Professor Volker Thoma
Professor
Department of Psychology & Human Development , School of Childhood and Social Care
Areas Of Interest
Dr Volker Thoma's research topics are on fast and automatic (versus slow and controlled) mental processes in visual attention, object recognition, face recognition, implicit memory, risk perception and decision making, human factors, and behaviour change. He is using behavioural and neuroimaging techniques (EEG, fMRI, eye-tracking, tCS).
OVERVIEW
Professor Volker Thoma's research in cognitive psychology investigates the nature of processes underlying visual attention, recognition of objects (including consumer items), and judgment and decision making. He is using behavioural and neuroimaging techniques to investigate the role of attention in object recognition and face perception. He also investigates the role of heuristics and cognitive reflection in judgment and decision-making, its correlates with thinking styles (Prof Ulrich Ettinger, Uni Bonn), and with financial decisions, including disordered gambling (with Prof. Peter Ayton, Leeds Business School). His research also includes the origins of the centre preference effect (with Dr Paul Rodway, Chester), as well as on risk perception. Another current project is using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (tDCS) to investigate the judgment performance in visual recognition and decision-making (with Prof. Davide Rivolta, University of Bari, and Prof. M. Nitsche, Uni Dortmund). A further interest is in applying these findings to behaviour change interventions (including the design of digital applications).
CURRENT RESEARCH
Professor Thoma's research interests are mainly in judgment and decision making, visual cognition, attention, and behaviour change. A main line of studies concerns cognitive control, e.g. in decision making and risk perception. One project investigates heuristics and reflective thinking in experts. Work with traders and also pension trustees (jointly with Professor Peter Ayton, Leeds University Business School) showed that experts like trustees show considerable bias in decision-making.
Another line of enquiry looks at influences on consumer choice and preference, such as the spatial location of products or the familiarity of brands. Items presented centrally are preferred over other positions in certain conditions (with Dr Paul Rodway, Chester). In other research, Professor Thoma showed that the familiarity of products or objects is a major determinant of preferential choice even in the context of negative information (such as consumer star ratings).
Professor Thoma's work also used behavioural and neuroimaging techniques to investigate the role of attention in object recognition. In particular, his work found that spatially unattended objects can be processed without attention, as long as objects are depicted in familiar views. He also showed that the capacity for face perception is limited only by the number of other faces (not other stimuli) present in a scene. Finally, work using non-invasive brain stimulation shows that transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) of the occipito-temporal areas can improve object and face perception (with Dr Davide Rivolta, University of Bari; and Prof. Michael Nitsche, TU Dortmund).
Professor Thoma also investigates cognitive processes in decision-making using non-invasive brain stimulation. One project shows that tDCS to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves reflective decision-making. A related line of research shows that tDCS modulates risk-taking in gambling-like tasks.
Volker is a committee member and former honorary treasurer of the British Association of Cognitive Neuroscience (BACN). He served as the coordinator of UEL's UoA 4 (REF 2021) and a committee member of the School's ethics committee. He is Review Editor for Frontiers in Psychology and Frontiers in Neuroimaging and Stimulation.
Neuromodulation of Cognitive Control and Decision-making
This research looks at the effect of non-invasive (and harmless) stimulation of the brain to improve cognitive control and judgment, and decision-making.
Relevant publications:
- Edgcumbe, D. R., Rivolta, D., Nitsche, M. A., & Thoma, V. (2024). Single session and repeated anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increases reflective thinking but not working memory updating performance. Heliyon, e36078.
- Scaramuzzi, G. F., Manippa, V., Spina, A. C., Amico, F., Cornacchia, E., Palmisano, A., ... & Rivolta, D. (2024) Darts Fast-Learning Reduces Theta Power But is Not Affected by Hf-Trns: A Behavioural and Electrophysiological Investigation. Brain Research, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149249
- Edgcumbe, D.R., Thoma, V., Rivolta, D., Nitsche, M.A., Fu, C.H.Y. (2019). Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances reflective judgment and decision-making. Brain Stimulation. Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex enhances reflective judgment and decision-making
Face and Non-Face Object Recognition
Professor Thoma's research found that attention and perceptual load are high (e.g., many objects in a visual scene make it difficult to find an object, affect your capacity to process and recognise objects, and to some degree faces. It seems that face-processing capacity is category-specific. This research has basic and applied value,e.g., in instructional and commercial design.
Relevant publications:
Gonzalez-Perez, M., Wakui, E., Thoma, V., Nitsche, M. A., & Rivolta, D. (2019). Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 40 Hz enhances face and object perception. Neuropsychologia, 107237. NCBI.
Spiller, M., Harkry, L., McCullagh, F., Thoma, V., & Jones, C. (2019). Exploring the relationship between grapheme colour-picking consistency and mental imagery. Philosophical Transactions B: Biological Sciences, In-Press. UEL Research Repository Home.
Thoma, V., & De Fockert, J.W. (2018). Three-quarter views of depth-rotated faces induce face-specific capacity limits in visual search. Experimental Psychology, 65(6), 360–369.
Gosling, A.*, Thoma, V.*, De Fockert, J.W., Richardson-Klavehn, A. (2016). Event-Related Potential Effects of Object Repetition Depend on Attention and Part-Whole Configuration. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10. Frontiers | Event-Related Potential Effects of Object Repetition Depend on Attention and Part-Whole Configuration
Wakui, E., Thoma, V., De Fockert, J.W. (2016). View-sensitive ERP repetition effects indicate automatic holistic processing of spatially unattended objects. Neuropsychologia, 89, 426–436
Guggenmos, M., Thoma, V., Haynes, J-D., Richardson-Klavehn, A., Cichy, R.M., Sterzer, P., (2015). Spatial attention enhances object coding in local and distributed representations of the lateral occipital complex. NeuroImage, 149–157. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.04.004.
Stein, T.*, Thoma, V.*, Sterzer, P. (2015). Priming of object detection under continuous flash suppression depends on attention but not on part-whole configuration. Journal of Vision. 15(3):15, 1-11. (*equal contribution)
Cognitive Factors in Behavioural Addiction
Behavioural addictions (such as problematic gambling, excessive social media use, etc.) can have severe detrimental effects on mental and physical health and wealth. In his research, Professor Thoma looks at cognitive factors underlying behavioural addictions and explores potential.
Relevant publications:
Gomis-Vicent, E., Turner, J. J., Nitsche, M. A., Rivolta, D., & Thoma, V. (2025). Neuromodulation of dorsal and ventral prefrontal cortex during gambling task performance in low and high impulsive individuals. Addictive Behaviours, 108358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108358
Newall, P., Allami, Y., Andrade, M., Ayton, P., Baker‐Frampton, R., Bennett, D., ... & Roberts, A. (2024). ‘No evidence of harm’ implies no evidence of safety: Framing the lack of causal evidence in gambling advertising research. Addiction, 119(2), 391-396. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16369
Gomis‐Vicent, E., Thoma, V., Turner, J. J., Hill, K. P., & Pascual‐Leone, A. (2019). Non‐invasive brain stimulation in behavioural addictions: insights from direct comparisons with substance use disorders. The American journal on addictions. UEL Research Repository Home
Decision-Making
Human decision-making relies on different mental processes that are yet not fully understood. In our lab, we study heuristics (mental shortcuts) in decision-making and whether their use is determined by instructions, attention, or neural stimulation. We use eye-tracking and brain stimulation (tDCS) to study judgment and decision-making.
Relevant publications:
Weiss-Cohen, L., Ayton, P., Clacher, I., & Thoma, V. (2021). Pension scheme trustees as surrogate decision makers. Financial Research Letters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2021.102043
Thoma, V., Weiss-Cohen, L., Filkukova, P., & Ayton, P. (2021). Cognitive predictors of precautionary behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 325. Frontiers | Cognitive Predictors of Precautionary Behaviour During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Anderson, I. and Thoma, V. (2020). The edge of reason: A thematic analysis of how professional financial traders understand analytical decision making. European Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2020.08.006
Weiss-Cohen, L., Ayton, P., Clacher, I., Thoma, V. (2019). Behavioural biases in pension fund trustees’ decision-making. Review of Behavioural Finance. Behavioural biases in pension fund trustees’ decision-making.
Thoma, V., White, E., Panigrahi, A., Strowger, V., Anderson, I. (2015). Good thinking or gut feeling? Cognitive reflection and intuition in traders, bankers and financial non-experts. PLoS ONE 10(4):e0123202. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123202
Behaviour Change and Human Factors
Human choice and preferences are susceptible to internal (thoughts, motivation) and external (instructions, environment, physiological states) factors. The latter can be used in 'Choice Design', to nudge people into beneficial behaviour (e.g., eat more healthily). We are studying these factors, using research on heuristics (or mental shortcuts) and how they can be used in choice design.
Relevant publications:
Thoma, V., Rodway, P., & Tamlyn, G. (2021). Gut thinking and eye tracking: evidence for a central preference heuristic. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 33(8), 919-930. Gut thinking and eye tracking: evidence for a central preference heuristic
Thoma, V., & Patsalos, O. (2019). Water Supplementation after dehydration increases judgment and decision-making performance. Psychological Research. 84, 1223–1234. Water supplementation after dehydration improves judgment and decision-making performance
Jones, A., & Thoma, V. (2019). Determinants for successful Agile collaboration between UX designers and software developers in a large organisation. International Journal of Human Computer Interaction, 35 (20), 1914-1935. Determinants for Successful Agile Collaboration between UX Designers and Software Developers in a Complex Organisation
FUNDING
| Funding source | Project | Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responsible Gambling Trust | PhD Project: Neuromodulation of cognitive distortions in problem gambling | £73,000 | 09/2016 - 08/2019 |
European Hydration Institute | Postgraduate research grant: "Decision-making and Hydration" | €5,000 | 02/2015 - 07/2016 |
Institute of Actuaries* | Investigating Institutional Investors' Decision-Making (with City University of London) | £199,995 | 10/2017 - 10/2018 |
GambleAware (Responsible Gambling Trust) | Neuromodulation, cognitive processing and behavioural inhibition in problem gambling | £102,738 | 09/2016 - 08/2020 |
Amberlight Partners Ltd. (London) | Decision-making and expertise in web development teams | £4,300 | 02-05/2015 |
UEL Teaching Fellowship (HEFCE) | Grant for teaching-related research and practice | £10,000 | 03/2010 - 03/2012 |
Eclipse Partners | Research funding: Decision making in traders | £20,000 | 04/2010 - 02/2011 |
Promising Researcher Award (UEL/HEFCE) | Research grant for a visit to the MRC Cognition & Brain Unit, Cambridge | £6,000 | 03-08/2006 |
Economic and Social Research Council ESRC * | PhD (1+3) Grant: "Electrophysiological correlates of object recognition" (Dr Richardson-Klavehn) | £77,000 | 09/2004 - 08/2008 |
Central Research Fund University of London | Small Research Grant: The Role of Attention in Object recognition | £3,000 | 05-09/2001 |
TEACHING
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BSc (Hons) Psychology
Studying for a BSc in Psychology, you will develop a good knowledge of the influences on, and factors involved in, human functioning in all the core areas of psychology.
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MSc Psychology
A psychology conversion course for students with a first degree in another subject area. It means you could go on and train to be a professional psychologist.
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Prof Doc Clinical Psychology
The Prof Doc in Clinical Psychology provides a training programme with academic teaching and clinical work placements based mainly in the NHS.
MODULES
- PY 6308 - Psychology of Choice - Judgment and Decision-making (Module leader)
- PYM 7151 - Cognitive Psychology and Biopsychology (Module leader)
- PYM 7155 - Professional Psychological Studies (project supervisor)
CONSULTANCY
Volker has experience in business consulting in the area of user experience (UX) and decision-making support. Projects include task analyses and gathering user requirements, organisational decision making, as well as decision strategies in financial traders. Volker has worked with the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, user experience (UX) agencies, and the BBC.
EXTERNAL ROLES
- External Examiner, Birkbeck College, Department of Psychology
- Honorary Treasurer, British Association of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Lecturer: European Summer School for Eye-Tracking (ESSEM)
MEDIA EXPERTISE
- Times Higher Education
"Campus News - UEL" Apr 2015
- WAMC Public Radio
"Recognizing Faces" Jan 2015
- Medical Express
"Spotting a famous face in the crowd" (online article), May 2014.
- Daily Telegraph
"Lost in the crowd: why we can only spot two faces at a time". Daily Telegraph, 5 May 2014, p.2
- Absatzwirtschaft
"Absatzwirtschaft" (German magazine on marketing). Feb. 2013.
- The Guardian
Research in brief. Guardian online, 13 February 2013
- Deutsche Welle
(International Radio station) Colour coding of social messages. June 2012.
Publications
Browse past publications by year.
Full publications list
Visit the research repository to view a full list of publications
- Neuromodulation of dorsal and ventral prefrontal cortex during gambling task performance in low and high impulsive individuals Addictive Behaviors. 167 (Art. 108358). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108358
- Darts fast-learning reduces theta power but is not affected by Hf-tRNS: A behavioral and electrophysiological investigation Brain Research. 1846 (Art. 149249). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149249
- Single session and repeated anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increases reflective thinking but not working memory updating performance Heliyon. 10 (16), p. e36078. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36078
- ‘No evidence of harm’ implies no evidence of safety: Framing the lack of causal evidence in gambling advertising research Addiction. 119 (2), pp. 391-396. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16369
- Differences Amongst Estimates of the UK Problem Gambling Prevalence Rate Are Partly Due to a Methodological Artefact International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 22, pp. 361-363. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00877-z
- The effects of sex and handedness on masturbation laterality and other lateralised motor behaviours Laterality. 27 (3), pp. 324-352. https://doi.org/10.1080/1357650X.2021.2006211
- Gut thinking and eye tracking: evidence for a central preference heuristic European Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 33 (8), pp. 919-930. https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2021.1969942
- Pension scheme trustees as surrogate decision makers Finance Research Letters. 44 (Art. 102043). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2021.102043
- Cognitive Predictors of Precautionary Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic Frontiers in Psychology. 12 (Art. 589800). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.589800