Vera Ludwig

I investigate and optimize interventions to strengthen interpersonal connections. For this, our team is using psychological and physiological measures in interacting dyads or larger groups (e.g., heart rate, electrodermal response, EEG, eye tracking). In addition, I am interested in contemplative traditions (e.g., meditation methods), and what these can contribute to fostering subjective well-being. 

I have also done research on volition and motivation, self-regulation, positive sexuality, hypnosis, synesthesia, chimpanzee cross-modal correspondences, and emotion regulation - so I am fascinated by various aspects of subjective experience and behavior. The overarching theme of my work is fostering authentic well-being.

Visit my website at www.VeraLudwig.com or my youtube channel at www.youtube.com/c/ludwigvera to learn more.

***Vera is a Platt Lab alumna and collaborator, now leading her own team on human sexuality and well-being at the Positive Psychology Center, see: https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu/people/vera-ludwig

Selected Publications:

Ludwig, V.U.*, Crone, D.L.*, Clifton, J. D. W. Clifton, Rebele, R. Schor, J., Platt, M.L. (2022). Resilience of primal world beliefs to the initial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Personality. [*equal contributions]

Ludwig, V.U., Berry, B.*, Cai, J.Y.*, Chen, N.M.*, Crone, D.L., Platt, M.L. (2022). The impact of disclosing emotions on ratings of interpersonal closeness, warmth, competence, and leadership ability. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. [*equal contributions]

Ludwig, V.U., Brown, K.W., Brewer, J.A. (2020). Self-regulation without force: can awareness leverage reward to drive behavior change? [PDF] Perspectives on Psychological Science. 1-18.

Ludwig, V.U.*, Adachi, I.*, & Matsuzawa, T. (2011). Visuoauditory mappings between high luminance and high pitch are shared by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 108(51), 20661-20665. [*equal contributions]

Ludwig, V.U.*, Nüsser, C.*, Goschke, T., Wittfoth-Schardt, D., Wiers, C.E., Erk, S., Schott, B.*, & Walter, H.* (2015). Delay discounting without decision-making: Medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala activations reflect immediacy processing and correlate with impulsivity and anxious-depressive traits. Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience, 9(280). [*equal contributions]

Ludwig, V.U.*, Seitz, J.*, Schönfeldt-Lecuona, C., Höse, A., Abler, B., Hole, G., Goebel, R., & Walter, H. (2015). The neural correlates of movement intentions: A pilot study comparing hypnotic and simulated paralysis. Consciousness & Cognition, 35, 158–170. [*equal contributions]

Ludwig, V.U., & Simner, J. (2013). What colour does that feel? Tactile-visual mapping and the development of cross-modality. Cortex, 49(4), 1089-1099.

Ludwig, V.U., Stelzel, C., Krutiak, H., Magrabi, A., Steimke, R., Paschke, L.M., Kathmann, N., & Walter, H. (2014). The suggestible brain: posthypnotic effects on value-based decision-making. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 9(9), 1281-1288.

Ludwig, V.U., Stelzel, C., Krutiak, H., Prunkl, C.E., Steimke, R., Paschke, L.M., Kathmann, N., & Walter, H. (2013). Impulsivity, self-control, and hypnotic suggestibility. Consciousness and Cognition, 22(2), 637-653.

Ludwig, V.U. 2019 (in press): Positive Sexualität: Unser Liebesleben aus der Sicht der Wissenschaft [Positive Sexuality: A scientific perspective on our love lives]. Helmut Fink & Rainer Rosenzweig (Eds.). Hirn im Glück - Freude, Liebe, Hoffnung im Spiegel der Neurowissenschaft, Tagungsband zum Kortizes Symposium 2019.

Kruschwitz, J.D.*, Ludwig, V.U.*, Waller, L., List, D., Wisniewski, D., Wolfensteller, U., . . . Walter, H. (2018). Regulating craving by anticipating positive and negative outcomes: a multivariate pattern analysis and network connectivity approach. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 12(297). [*equal contributions]

Steimke, R., Stelzel, C., Gaschler, R., Rothkirch, M., Ludwig, V.U., Paschke, L.M., Trempler, I., Kathmann, N., Goschke, T., & Walter, H. (2016). Decomposing self-control: individual differences in goal pursuit despite interfering aversion, temptation, and distraction. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(382).

Wiers, C.E., Ludwig, V.U., Gladwin, T. E., Park, S. Q., Heinz, A., Wiers, R.W., Rinck, M., Lindenmeyer, J., Walter, H.,* & Bermpohl, F.* (2015). Neural effects of cognitive bias modification training on alcohol approach tendencies in male alcohol-dependent patients. Addiction Biology, 20(5), 990-999. [*equal contributions]