Christian Scharinger

Dr. Christian Scharinger is an Associated Scientist and Principal Investigator at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) in Tübingen, Germany, where he has been actively engaged in research since 2010. He is a member of the Multimodal Interaction Lab and leads a DFG-funded project on neurophysiological measures in instructional design. His research integrates cognitive psychology with educational technology, focusing on how digital learning environments affect cognitive processes.

Christian Scharinger earned his M.A. in Linguistics, Informatics, and Media Sciences from the University of Trier and the University of Konstanz in 2007. He completed his doctoral thesis in Cognitive Science at the University of Tübingen in 2015. From February to September 2017, he served as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Tübingen’s Chair of Applied Cognitive Psychology and Media Psychology.

His research interests center on the cognitive and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying learning in digital environments. He employs advanced methodologies such as combined EEG and eye-tracking to investigate cognitive load, working memory, and the effects of multimedia elements like decorative pictures and virtual reality. He is particularly interested in how seductive details influence learning and how user-friendly digital interfaces can be designed based on neurocognitive data.

The recent publications of Christian Scharinger reflect a strong trend in using neurophysiological indicators—especially EEG frequency band power and pupil dilation—to assess cognitive load across various learning contexts, including text reading, VR, and gamified tasks. His work bridges cognitive theory with practical applications in educational design, often evaluating the validity of multimedia learning principles through empirical neurocognitive data.

• Task-irrelevant decorative pictures increase cognitive load (2024)
• Effects of emotional decorative pictures on cognitive load (2023)
• Gamification of n-back tasks (2023)
• EEG and eye-tracking in text-picture learning (2020)
• Cross-subject cognitive load classification (2018)

Christian Scharinger has been involved in multiple DFG and interdisciplinary research projects, including those on virtual reality, working memory load, and perception of historical sites. He has taught seminars at Hochschule Tuttlingen and Hochschule Fresenius Heidelberg, contributing to academic training in psychology and technology. He is also a member of the IWM postdoc network 'Cognitive Conflicts During Media Use', indicating active engagement in collaborative research. While no formal advisees are listed, his role as a PI and lab member suggests mentorship responsibilities.

He has contributed to setting up and operating a combined EEG-eye-tracking laboratory at IWM, demonstrating technical leadership. His work spans both basic and applied research, with implications for instructional design, human-computer interaction, and educational technology. He regularly presents at major conferences such as EARLI, TeaP, and ETRA, and has organized symposia and workshops, reflecting strong academic leadership.