Dr. Luise Reimers

Postdoctoral Researcher
Neuroendocrinology
Address
Universität Hamburg
Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences
Department Biology
Institute of Zoology
Neuroendocrinology
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
Office
Institute of Zoology
Room: 412
Contact
Academic Career
2012 - 2018 |
PhD thesis at the Research Group Neuroendocrinology, Department Biology, University of Hamburg: „Neuroendocrinology of human altruism. A differentiated role for testosterone in shaping social-cognitive processes in intergroup interactions” Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Esther Diekhof |
2009 - 2012 | M.Sc. Biology, University of Hamburg Master Thesis: „Women’s preferences for male faces in relation to the effects of menstrual cycle and use of hormonal contraceptives as well as partnership status: an eye-tracking study” Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Kerrin Christiansen |
2006 - 2009 | B.Sc. Biology, University of Hamburg Bachelor Thesis: "The effects of male hairstyle on female mate choice" Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Kerrin Christiansen |
Research interests
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Cognition and Human Behavior
- Evolutionary Psychology
My main interests are hormonal effects on human behavior, for instance decision making, and brain activity, which is measured via functional neuroimaging methods (EEG, fMRI). Additionally, I use eye-tracking to investigate the orientation of attention. In this context I am looking for inter- and intra-individual differences from an evolutionary perspective.
Publications
- Reimers L, Kappo E, Stadler L, Yaqubi M, Diekhof EK (2019).Endogenous testosterone correlates with parochial altruism in relation to costly punishment in different social settings. PeerJ 7:e7537https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7537
- Diekhof EK, Reimers L, Holtfrerich, SKC (2019). Hormonal Modulation of Reinforcement Learning and Reward-Related Processes – A Role for 17ß-Estradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone, in: Schultheiss, O., Mehta, P. (Eds.), Routledge International Handbook of Social Neuroendocrinology. Routledge, London and New York, 420–441.
- Jakob K, Ehrentreich H, Holtfrerich SKC, Reimers L, Diekhof EK (2018). DAT1-Genotype and Menstrual Cycle, but Not Hormonal Contraception, Modulate Reinforcement Learning: Preliminary Evidence. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 9: 60. Part of the Research Topic “Steroids and the Brain”
- Reimers L, Büchel C, Diekhof EK (2017). Neural substrates of male parochial altruism are modulated by testosterone and behavioral strategy. NeuroImage. 156: 265-276. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.05.033
- Holtfrerich SK, Schwarz KA, Sprenger C, Reimers L, Diekhof EK (2016). Endogenous Testosterone and Exogenous Oxytocin Modulate Attention Processing of Infant Faces. PLoS One. 2016 Nov 18;11(11):e0166617. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166617. eCollection 2016.
- Reimers L, Diekhof EK (2015). Testosterone is associated with cooperation during intergroup competition by enhancing parochial altruism. Front. Neurosci. 9, 183. doi:10.3389/fnins.2015.00183.
- Diekhof EK, Wittmer S, Reimers L (2014). Does competition really bring out the worst? Testosterone, social distance and inter-male competition shape parochial altruism in human males. PLoS ONE, 9: e98977
- Reimers L, Büchel C, Diekhof, EK (2014). How to be patient. The ability to wait for a reward depends on menstrual cycle phase and feedback-related activity. Front. Neurosci. 8, 401. doi:10.3389/fnins.2014.00401.
Poster & Talks:
- Reimers, L. & Diekhof, E. K. (2014). Testosterone and decision strategy modulate orbitofrontal processing of parochial altruism. (Poster, 20. Kongress der Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Hamburg, Deutschland)
- Reimers, L., Wittmer, S. & Diekhof, E. K. (2013). Does male competition really bring out the worst? Altruistic punishment in the ultimatum game depends on group membership, decision context, and testosterone. (Vortrag, 39. Tagung Psychologie und Gehirn, Würzburg, Deutschland)
- Reimers, L. & Diekhof, E. K. (2013). Let’s sort this out: testosterone predicts approach behaviour in the context of social threat. (Poster, 13. Konferenz der Gesellschaft für Primatologie, Hamburg, Deutschland)
- Reimers, L., Wittmer, S. & Diekhof, E. K. (2013). Does male competition bring out the worst? Testosterone, social distance and intergroup conflict shape parochial altruism in human men. (Poster, 3. Symposium Biology of Decision Making, Paris, Frankreich)
- Reimers, L., Ratnayake, M., Langbehn, M., Hölge, I. & Diekhof, E. K. (2013). Preference for Go over NoGo learning relates to menstrual cycle phase and feedback-related activity. (Poster, 19. Kongress der Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Seattle, USA)