Short Description
The devices of the core facility of the psycho- / neurolinguistic laboratory include a device for eye tracking (eye tracking; Eyelink 1000 System; SR Research) with a very high temporal and spatial resolution (2000Hz sampling rate; <0.5 ° accuracy), a 64-channel EEG System with active electrodes (Brain Products, ActiCHamp) for measuring brain waves (with a temporal resolution of 1000 Hz sampling rate), an 16x16 channel fNIRS system (NIRScout, NIRX) for measuring cortical blood flow (oxygen saturation) as an indicator for brain activity as well as various behavior-based ones Methods and paradigms (SAT procedure, self-paced reading, visual world paradigm, etc.) for the investigation of language comprehension processes.
The methods can be coupled (EEG electrodes and fNIRS optodes can be mounted in a hood) so that brain activation (EEG, fNIRS) and eye movements can be recorded at the same time.
In addition, the Core Facility has hardware dongle licenses for EEG analysis (Brain Vision Analyzer 2).
The devices enable the investigation of language understanding and language production processes in different modalities (spoken language, sign language).
Contact Person
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Dietmar Roehm
Research Services
Neurobiology of language
Predictive processing of language comprehension
Neural correlates of the processing of disturbed / undisturbed speech
Discourse processing
Sign Language Research
Interference in speech processing
Parafoveal processing while reading
Fixation-corrected brain potentials
Combined measurement of EEG, NIRS and eye movements
Language comprehension and language development in children
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The combination of theoretical, experimental and clinical linguistics with cognitive and neuroscience leads to a deeper understanding of human language ability and allows comprehensive insights into the brain processes and structures involved in language understanding. By using the methods EEG, NIRS, eye movement measurement, in combination with behavioral measures (e.g. acceptability, reaction time, language tests) and clinical procedures, research into language on a cognitive and neurobiological level is made possible. The resulting findings form the basis for modeling linguistic / cognitive processes.
The psycho- / neurolinguistic laboratory covers the following areas of application:
a) Language processing (phonetic, written and sign language processing): Language processing as a psycho- / neurolinguistic discipline comprises the areas of syntax processing, lexical access (semantics) and pragmatics. As a neurolinguistic discipline, language comprehension is explored under the influence of acquired and developmental disorders. In addition, language comprehension / language processing in children as well as in demented and elderly people is examined.
The “Neurobiology of Language” working group deals with the neurobiological foundations of language processing, taking into account all linguistic levels (phonetics, lexicons, syntax, semantics, discourse).
b) L2 / L3 language acquisition in children and adults *: bilingualism (code switching; effect of bilingualism on cognitive functions); Multilingualism (morpho- / syntactic transfer and neurocognitive correlates); Language learning processes (evidence-based methods for L2 / L3 teaching; instructed L2 / 3 acquisition; research-based grammar intervention)
(* In cooperation with Assoc.-Prof. Dr. Tanja Angelovska, University Kassel)
Inter-faculty department for sport and movement sciences, University of Salzburg
Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg
Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University (USA)
Cognitive Neuroscience, Adelaide University (Australia)
Brain & Cognition Lab, Texas A&M University (USA)
Language Acquisition, Multilingualism, & Cognition (LAM-C) Laboratory, Wilfrid Laurier University (Canada)
Department of English, National Taiwan Normal University (Taiwan)
Institut für Anglistik/Amerikanistik, Research on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Didactics of English, Universität Kassel (Germany)
Department of Applied Linguistics, University of Warsaw (Poland)
2026
Reimann-Ayiköz, M., Preiß, J., Reisenberger, E., Florea, C., Angerer, M., Schabus, M., Roehm, D., Schaadt, G., & Männel, C.
Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1817292
From Variability to Synchrony: Non-linear Development of Auditory Neural Responses During the First Year of Life
2026
Reisenberger, E., Schabus, M., Florea, C., Angerer, M., Reimann-Ayiköz, M., Preiß, J., Roehm, D., Heib, D. P., Fazelnia, C., & Ameen, M. S.
bioRxiv, 2026.02. 20.706969
https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.20.706969
The use of electroencephalography in second language instructional contexts: assets and challenges for the classroom
2025
Angelovska, T. & D. Roehm
In: Benati (ed,) Language Teaching and Pedagogy (Bloomsbury Applied Linguistics Volume 4). London: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 9781350213586
Sign language encodes event structure through neuromotor dynamics: motion, muscle, and meaning
2025
Krebs, J., Harbour, E., Malaia, E. A., Wilbur, R. B., Martetschläger, J., Schwameder, H., & Roehm, D.
Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1689676
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1689676
Grammatical control of sign language production: EMG and motion capture analysis of adjective intensification in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)
2025
Krebs, J., Harbour, E., Malaia, E. A., Wilbur, R. B., Schwameder, H., & Roehm, D.
Frontiers in Language Sciences, 4, 1632226
https://doi.org/10.3389/flang.2025.1632226
Fetal Dehydroepiandrosterone from Hair Samples at Birth Predicts Language Development
2025
Reimann-Ayiköz, M., Preiß, J., Reisenberger, E., Florea, C., Angerer, M., Schabus, M., Roehm, D., Schaadt, G., & Männel, C.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 107663
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107663
Processing effects of L1/L2 from L3 in translation recognition paradigm: an exploratory ERP study
2025
Zhaksylykkyzy, K., Ibrayeva, Z. K., Kustubayeva, A. M., Roehm, D., & Zholdassova, M.
Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1710959
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1710959
Working memory of young school-age learners acquiring L2 English morphology: An experimental exploratory lab study with structured input intervention
2024
Roehm, D. & Angelovska, T.
Special Issue "The role of individual differences on the effects of processing instruction and structured input practice". Ampersand: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Language Sciences and Bilingualism, 13, 100192
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amper.2024.100192
Neural speech tracking in newborns: prenatal learning and contributing factors
2024
Florea, C., Reimann, M., Schmidt, F., Preiß, J., Reisenberger, E., Angerer, M., Ameen, M., Heib, D., Roehm, D., & Schabus, M.
bioRxiv 2024.03.18.585222
https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.18.585222
A Selective Review of Event-Related Potential Investigations in Second and Third Language Acquisition of Syntax
2023
Angelovska, T. & Roehm, D.
In: Special Issue "Multilingualism: Consequences for the Brain and Mind" (eds Schwiter, J.) Languages, 8(1), 90
https://doi.org/10.3390/languages8010090
Neural mechanisms of Event Visibility in sign languages. Language
2023
Krebs, J., Wilbur, R. B., Roehm, D. & Malaia, E. A.
Cognition, and Neuroscience, 38(9), 1282-1301
https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2023.2228437
The interaction of predictive processing and similarity-based retrieval interference: an ERP study
2022
Schoknecht, P., Roehm, D., Schlesewsky, M., & Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, I.
Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 37(7), 883-901
https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2022.2026421
Age of sign language acquisition has lifelong effect on syntactic preferences in sign language users
2021
Krebs, J., Roehm, D., Wilbur, R.B. & Malaia, E.
International Journal of Behavioral Development. 45(5), 397-408.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025420958193
Language processing as a precursor to language change: evidence from Icelandic.
2020
Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, I., Roehm, D., Mailhammer, R., & Schlesewsky, M.
Frontiers in Psychology, section Language Sciences.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.03013
Uncovering transfer effects of dominance and proficiency in L3 English acquisition using the visual moving window paradigm and grammaticality judgments
2020
Angelovska, T., Roehm, D., & Weinmüller, S.
Applied Linguistics Review (published online ahead of print 2020, open access),000010151520190075.
https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2019-0075
Processing instruction effects regardless of input modality and developmental processing constraints?
2020
Angelovska, T., & Roehm, D.
A school lab classroom study on the morphosyntactic acquisition of L2 English. Instructed Second Language Acquisition, 4(2), 180–202. https://doi.org/10.1558/isla.40640
Neurolinguistic Implications for L2 Learning and Teaching.
2020
Angelovska, T. & Roehm, D.
In: The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (eds J.I. Liontas, T. International Association and M. DelliCarpini).
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0956.pub2
Distributional properties of an agreement marker in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)
2020
Krebs, J., Wilbur, R.B. & Roehm, D.
Linguistics, 58(4), 1151-1194.
https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2020-0159
Psycholinguistic mechanisms of classifier processing in sign language.
2020
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B. & Roehm, D.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.
https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000958
Age of sign language acquisition has lifelong effect on syntactic preferences in sign language users.
2020
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B. & Roehm, D.
International Journal of Behavioral Development.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025420958193
Subjektpräferenz in der Österreichischen Gebärdensprache (ÖGS). Das Zeichen.
2020
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B., & Roehm, D.
Zeitschrift für Sprache und Kultur Gehörloser, 114, 96-107.
Interaction between topic marking and subject preference strategy in sign language processing.
2020
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B. & Roehm, D
Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, 35(4), 466-484.
https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2019.1667001
Age of acquisition effects differ across linguistic domains in sign language: EEG evidence.
2020
Malaia, E., Krebs, J. & Roehm, D. & Wilbur, R.B.
Brain & Language, 200, 104708.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104708
Neurolinguistic accounts of L2 learning and teaching
2019
Roehm, D. & Angelovska, T.
In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching updates. Hoboken. NJ: Wiley.
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0956
Interaction between topic marking and subject preference strategy in sign language processing
2019
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B. & Roehm, D.
Language, Cognition and Neuroscience. 1-19.
https://doi.org/10.1080/23273798.2019.1667001
Looking forward does not mean forgetting about the past: ERP evidence for the interplay of predictive coding and interference during language processing.
2019
Schoknecht, P., Roehm, D., Schlesewsky, M., & Bornkessel-Schlesewsky, I.
bioRxiv 567560. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/567560
Age of acquisition effects differ across lingu- istic domains in sign language: EEG evidence
2019
Malaia, E., Krebs, J. & Roehm, D. Wilbur, R.B. (2019).
Brain & Language, 200, 104708.
doi: https://10.1016/j.- bandl.2019.104708
The impact of transitional movements and non-manual markings on the disambiguation of locally ambiguous argument structures in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)
2019
Krebs, J., Wilbur, R. B., Alday, P. M., & Roehm, D.
Language and Speech, 62(4), 652-680.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830918801399
Subject preference emerges as cross-modal strategy for linguistic processing.
2018
Krebs, J., Malaia, E., Wilbur, R.B., & Roehm, D.
Brain Research, 1691, 105-117.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2018.03.029.
The impact of transitional movements and non-manual markings on the disambiguation of locally ambiguous argument structures in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS)
2018
Krebs, J., Wilbur, R.B., Alday, P.M. & Roehm, D.
Language and Speech, Vol. 62(4), 652 –680.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/0023830918801399.
The costs of being certain: Brain potential evidence for linguistic preactivation in sentence processing
2017
Freunberger, D. & Roehm, D.
Psychophysiology, 54, 824-832.
https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.12848.
Psycho-/Neurolinguistik: Neuronale Korrelate der Verarbeitung grammatischer Variation. In: Konopka, Marek / Wöllstein, Angelika (Hrsg.): Grammatische Variation Empirische Zugänge und theoretische Modellierung.
2017
Roehm, Dietmar
Jahrbuch des Instituts für Deutsche Sprache 2016. XVI/356 S. - Berlin / Boston: de Gruyter, 2017. S. 161-178.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110518214-011.
Two agreement markers in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS).
2017
Krebs, J., Wilbur, R., & Roehm, D. (2017).
Sign Language & Linguistics, 20(1), 27 –54.
https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.20.1.02kre.
Wie Wörter Wellen werden. Die Untersuchung von Sprachverarbeitung mittels EEG. In: Konopka, Marek / Wöllstein, Angelika (Hrsg.): Grammatische Variation Empirische Zugänge und theoretische Modellierung
2017
Freunberger, D. (2017).
Jahrbuch des Instituts für Deutsche Sprache 2016. XVI/356 S. - Berlin / Boston: de Gruyter.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110518214-017.