Prof Dr Dr Moritz Köster

• since 2022 Professor of Developmental and Cognitive Psychology, University of Regensburg
• 2017-2021 Assistant professor (postdoc), Free University of Berlin, Germany
• 2018-2019 Visiting reseacher (postdoc), Kyoto University, Japan
• 2017-2019 Visiting reseacher (postdoc), Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
• 2018 Doctorate in Psychology (Dr phil., summa cum laude), University of Osnabrück
• 2016 Doctorate in Psychology (Dr rer. nat., summa cum laude), University of Münster
• 2013 Diploma in Psychology (with honours), University of Osnabrück
• 2012 Bachelor in Cognitive Science (with honours), University of Osnabrück

preprints

Laumer, I. B., Lewis, L. S., Eckert, J., Winkler, S., Köster, M., Mundry, R., Haun, D., Krupenye, C., & Cartmill, E. A. (preprint). Expecting the unexpected: Great apes anticipate surprise in others. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.12.758475 (external link, opens in a new window) 

Köster, M., Schirmer, M., Schäfer, M., Kärtner, J., Ainamani, H., Cavalcante, L., Itakura, S., Jiménez-Balam, D., Abromeit, M., Hilbert, S., & Kanngiesser, P. (preprint). Parental behaviour shows systematic urban-rural differences across the globe. doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/y5jv7_v1 (external link, opens in a new window)

Kroczek, L., Köster, M., & Mühlberger, A. (preprint). Neural and Affective Dynamics of Social Context Conditioning in Virtual Reality. doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/sftu3_v1 (external link, opens in a new window)

Fulcher, T., Köster, M., Woodward, A. (preprint). Infants Understand Others' Needs - An Independent Replication. doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4347478 (external link, opens in a new window)

2026 & in press

Tebbe, A., Rothmaler, K., Köster, M., Wiesmann C. (in press). Infants and adults neurally represent the perspective of others like their own perception. Science Advances. doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.06.605501 (external link, opens in a new window)

Baldauf, M., Jensen, O., Köster, M. (accepted). Infant Brains Tick at 4Hz - Resonance Properties of the Developing Visual System. elife. (preprint under review: https: //doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.11.675068 (external link, opens in a new window))

Garzòn, M., Korja, R., Ainamani, H., Ndyareeba, E., Töpfer, P., Holmberg, E. & Köster, M. (2026). Unpredictable Maternal Behaviour and Infant Emotional Reactivity in the Context of High Maternal Adversity. Child Development. doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacaf010 (external link, opens in a new window)

Vreden, C., Köster, M., Abbit, L., Ainembabazi, P., Cook, A., Kakai, B., Katusiime, P., Landstedt, J., Mazari, S., Murokore, E., Renner, E., Clay, Z. (in press) Helping Infants to Help: Cultural Variation in Maternal Scaffolding and the Development of Prosocial Behaviour. Developmental Psychology.

2025

Köster, M., Periard, I., Itakura, S., Omori, M., & Kärtner, J. (2025). Culture-specific socialisation in the first year predicts infants' prosocial development at the end of the second year. Developmental Psychology. doi.org/10.1037/dev0002013 (external link, opens in a new window)

Michel, C., Langeloh, M., Tünte, M., Köster, M. & Hoehl, S. (in press). No clear evidence for a domain-general violation of expectation effect in the pupillary responses of 9-to 10-month-olds. Plos One. (preprint: doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/v5yh7_v1 (external link, opens in a new window))

Benz, F., Hanna, S., Harvey, N., Vollmer, B., Köster, M., Villar, J., Fernandes, M. (2025). Early neurophysiological markers of aberrant auditory processing associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Pediatric Investigation. doi.org/10.1002/ped4.12460 (external link, opens in a new window)

Fonseca, B., Priante, P., Köster, M., Kärtner, J., Cavalcante L. (2025). Maternal Socialisation Goals and Children's Requested Behaviors. Paidéia doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e3434 (external link, opens in a new window)

2024

Köster, M. (2024) The theta-gamma code in predictive processing and mnemonic updating. Neuroscience and Biobehavioural Reviews. doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105529 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M. & Hepach, R. (2024). Preverbal infants' understanding of social norms. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-53110-3 (external link, opens in a new window)

Bohn, M., da Silva, W., Giner Torréns, M., Kärtner, J., Itakura, S., Cavalcante L., Haun, D., Köster, M.*, & Kanngiesser, P.* (2024). Mealtime conversations between parents and their 2-year-old children in five cultural contexts. Developmental Psychology. doi. org/10.1037/dev0001688 (external link, opens in a new window)

Mendl, J., Banerjee, S., Fischer, R., Dreisbach, G.*, & Köster, M.* (2024) Control in Context: The Theta Rhythm Provides Evidence for Reactive Control but no Evidence for Proactive Control. Psychophysiology. doi. org/10.1111/psyp.14625 (external link, opens in a new window)

Bánki, A., Köster, M., Cichy, R. M., & Hoehl, S. (2024). Communicative signals during joint attention promote neural processes of infants and caregivers. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.10132 (external link, opens in a new window)

Kärtner, J., & Köster, M. (2024) Early social-cognitive development as a dynamic developmental system-a lifeworld approach. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1399903 (external link, opens in a new window)

Kopp, K.*, Kanngiesser, P.*, Brügger, R., Daum, M., Gampe, A., Köster, M., van Schaik, C., Liebal, K.*, Burkart, J.* (2024). The proximate regulation of prosocial behaviour: Towards a conceptual framework for comparative research. Animal Cognition. doi. org/10.1007/s10071-024-01846-w (external link, opens in a new window)

2023

Köster, M., Bánki, A., Yamasaki, D., Kato, M., Itakura, S., & Hoehl, S. (2023). Cross-cultural differences in visual object and background processing in the infant brain. Imaging Neuroscience. doi.org/10.1162/imag_a_00038 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M.*, Brzozowska, A.*, Bánki, A., Tünte, M., Ward, E., & Hoehl, S. (2023). Rhythmic visual stimulation as a window into early brain development: a systematic review. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101315 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M.*, & Meyer, M.* (2023). Down and up! Does the mu rhythm index a gating mechanism in the developing motor system? Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101239 (external link, opens in a new window)

Jurkat, S., Köster, M., Hernandez, L., Itakura, S., & Kärtner, J. (2023) Visual attention across cultures: Similarities and differences in child development and maternal attention styles. Developmental Science. doi.org/10.1111/desc.13368 (external link, opens in a new window)

2022

Xie, S., Hoehl, S., Moeskops, M., Kayhan, E., Kliesch, C., Turtleton, B., Köster, M.* & Cichy, R. M.* (2022) Visual category representations in the infant brain. Current Biology. doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.016 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., & Gruber, T. (2022). Rhythms of human attention and memory: An embedded process perspective. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.905837 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Giner Torréns, M., Kärtner, J., Itakura, S., Cavalcante L., & Kanngiesser, P. (2022). Parental teaching behaviour in diverse cultural contexts. Evolution and Human Behaviour. doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.07.002 (external link, opens in a new window)

Bánki, A. A., Brzozowska, A., Hoehl, S., & Köster, M. (2022). Neural entrainment vs. stimulus-tracking: A conceptual challenge for rhythmic perceptual stimulation in developmental neuroscience. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.878984 (external link, opens in a new window)

2021

Köster, M., Langeloh, M., Michel, C., & Höhl, S. (2021). Young infants process prediction errors at the theta rhythm. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118074 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Langeloh, M., Kliesch, C., Kanngiesser, P.*, & Höhl, S.* (2021). The value of subsequent memory paradigms in uncovering neural mechanisms of early social learning. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117978 (external link, opens in a new window)

2020

Köster, M., Kayhan, E., Langeloh, M., & Höhl, S. (2020) Making Sense of the World - Infant Learning from a Predictive Processing Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science. doi.org/10.1177/1745691619895071 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Langeloh, M., Kliesch, C., Kanngiesser, P.*, & Höhl, S.* (2020). Motor cortex activity during action observation predicts subsequent action imitation in human infants. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116958 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Goeke, C., Bonkoch-Goeke, E., Hoffmann, T., & Kaspar, K. (2020). Auditory information support the learning transfer from L2 to L3 tonal languages. Current Psychology. doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-9792-z (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Yovsi, R., & Kärtner, J. (in press). Cross-Cultural Differences in the Generation of Novel Ideas in Middle Childhood. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01829 (external link, opens in a new window)

Mavridis, P., Kärtner, J., Cavalcante, L., Resende, B., Schuhmacher, N., & Köster, M. (in press) The Development of Context-sensitive Attention in Urban and Rural Brazil. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01623 (external link, opens in a new window)

Jurkat, S., Köster, M., Yovsi, R., & Kärtner, J. (2020) The development of context-sensitive attention across cultures - the impact of stimulus familiarity. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01526 (external link, opens in a new window)

Haun, D.*, Liebal, K.*, Amici, F., Bender, A., Bohn, M., Bräuer, J., Buttelmann, D., Burkart, J., Cacchione, T., Detroy, S., Faßbender, I., Fichtel, C., Fischer, J., Gampe, A., Gray, R., Horn, L., Ona, L., Kärtner, J., Kaminski, J., Kanngießer, P., Keller, H., Köster, M., Kopp, K., Kornadt, K., Rakoczy, H., Schuppli, C., Stengelin, R., Trommsdorff, G., Van Leeuwen, E., Van Schaik, C. (2020) A plea for the relevance of comparative psychology for the understanding of human development. Psychologische Rundschau. doi.org/10.1026/0033-3042/a000467 (external link, opens in a new window)

2019

Köster, M.*, Langeloh, M.*, & Höhl, S. (2019) Visually entrained theta oscillations increase for unexpected events in the infant brain. Psychological Science. doi.org/10.1177/0956797619876260 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Martens, U., & Gruber, T. (2019). Memory entrainment by visually evoked theta-gamma coupling. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.002 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., & Kärtner, J. (2019). Why do infants help? A simple action reveals a complex phenomenon. Developmental Review. doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2018.11.004 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Itakura, S., Omori, M., & Kärtner, J. (2019). From understanding others' needs to prosocial action: Motor and social abilities promote infants' helping. Developmental Science. doi.org/10.1111/desc.12804 (external link, opens in a new window)

Dworazik, N., Kärtner, J., Lange, L., & Köster, M. (2019) Young children respond to moral dilemma like their mothers. Frontiers in Psychology. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02683 (external link, opens in a new window)

Schuhmacher, N., Köster, M., & Kärtner, J. (2019). Modelling prosocial behaviour increases helping in 16-month-olds. Child Development. doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13054 (external link, opens in a new window)

2018

Köster, M.*, Finger, H.*, Graetz, S., Kater, M., & Gruber, T. (2018). Theta-gamma coupling binds visual perceptual features in an associative memory task. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35812-7 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., & Kärtner, J. (2018). Context-sensitive attention is socialised via a verbal route in the parent-child interaction. PLoS ONE. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0207113 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Itakura, S., Yovsi, R., & Kärtner, J. (2018). Visual attention in 5-year-olds from three different cultures. PLoS ONE. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200239 (external link, opens in a new window)

Fonseca, B., Cavalcante, L., Kärtner, J., & Köster, M. (2018). Maternal socialisation goals and the spontaneous prosocial behaviour of children in rural contexts. Psychology: Research and Review doi.org/10.1186/s41155-018-0108-x (external link, opens in a new window)

Schöne, B., Köster, M., & Gruber, T. (2018). Coherence in general and personal semantic knowledge. Experimental Brain Research. doi.org/10.1007/s00221-018-5324-1 (external link, opens in a new window)

Kruger, D.J., Köster, M., Nedelec, J.L., & Murphy, S.F. (2018). A life history framework advances the understanding of intentions for police cooperation. Evolutionary Behavioural Sciences. doi.org/10.1037/ebs0000109 (external link, opens in a new window)

2017

Köster, M., Castel, J., Gruber, T., & Kärtner, J. (2017). Visual cortical networks align with behavioural measures of context-sensitivity in early childhood. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.08.008 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Haese, A., Czernochowski, D. (2017). Neuronal oscillations reveal the processes underlying intentional compared to incidental learning in children and young adults. PLoS ONE. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182540 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Finger, H., Kater, M., Schenk, C., & Gruber, T. (2017). Neuronal oscillations indicate sleep-dependent changes in the cortical memory trace. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. doi.org/10.1162/jocn_a_01071 (external link, opens in a new window)

2016

Köster, M., Cavalcante, L., Carvalho, R., & Resende, B. D., Kärtner, J. (2016). Cultural Influences on Toddlers' Prosocial Behaviour: How Maternal Task Assignment Relates to Helping Others. Child Development. doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12636 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M. (2016) What about microsaccades in the EEG of infants? Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.0739 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Ohmer, X., Nguyen, T. D., Kärtner, J. (2016) Infants understand others' needs. Psychological Science. doi.org/10.1177/0956797615627426 (external link, opens in a new window)

2015

Köster, M., Schumacher, N., & Kärtner, J. (2015) A Cultural Perspective on Prosocial Development. Human Ethology Bulletin link

Goeke, C., Gramann, K., Kornpetpanee, S., Köster, M., Revelles, F. & König, P. (2015). Cultural background shapes spatial reference frame proclivity. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/srep11426 (external link, opens in a new window)

Köster, M., Rüth, M., Hamborg, K.-C., Kaspar, K. (2015). Effects of personalized banner ads on visual attention and recognition memory. Applied Cognitive Psychology. doi.org/10.1002/acp.3080 (external link, opens in a new window)

2014 & 2013

Köster, M.*, Friese, U.*, Schöne, B., Trujillo-Barreto, N., & Gruber , T. (2014). Theta-gamma coupling during episodic retrieval in the human EEG. Brain Research. doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2014.06.028 (external link, opens in a new window)

Friese, U.*, Köster, M.*, Hassler, U., Martens, U., Barreto, N. T., & Gruber, T. (2013). Successful memory encoding is associated with increased cross-frequency coupling between frontal theta and posterior gamma oscillations in human scalp-recorded EEG. Neuroimage. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.11.002 (external link, opens in a new window)

* Joint first/last authors