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Prof. Dr Nicolas Rothen

Nicolas Rothen
Rector ad interim

Professor Nicolas Rothen is Rector ad-interim and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Psychology at UniDistance Suisse. He obtained his PhD from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Bern in 2009. After a year as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Bern, he worked as a researcher for more than four years at the School of Psychology and the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex (UK). He then returned to the University of Bern to work on his own research projects and obtained his habilitation (Venia Docendi) in psychology in 2016. He joined UniDistance Suisse in 2018 as an assistant professor. He has been an associate professor since 2020. He holds the position of Rector ad-interim since 2024.

Research projects

Workload and learning behaviour of distance learning students

EDUDL+

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School of Tomorrow

Faculty of Psychology

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Using virtual reality to investigate access, fidelity, and vividness of visual mental representations

Faculty of Psychology

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Interaction of learning principles in acquiring a new second language

Faculty of Psychology

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Distance learning: Individual differences & distributed vs. massed learning

Faculty of Psychology

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Cognitive capacity in the presence of a smartphone

Faculty of Psychology

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Research groups

  • Levels of Processing Effects on Memory for Color-Object Associations
    DOI
    2025-03 | Journal of Journal of Cognition
    Rothen Nicolas // Dubravac Mirela
    Peer-reviewed
  • Correlates of implicit semantic processing as revealed by representational similarity analysis applied to EEG
    DOI
    2024-10 | Journal of iScience
    Weber Vincent // Ruch Simon // H. Skieresz Nicole // Rothen Nicolas // Reber Thomas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Effects of 5 Hz Auditory Beat Stimulation on Mind Wandering and Sustained Attention in an Online Experiment
    DOI
    2024-04 | Journal of Journal of Cognitive Enhancement
    Belardi Angelo // Chaieb Leila // Fell Juergen // Rothen Nicolas // Reber Thomas
    Peer-reviewed
  • The Interplay of Time-of-day and Chronotype Results in No General and Robust Cognitive Boost
    DOI
    2023-10 | Journal of Collabra: Psychology
    Rey-Mermet Alodie // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Extensive Phenomenological Overlap Between Training-Induced and Naturally-Occurring Synaesthetic Experiences
    DOI
    2023-04 | Journal of Collabra: Psychology
    J. Schwartzman David // Oblak Ales // Rothen Nicolas // Bor Daniel // K. Seth Anil
    Peer-reviewed
  • A Meta-Analysis on Mobile-Assisted Language Learning Applications: Benefits and Risks
    DOI
    2022-09 | Journal of Psychologica Belgica
    Mihaylova Mariela // Gorin Simon // Reber Thomas // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Reinstating location improves mnemonic access but not fidelity of visual mental representations
    DOI
    2022-08 | Journal of Cortex
    Martarelli Corinna // Ovalle Rebecca // Popic Deian // K. Globig Laura // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Ten simple rules for good research practice
    DOI
    2022-06 | Journal of Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Schwab Simon // Janiaud Perrine // Dayan Michael // Amrhein Valentin // Panczak Radoslaw // M. Palagi Patricia // G. Hemkens Lars // Ramon Meike // Rothen Nicolas // Senn Stephen // Furrer Eva // Held Leonhard
    Peer-reviewed
  • On the relationship between mind wandering and mindfulness
    DOI
    2022-05 | Journal of Scientific Reports
    Belardi Angelo // Chaieb Leila // Rey-Mermet Alodie // Mormann Florian // Rothen Nicolas // Fell Juergen // Reber Thomas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Standardized database of 400 complex abstract fractals
    DOI
    2021-12 | Journal of Behavior Research Methods
    Ovalle Rebecca // V Di Pietro Sarah // Reber Thomas // Balbi Eleonora // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Spacing, Feedback, and Testing Boost Vocabulary Learning in a Web Application
    DOI
    2021-11 | Journal of Frontiers in Psychology
    Belardi Angelo // Salome Pedrett // Rothen Nicolas // Reber Thomas
    Peer-reviewed
  • The Beginning of a New Era
    DOI
    2021-07 | Journal of Swiss Psychology Open
    Rothen Nicolas // Burtscher Michael // Gobet Fernand // Mantzouranis Gregory // Mayor Julien // Pirrone Angelo // Raeder Sabine // Ramon Meike // Rossier Jérôme
    Peer-reviewed
  • The time course of synaesthetic colour perception
    DOI
    2021-05 | Journal of Cortex
    Lungu Laura // Rothen Nicolas // Blair Terhune Devin
    Peer-reviewed
  • Enhanced perception and memory: Insights from synesthesia and expertise
    DOI
    2021-03 | Journal of Cortex
    Ovalle Rebecca // Ankner Sophie // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Reinstating location improves mnemonic access but not fidelity of visual mental representations
    DOI
    2021-02 | Journal of Center for Open Science
    Martarelli Corinna // Ovalle Rebecca // Rothen Nicolas // Popic Deian // K. Globig Laura
  • Levels of Processing Affect Perceptual Features in Visual Associative Memory
    DOI
    2021-01 | Journal of Psychological Science
    Ovalle Rebecca // Sinan Uslu Arif // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • The advantage of distributed practice in a blended learning setting
    DOI
    2021-01 | Journal of Education and Information Technologies
    S. Jost Nathanael // L. Jossen Sina // Rothen Nicolas // Martarelli Corinna
    Peer-reviewed
  • The End of an Era
    DOI
    2020-12 | Journal of Swiss Journal of Psychology
    Kliegel Matthias // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Does a smartphone on the desk drain our brain? No evidence of cognitive costs due to smartphone presence in a short-term and prospective memory task
    DOI
    2020-10 | Journal of Consciousness and Cognition
    Maalouli-Hartmann Matthias // Martarelli Corinna // Reber Thomas // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Recognizing synesthesia on the international stage: The first scientific symposium on synesthesia (at The International Conference of Physiological Psychology, Paris, 1889)
    DOI
    2020-05 | Journal of Journal of the History of the Neurosciences
    Jewanski Jörg // Simner Julia // A. Day Sean // Rothen Nicolas // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • A single system account of enhanced recognition memory in synaesthesia
    DOI
    2020-01 | Journal of Memory & Cognition
    Rothen Nicolas // J. Berry Christopher // K. Seth Anil // Oligschläger Sabine // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • The evolution of the concept of synesthesia in the nineteenth century as revealed through the history of its name
    DOI
    2019-11 | Journal of Journal of the History of the Neurosciences
    Jewanski Jörg // Simner Julia // A. Day Sean // Rothen Nicolas // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Neurophenomenology of induced and natural synaesthesia
    DOI
    2019-10 | Journal of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
    J. Schwartzman David // Bor Daniel // Rothen Nicolas // K. Seth Anil
    Peer-reviewed
  • The “golden age” of synesthesia inquiry in the late nineteenth century (1876–1895)
    DOI
    2019-07 | Journal of Journal of the History of the Neurosciences
    Jewanski Jörg // Simner Julia // A. Day Sean // Rothen Nicolas // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Development of synaesthetic consistency: Repeated autonomous engagement with graphemes and colours leads to consistent associations
    DOI
    2019-06 | Journal of Consciousness and Cognition
    Ovalle Rebecca // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Training Enhances Fidelity of Color Representations in Visual Long-Term Memory
    DOI
    2019-01 | Journal of Journal of Cognitive Enhancement
    Ovalle Fresa Rebecca // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Educational App-Development needs to be informed by the Cognitive Neurosciences of Learning & Memory
    DOI
    2018-12 | Journal of Science of Learning
    Reber Thomas // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Synesthesia improves sensory memory, when perceptual awareness is high
    DOI
    2018-09 | Journal of Vision Research
    Rothen Nicolas // K. Seth Anil // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Coordinated neural, behavioral, and phenomenological changes in perceptual plasticity through overtraining of synesthetic associations
    DOI
    2018-01 | Journal of Neuropsychologia
    Rothen Nicolas // J. Schwartzman David // Bor Daniel // K. Seth Anil
    Peer-reviewed
  • Electrophysiological correlates and psychoacoustic characteristics of hearing-motion synaesthesia
    DOI
    2017-10 | Journal of Neuropsychologia
    Rothen Nicolas // Bartl Gergely // Franklin Anna // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Spontaneous retrieval reveals right-ear advantage in prospective memory
    DOI
    2017-08 | Journal of Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Time-of-day affects prospective memory differently in younger and older adults
    DOI
    2016-09 | Journal of Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Time of day affects implicit memory for unattended stimuli
    DOI
    2016-09 | Journal of Consciousness and Cognition
    Meier Beat // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • The structure of inter-individual differences in visual ability: Evidence from the general population and synaesthesia
    DOI
    2016-07 | Journal of Vision Research
    Ward Jamie // Rothen Nicolas // Chang Acer // Kanai Ryota
    Peer-reviewed
  • Different Dimensions of Cognitive Style in Typical and Atypical Cognition: New Evidence and a New Measurement Tool
    DOI
    2016-05 | Journal of Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    D. Mealor Andy // Simner Julia // Rothen Nicolas // A. Carmichael Duncan // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • The sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic test of sequence-space synesthesia
    DOI
    2015-11 | Journal of Behavior Research Methods
    Rothen Nicolas // Jünemann Kristin // D. Mealor Andy // Burckhardt Vera // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • How mirror-touch informs theories of synesthesia
    DOI
    2015-06 | Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
    Meier Beat // Lunke Katrin // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Developing synaesthesia: a primer
    DOI
    2015-04 | Journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
    Meier Beat // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Turning univalent stimuli bivalent: Synesthesia can cause cognitive conflict in task switching
    DOI
    2015-03 | Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
    Meier Beat // Rey-Mermet Alodie // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Adults Can Be Trained to Acquire Synesthetic Experiences
    DOI
    2014-11 | Journal of Scientific Reports
    Bor Daniel // Rothen Nicolas // J. Schwartzman David // Clayton Stephanie // K. Seth Anil
    Peer-reviewed
  • Associative memory advantage in grapheme-color synesthetes compared to older, but not young adults
    DOI
    2014-07 | Journal of Frontiers in Psychology
    Pfeifer Gaby // Rothen Nicolas // Ward Jamie // Chan Dennis // Sigala Natasha
    Peer-reviewed
  • Developmental aspects of synaesthesia across the adult lifespan
    DOI
    2014-03 | Journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
    Meier Beat // Rothen Nicolas // Walter Stefan
    Peer-reviewed
  • Acquiring synaesthesia: insights from training studies
    DOI
    2014-03 | Journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Recognition memory across the lifespan: the impact of word frequency and study-test interval on estimates of familiarity and recollection
    DOI
    2013-10 | Journal of Frontiers in Psychology
    Meier Beat // Rey-Mermet Alodie // Rothen Nicolas // Graf Peter
    Peer-reviewed
  • Enhanced recognition memory in grapheme-color synaesthesia for different categories of visual stimuli
    DOI
    2013-10 | Journal of Frontiers in Psychology
    Ward Jamie // Hovard Peter // Jones Alicia // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Psychophysiology of prospective memory
    DOI
    2013-10 | Journal of Memory
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Synesthetic experiences enhance unconscious learning
    DOI
    2013-10 | Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
    Rothen Nicolas // B. Scott Ryan // D. Mealor Andy // J. Coolbear Daniel // Burckhardt Vera // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Grapheme-color synaesthesia is associated with a distinct cognitive style
    DOI
    2013-09 | Journal of Frontiers in Psychology
    Meier Beat // Rothen Nicolas
    Peer-reviewed
  • Coloured Letters and Numbers (CLaN): A reliable factor-analysis based synaesthesia questionnaire
    DOI
    2013-08 | Journal of Consciousness and Cognition
    Rothen Nicolas // Tsakanikos Elias // Meier Beat // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Why vicarious experience is not an instance of synesthesia
    DOI
    2013-04 | Journal of Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Correcting misconceptions about synaesthesia
    DOI
    2013-04 | Journal of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
    Blair Terhune Devin // Rothen Nicolas // Cohen Kadosh Roi
    Peer-reviewed
  • Enhanced associative memory for colour (but not shape or location) in synaesthesia
    DOI
    2013-03 | Journal of Cognition
    Pritchard Jamie // Rothen Nicolas // J. Coolbear Daniel // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Diagnosing synaesthesia with online colour pickers: Maximising sensitivity and specificity
    DOI
    2013-03 | Journal of Journal of Neuroscience Methods
    Rothen Nicolas // K. Seth Anil // Witzel Christoph // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Synaesthesia and Memory
    DOI
    2013-01 | Journal of Oxford Handbook of Synaesthesia
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Psychophysiological evidence for the genuineness of swimming-style colour synaesthesia
    DOI
    2012-12 | Journal of Consciousness and Cognition
    Rothen Nicolas // Nikolić Danko // Maria Jürgens Uta // Mroczko-Wąsowicz Aleksandra // Cock Josephine // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Increased Resting State Network Connectivity in Synesthesia: Evidence for a Neural Basis of Synesthetic Consistency
    DOI
    2012-10 | Journal of Society for Neuroscience
    Rothen Nicolas // Blair Terhune Devin
    Peer-reviewed
  • Enhanced memory ability: Insights from synaesthesia
    DOI
    2012-05 | Journal of Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat // Ward Jamie
    Peer-reviewed
  • Training Synaesthesia
    DOI
    2011-11 | Journal of Perception
    Rothen Nicolas // Wantz Andrea-Laura // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Performance predictions improve prospective memory and influence retrieval experience.
    DOI
    2011-03 | Journal of Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue Canadienne de Psychologie Expérimentale
    Meier Beat // von Wartburg Philipp // Matter Sibylle // Rothen Nicolas // Reber Rolf
    Peer-reviewed
  • Swimming-style synesthesia
    DOI
    2011-02 | Journal of Cortex
    Nikolić Danko // M. Jürgens Uta // Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat // Mroczko Aleksandra
    Peer-reviewed
  • Parieto-occipital suppression eliminates implicit bidirectionality in grapheme-colour synaesthesia
    DOI
    2010-08 | Journal of Elsevier BV
    Rothen Nicolas // Nyffeler Thomas // von Wartburg Roman // Müri René // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Higher Prevalence of Synaesthesia in Art Students
    DOI
    2010-06 | Journal of Perception
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Grapheme–colour synaesthesia yields an ordinary rather than extraordinary memory advantage: Evidence from a group study
    DOI
    2010-02 | Journal of Informa UK Limited
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Consequences of the Timing of Menarche on Female Adolescent Sleep Phase Preference
    DOI
    2009-04 | Journal of Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Rothen Nicolas // Frey Sylvia // Balu Silvia // Greusing Sarah // Cajochen Christian
    Peer-reviewed
  • Do Synesthetes Have a General Advantage in Visual Search and Episodic Memory? A Case for Group Studies
    DOI
    2009-04 | Journal of PLoS ONE
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • Training Grapheme-Colour Associations Produces a Synaesthetic Stroop Effect, but Not a Conditioned Synaesthetic Response
    DOI
    2009-03 | Journal of Neuropsychologia
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed
  • When Conditioned Responses "Fire Back": Bidirectional Cross-Activation Creates Learning Opportunities in Synesthesia
    DOI
    2007-07 | Journal of Neuroscience
    Rothen Nicolas // Meier Beat
    Peer-reviewed

Teaching

M09 Allgemeine Psychologie II: Lernen & Gedächtnis Bachelor of Science in Psychology
M08 Methoden III: Experimentelle Übungen Bachelor of Science in Psychology

Functions at UniDistance Suisse

Executive board

  • Rector ad interim

Faculty of Psychology

  • Associate Professor
  • Rector ad interim

Academic Council

  • Rector ad interim

Faculty Council of the Faculty of Psychology

  • Associate Professor

Experimental psychology & cognitive neurosciences

  • Associate Professor