• 10/2016: PhD in Psychology (Dr. phil.), Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 02/2013: Diplom Psychology (Dipl.-Psych., equivalent to M.Sc.), Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 09/2008: Vordiplom Psychology (equivalent to B.Sc.), Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany

• 11/2016 – present: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 03/2013 – 10/2016: PhD Student and Research Associate, Department of General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 10/2012 – 02/2013: Intern, BASF Services Europe GmbH, Recruiting Services, Berlin, Germany
• 03/2012 – 05/2012: Intern, Central Institute of Mental Health, Psychiatric Clinic, Mannheim, Germany
• 10/2009 – 02/2012: Student Research Assistant, Department of General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience & DFG Research Unit Person Perception, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 10/2010 – 02/2012: Tutor, Department of General Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
• 03/2009 – 08/2009: Student Research Assistant, Department of Developmental Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany

• NeuroImage
• Perception

My research focuses on perceptual and cognitive processes as well as underlying neural mechanisms (event-related potentials [ERPs]) involved in face identity processing (i.e. face learning, face matching, and recognition) of faces with varying degrees of familiarity. I am especially interested in the relative contributions of individual facial shape and texture information to face identity processing. Moreover, I am interested in individual differences with respect to face identity processing skills.

Papers in peer-reviewed journals:

Itz, M. L., Golle, J. Luttmann, S., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2017). Dominance of texture over shape in facial identity processing is modulated by individual abilities. British Journal of Psychology, 108(2), 369-396. doi: 10.1111/bjop.12199

Itz, M. L., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2017). Caricature generalization benefits for faces learned with enhanced idiosyncratic shape or texture. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 17(1), 185-197. doi: 10.3758/s13415-016-0471-y

Itz, M. L. , Schweinberger, S. R., Kaufmann, J. M. (2016). Effects of Caricaturing in Shape or Color on Familiarity Decisions for Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces, Plos One, 11(2). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.014979

Itz, M.L., Schweinberger, S.R., Schulz, C., & Kaufmann, J.M. (2014). Neural correlates of facilitations in face learning by selective caricaturing of facial shape or reflectance.NeuroImage, 102, 736-747. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.08.042

Conference presentations:

Itz, M. L., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2016). The reverse caricature effect for faces caricatured in shape or texture. Poster presentation at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), May 2016. St. Pete Beach, FL, USA.

Kaufmann, J. M., Itz, M. L., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2016). Individual differences in the contribution of shape and texture to the recognition of personally familiar faces. Poster presentation at the 16th Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), May 2016. St. Pete Beach, FL, USA.

Itz, M. L., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2016). Individual differences and the influence of second-order configuration on familiar face recognition: A priming study. Poster presentation at the 58th Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP), March 2016, Heidelberg, Germany.

Kaufmann, J. M., Itz, M. L., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2016). Individual differences in the contribution of shape and texture to personally familiar face recognition. Talk at the 58th Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP), March 2016, Heidelberg, Germany.

Itz, M. L., Kaufmann, J. M., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2015). Encoding of faces caricatured in shape or reflectance improves recognition of veridical counterparts. Talk at the PPRU Workshop “Person Perception: Current Topics and Perspectives”, October 2015, Jena, Germany.

Itz, M. L., Golle, J., Luttmann, S., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2015). Dominance of reflectance over shape in facial identity processing is related to individual abilities. Poster presentation at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), May 2015, St. Pete Beach, FL, USA.

Itz, M. L., Romanova, L., Schlüter, H., Wanke, N., Schweinberger, S. R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2015). Evidence for a reverse caricature effect for newly learned caricatures of shape or reflectance. Poster presentation at the PPRU Workshop “Human Communication: From Person Perception to Social Action”, April 2015, Jena, Germany.

Itz, M. L., Luttmann, S., Schweinberger, S.R., & Kaufmann, J. M. (2014). Evidence for dominance of surface reflectance and tolerance for violations of shape in face matching and recognition. Poster presentation at the 56th Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP), March-April 2014, Gießen, Germany.

Itz, M. L., Kaufmann, J. M., Schulz, C., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2013). The influence of caricatured shape and texture on face learning: An ERP study. Poster Presentation at the PPRU Workshop “Person Perception Preserved and Impaired: Neuroscientific, Clinical, Experimental and Computational Evidence”, April 2013, Jena, Germany.

Kaufmann, J. M., Itz, M. L., Schulz, C., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2012). Neural Correlates of learning and recognizing faces caricatured in shape or texture. Talk at the 12th Annual Meeting of the Vision Sciences Society (VSS), May 2012, Naples, FL, USA.

Itz, M. L., Kaufmann, J. M., Schulz, C., & Schweinberger, S. R. (2012). Effects of caricaturing shape and texture on face learning: An ERP study. Poster Presentation at the 54th. Conference of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP), April 2012, Mannheim, Germany.

• (Co-)Supervision of Theses (Bachelor, Master)
• Project Seminar: General Psychology & Cognitive Neurosciences II (Master’s level seminar)
• (Co-)Supervision of research projects for visiting students/interns