Research
The Metacontrol Lab
Metacontrol is the ability to adjust to different challenges in one's physical or social environment. Some challenges call for focus, will-power, analytical strength, and maintenance (= persistence), while others call for a broad view, an open mind, mental plasticity, and spontaneity (= flexibility). We study:
The functional and neural underpinnings of metacontrol;
The impact of intra- and inter-individual differences in metacontrol biases towards persistence and flexibility on performance, personality, and psychopathology;
The possibilities to enhance the adaptivity of metacontrol through interventions.
The Metacontrol Team
Core Team
PhD Students
Collaboration & Part-Time Members
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;0;6.234875444839857;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/beste-dOq78bvrbah0OV41.png)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;0;62.919821826280625;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/beste-dOq78bvrbah0OV41.png)
Prof. Dr. Christian Beste (tu dresden)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;7.792452830188679;0;5.84433962264151/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/passport-foto-lorenza-dsc_8506_27.04.2018-YX4XaPe07XiGJWw0.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=51.590047393364934;0;76.75592417061611;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/passport-foto-lorenza-dsc_8506_27.04.2018-YX4XaPe07XiGJWw0.jpg)
Prof. Dr. Lorenza Colzato
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=123.3021582733813;247.3216374269006;235.5496402877698;14.448343079922026/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/simone-ka1-4hn-dWxwBlgoO4Ca21Vn.png)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=145.09262589928056;247.24390243902437;275.83543165467626;14.356097560975611/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/simone-ka1-4hn-dWxwBlgoO4Ca21Vn.png)
Prof. Dr. Simone Kühn (max planck institute for human development, berlin)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;53.227722772277225;42.5;28.277227722772277/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/screenshot-2023-11-28-201520-YNqpPJxlWJi0aZzq.png)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;26.492307692307694;62.805755395683455;13.56923076923077/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/screenshot-2023-11-28-201520-YNqpPJxlWJi0aZzq.png)
Dr. Seema Prasad (tu dresden)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=55.97866666666667;136.53333333333333;83.28533333333333;95.57333333333334/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jing-zhang-499-m2Wla4w7LrIQzDB0.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=60.168514412416854;81.73835920177383;88.54988913525499;57.8980044345898/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jing-zhang-499-m2Wla4w7LrIQzDB0.jpg)
Prof. Dr. Jing Zhang (hangzhou dianzi university)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=218,h=290,fit=crop,trim=9.047619047619047;46.666666666666664;42.857142857142854;39.52380952380952/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/rachel-m6LD9Vlx59hyPxGw.jpeg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=158,h=154,fit=crop,trim=9.631336405529954;28.018433179723502;45.52995391705069;23.640552995391705/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/rachel-m6LD9Vlx59hyPxGw.jpeg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;92.5754060324826;107.11475409836066;64.73317865429235/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jacobs_arvid_kappas-A0xW9L5a9NUbPRGQ.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;63.74269005847953;109.54437869822485;44.44444444444444/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jacobs_arvid_kappas-A0xW9L5a9NUbPRGQ.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=4.722666666666667;42.45283018867924;64.09333333333333;69.40700808625337/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/maurelli_kl-m5K2kOR7wbIwZ0EZ.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=4.993421052631579;26.053215077605323;70.4627192982456;42.128603104212864/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/maurelli_kl-m5K2kOR7wbIwZ0EZ.jpg)
Prof. Dr. Arvid Kappas (constructors university bremen)
Prof. Dr. Francesco Maurelli (constructors university bremen)
Dr. Shudan Gao
Dr. Jiaqi Gao
Dr. Yang Gao
Dr. Shiwei Jia
Dr. Kangcheng Wang
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=324,h=216,fit=crop,trim=76.81818181818181;0;466.8181818181818;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jiaqi-gao-small-ALpbqQ380Dtbq71k.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;45.52380952380952;0;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jiaqi-gao-small-ALpbqQ380Dtbq71k.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=212,h=293,fit=crop,trim=93.1580459770115;131.42857142857142;208.23563218390805;87.61904761904762/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/shudanface-mp8752ZgzWsaB16E.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=237.48884758364312;130.9230769230769;535.2360594795539;88.46153846153845/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/shudanface-mp8752ZgzWsaB16E.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/yangface-dJoNX2L3vNI9JLP1.gif)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/yangface-dJoNX2L3vNI9JLP1.gif)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=212,h=293,fit=crop,trim=474.99197431781704;426.68094218415416;669.1492776886035;457.90149892933624/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/img_9719-A3QrGnyNoLC91aBk.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=588.2454251883746;413.71592539454804;827.7287405812702;443.93113342898135/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/img_9719-A3QrGnyNoLC91aBk.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=200,h=276,fit=crop,trim=0;100.88461538461537;0;100.88461538461537/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/kangcheng-wang-dJoN27GopKSzWjKb.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;4.042168674698796;0;4.042168674698796/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/kangcheng-wang-dJoN27GopKSzWjKb.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=212,h=293,fit=crop,trim=0;92.26612903225806;0;103.12096774193549/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/yuface-AwvPnBxo22hgJP2J.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=114.89405684754522;0;160.03100775193798;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/yuface-AwvPnBxo22hgJP2J.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=212,h=293,fit=crop,trim=0;78.67330677290838;0;157.34661354581675/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jiminface-YX4zKBvqJ7Sw37j8.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;0;291.4778067885117;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jiminface-YX4zKBvqJ7Sw37j8.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=212,h=293,fit=crop,trim=0;0;127.51572327044025;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/hongchiface-YbNy8zQkGRcngyL8.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;0;564.8920570264766;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/hongchiface-YbNy8zQkGRcngyL8.jpg)
Yu Pi
Jimin Yan
Hongchi Zhang
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=334,h=223,fit=crop,trim=0;0;88.9313432835821;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jan-002-Yg2aorlVPZH6Kn30.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;0;7.276595744680852;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/jan-002-Yg2aorlVPZH6Kn30.jpg)
Jan Pohl
Xi (Rachel) Zhang
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=243,h=237,fit=crop,trim=0;0;53.70370370370371;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/placeholder-dWxwQ6NP6lSa1Xw9.png)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;0;53.546910755148744;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/placeholder-dWxwQ6NP6lSa1Xw9.png)
Shuai Zhao
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;0;0.9452554744525548;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/verschoor-AE0vByx8qVhEE98E.jpg)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=27.792237442922374;0;41.98401826484018;0/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/verschoor-AE0vByx8qVhEE98E.jpg)
Dr. Stephan Verschoor (bremen university)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=205,h=273,fit=crop,trim=0;267.6923076923077;378.26359832635984;313.84615384615387/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/christian-fringsgut-mxB8v5B5pPi5arEK.webp)
![](https://assets.zyrosite.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,w=328,h=320,fit=crop,trim=0;204.59016393442622;378;239.21311475409837/mjE00v40gJI3bQMZ/christian-fringsgut-mxB8v5B5pPi5arEK.webp)
Prof. Dr. Christian Frings (trier university)