024[ to top ]
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Becker, D., Bijleveld, E., Braem, S., Fröber, K., Götz, F. J., Kleiman, T., Körner, A., Pfister, R., Reiter, A. M., Saunders, B., Schneider, I. K., Soutschek, A., van Steenbergen, H., & Dignath, D. (2024). An integrative framework of conflict and control. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2024.07.002- [ DOI ]
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Mendl, J., Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2024). Flexibility by association? No evidence for an influence of cue–transition associations on voluntary task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0001186- [ DOI ]
2023[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2023). You Can(’t) Always Get What You Want: When Goal Persistence Requires Flexibility. Motivation Science. https://doi.org/10.1037/MOT0000297- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Lerche, V. (2023). Performance-contingent reward increases the use of congruent distracting information. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. https://doi.org/10.3758/S13414-023-02682-9- [ DOI ]
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Weber, T., Fröber, K., & Schuch, S. (2023). Reward-based modulation of task-switching performance: a diffusion model analysis. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. https://doi.org/10.3758/S13414-023-02711-7- [ DOI ]
2021[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., Jurczyk, V., Mendl, J., & Dreisbach, G. (2021). Investigating anticipatory processes during sequentially changing reward prospect: An ERP study. Brain and Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BANDC.2021.105815- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., Jurczyk, V., & Dreisbach, G. (2021). Keep Flexible - Keep Switching? Boundary Conditions of the Influence of Forced Task Switching on Voluntary Task Switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1037/XLM0001104- [ DOI ]
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Jurczyk, V., Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2021). Bottom-up influences on voluntary task switching in different reward contexts? Acta Psychologica. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ACTPSY.2021.103312- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Thomaschke, R. (2021). In the dark cube: Movie theater context enhances the valuation and aesthetic experience of watching films. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 15(3), 528–544. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000295- [ DOI ]
2020[ to top ]
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Jurczyk, V., Mittelstädt, V., & Fröber, K. (2020). Does temporal predictability of tasks influence task choice? Psychological Research, 85(3), 1066–1083. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-020-01297-1- [ DOI ]
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Chiu, Y.-C., Fröber, K., & Egner, T. (2020). Item-specific priming of voluntary task switches. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 46(4), 434–441. https://doi.org/10.1037/xhp0000725- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2020). How Sequentially Changing Reward Prospect Modulates Meta-control: Increasing Reward Prospect Promotes Cognitive Flexibility. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-020-00825-1- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., Pittino, F., & Dreisbach, G. (2020). How sequential changes in reward expectation modulate cognitive control: Pupillometry as a tool to monitor dynamic changes in reward expectation. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 148, 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.12.010- [ DOI ]
2019[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., Pfister, R., & Dreisbach, G. (2019). Increasing reward prospect promotes cognitive flexibility: Direct evidence from voluntary task switching with double registration. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 72(8), 1926-1944. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747021818819449- [ DOI ]
2018[ to top ]
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Fischer, R., Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2018). Shielding and relaxation in multitasking: Prospect of reward counteracts relaxation of task shielding in multitasking. Acta Psychologica, 191, 112-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2018.09.002- [ DOI ]
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Dreisbach, G., Fröber, K., Berger, A., & Fischer, R. (2018). Unexpected conflict signals loom larger in a positive context: Evidence from context specific control adjustments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000662- [ DOI ]
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Jurczyk, V., Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2018). Increasing reward prospect motivates switching to the more difficult task. Motivation Science. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000119- [ DOI ]
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Mendl, J., Fröber, K., & Dolk, T. (2018). Are You Keeping an Eye on Me? The Influence of Competition and Cooperation on Joint Simon Task Performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01361- [ DOI ]
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Dreisbach, G., & Fröber, K. (2018). On How to Be Flexible (or Not): Modulation of the Stability-Flexibility Balance. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(1), 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418800030- [ DOI ]
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Czaczkes, T. J., Koch, A., Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2018). Voluntary switching in an invertebrate: The effect of cue and reward change. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition, 44(3), 247-257. https://doi.org/10.1037/xan0000171- [ DOI ]
2017[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., Raith, L., & Dreisbach, G. (2017). The dynamic balance between cognitive flexibility and stability: the influence of local changes in reward expectation and global task context on voluntary switch rate. Psychological Research, 82(1), 65-77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-017-0922-2- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., Stürmer, B., Frömer, R., & Dreisbach, G. (2017). The role of affective evaluation in conflict adaptation: An LRP study. Brain and Cognition, 116, 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2017.05.003- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2017). Keep flexible - Keep switching! The influence of forced task switching on voluntary task switching. Cognition, 162, 48-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2017.01.024- [ DOI ]
2016[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2016). How sequential changes in reward magnitude modulate cognitive flexibility: Evidence from voluntary task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 42(2), 285-295. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000166- [ DOI ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2016). How performance (non-)contingent reward modulates cognitive control. Acta Psychologica, 168, 65-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2016.04.008- [ DOI ]
2014[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2014). The differential influences of positive affect, random reward, and performance-contingent reward on cognitive control. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci, 14(2), 530-547. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-014-0259-x- [ DOI ]
2013[ to top ]
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Fröber, K. (2013). How positive affect modulates cognitive control: New insights into the specificity of positive affect effects. https://doi.org/10.5283/EPUB.28441- [ DOI ]
2012[ to top ]
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Fröber, K., & Dreisbach, G. (2012). How Positive Affect Modulates Proactive Control: Reduced Usage of Informative Cues Under Positive Affect with Low Arousal. Frontiers in Psychology, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00265- [ DOI ]
| Title | Date | Invited by |
| Kino als grenzenloser Raum – Grenzland-Filmtage Selb.5 Jahrzente Filmfestival im Bayerisch-Tschechischen Grenzgebiet | 07/2026 | FH Kufstein, Musikfilmtage Oberaudorf |
| How reward prospect modulates cognitive flexibility | 03/2025 | David Dignath, Universität Tübingen |
| How to be flexible (or not): Evidence from (Voluntary) Task Switching | 02/2025 | Roland Pfister, Universität Trier |
| How reward prospect modulates cognitive flexibility | 11/2024 | Markus Janczyk, Universität Bremen |
| Der Einfluss von freier Wahl auf das Gedächtnis | 05/2024 | Anne Gast, Christoph Stahl, Universität zu Köln |
| On the (in-)dependence of cognitive stability and flexibility: Evidence from voluntary task switching research | 04/2024 | Iring Koch, Universität Aachen |
| How to survive in academia [Keynote lecture] | 06/2023 | 12. ADok, Universität Greifswald |
| On the (in-)dependence of cognitive stability and flexibility: Evidence from voluntary task switching research | 05/2023 | Annekathrin Schacht, Universität Göttingen |
| Wie man flexibel wird (oder auch nicht): Was wir aus Studien zum (freiwilligen) Aufgabenwechsel über das Flexibilitäts-Stabilitäts-Gleichgewicht gelernt haben | 01/2023 | Christian Frings, Universität Trier |
| In the black box: Cinema context enhances the valuation and aesthetic experience of watching films | 06/2019 | Thomas Jacobsen, Helmut-Schmidt-Universität der Bundeswehr, Hamburg |
| Mein Leben am Broadway - Im Gleichgewicht zwischen Stabilität und Flexibilität | 04/2019 | Netzwerktagung Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung, Leipzig |
| Conflict, control adaptations, and affect | 10/2018 | Ulrich Mayr, University of Oregon |
| How sequential changes in reward prospect modulate cognitive control | 12/2017 | Wilfried Kunde, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg |
| Der Einfluss sequenziell wechselnder Belohnungserwartung auf Flexibilität beim (freiwilligen) Aufgabenwechsel | 06/2016 | Anke Huckauf, Universität Ulm |
| Title | Format | Conference | Year | In |
| Putting Attentional Control to a Normative Test | poster | 68. TeaP | 2026 | Tübingen |
| Sequential Changes in Reward Prospect Modulate Cognitive Control Even With Implicit Learning of Reward Cues | poster | 24. ESCoP | 2025 | Sheffield |
| The influence of free choice on memory: Generalization from recognition to cued recall in a vocabulary-like learning task | poster | 67. TeaP | 2025 | Frankfurt |
| Increasing reward prospect promotes cognitive flexibility: Further evidence from a cued global-local task | poster | 45. CogSci | 2024 | Rotterdam |
| Performance-contingent reward increases the use of context information in a conflict task | talk | 66. TeaP | 2024 | Regensburg |
| Performance-contingent reward increases the use of congruent distracting information | poster | 8. MCC | 2023 | Lyon |
| Performance-contingent reward increases the use of congruent distracting information | poster | 23. ESCoP | 2023 | Porto |
| The influence of free choice on recognition memory in the face of distraction | talk | 23. ASIC | 2023 | Kranjska Gora |
| The influence of free choice on recognition memory | talk | 65. TeaP | 2023 | Trier |
| The influence of free choice on recognition memory | poster | 54. HexKop | 2022 | Greifswald |
| You can('t) always get what you want: When goal persistence requires flexibility | talk | 22. ESCoP | 2022 | Lille |
| Keep flexible - keep switching? The influence of forced task switching on voluntary task switching | talk | Control Processes | 2022 | Virtual meeting |
| You can('t) always get what you want: When goal persistence requires flexibility | talk | 64. TeaP | 2022 | Köln (virtual meeting) |
| Verhaltenskontingente Belohnung verstärkt die Nutzung kongruenter, aufgabenirrelevanter Informationen | talk | 53. HexKop | 2021 | Würzburg |
| Investigating anticipatory processes during sequentially changing reward prospect: An ERP study | talk | 5. ESCAN | 2021 | Budapest (virtual meeting) |
| You can’t always get what you want: When persistence in task choice requires increased flexibility | talk | 63. TeaP | 2021 | Ulm (virtual meeting) |
| Carrot or Stick: Cognitive Flexibility Increases with Increasing Loss or Reward Prospect | poster | 61. Psychonomics | 2020 | Virtual meeting |
| Increasing reward prospect promotes cognitive flexibility: More evidence from task switching with three tasks | poster | 7. MCC | 2019 | Berlin |
| In the black box: Cinema context enhances the valuation and aesthetic experience of watching films | poster | 11. SCSMI | 2019 | Hamburg |
| Increasing reward prospect promotes cognitive flexibility: Direct evidence from voluntary task switching with double registration | talk | 61. TeaP | 2019 | London |
| The role of affective evaluation in conflict adaptation: An LRP study | poster | 59.Psychonomics | 2018 | New Orleans |
| Voluntary task switching as a tool to investigate the flexibility-stability balance | talk | 4. ESCAN | 2018 | Leiden |
| How sequential changes in reward expectation modulate cognitive control: pupillometry as a tool to monitor dynamic changes in reward expectation | talk | 60. TeaP | 2018 | Marburg |
| The role of affective evaluation in conflict adaptation: An LRP study | poster | 50. HexKop | 2017 | Ulm |
| Voluntary switch rate as an indicator of flexibility versus stability | talk | 20. ESCoP | 2017 | Potsdam |
| Keep flexible - keep switching! The influence of forced task switching on voluntary task switching | talk | 59. TeaP | 2017 | Dresden |
| Keep flexible - keep switching | poster | 57.Psychonomics | 2016 | Boston |
| Keep flexible - keep switching! The influence of forced task switching on voluntary task switching | poster | 49. HexKop | 2016 | Tübingen |
| How positive affect and performance (non-)contingent reward modulate cognitive control | talk | Psychonomics International Meeting | 2016 | Granada |
| How sequential changes in reward magnitude modulate cognitive flexibility: More direct evidence for increased flexibility under increased reward prospect | talk | 58. TeaP | 2016 | Heidelberg |
| How sequential changes in reward magnitude modulate cognitive flexibility: Evidence from voluntary task switching | talk | 19. ESCoP | 2015 | Paphos |
| How sequential changes in reward magnitude modulate cognitive flexibility: Evidence from voluntary task switching | talk | 57. TeaP | 2015 | Hildesheim |
| Antagonistische Anforderungen an kognitive Kontrolle: Flexibilität und Stabilität | talk | 47. HexKop | 2014 | Trier |
| The differential influence of positive affect, random reward , and performance-contingent reward on cognitive control | talk | 56. TeaP | 2014 | Gießen |
| Increased novelty bias under positive affect | poster | 55. TeaP | 2013 | Wien |
| Affektive Modulation kognitiver Kontrolle | talk | 1. ADOK | 2012 | Würzburg |
| How positive affect modulates cognitive control: Reduced reliance on informative cues | talk | 54. TeaP | 2012 | Mannheim |
| Affective modulation of cognitive flexibility | talk | 17. ESCoP | 2011 | San Sebastian |
| Affektive Modulation der Aufmerksamkeit: Der Einfluss von affektiven Bildern auf endogene Aufmerksamkeitssteuerung | talk | 53. TeaP | 2011 | Halle |
Please contact me directly, if you are interested in an Internship (Praktikum), Bachelor-Thesis, or Master-Thesis. I offer thesis topics ( bachelor & masters) based on the research interests listed above.



