Research Interests and Publications:

Dr. Mayr's research focuses on the question how the cognitive system "configures itself" to meet changing internal or external demands. For example, in recent work he addressed issues such as: What can the cognitive system do to intentionally establish a new configuration? And: How are no-longer relevant configurations "turned off?" In a developmental context, he examines the hypothesis that life-span changes in specific executive control processes are the source of more general changes in intellectual functioning. The long-term goal of this work is to identify the constellation (and developmental trajectory) of neurocognitive processes critical for intentional, coherent action.

Selected Publications:

Mayr, U., & Keele, S. (2000). Changing internal constraints on action: The role of backward inhibition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 129, 4-26

Mayr, U., Spieler, D. M., & Kliegl, R. (Eds.). (2001). Aging and Executive Control. Howe, UK: Psychology Press.

Keele, S., Ivry, R., Mayr, U., Hazeltine, E., & Heuer, H. (in press). The cognitive and neural architecture of sequence representation. Psychological Review.

Mayr. U. & Kliegl, R. (in press). Differential effects of cue changes and task changes on task-set selection costs. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.

Mayr, U., Awh, E., & Laurey, P. (in press). Does conflict adaptation require executive control? Nature Neuroscience.