Dr Kathrin Weidacker

Lecturer in Psychology

Psychology

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Office - 937
Ninth Floor
Vivian Building
Singleton Campus

Available For Postgraduate Supervision

Research Links

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5742-6016

About

BSc in Biological Psychology, University of Maastricht, the Netherlands. BSc thesis on the mirror neuron system.
MSc in Brain and Cognition & Clinical Psychology (2-year Research Master), University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. MSc thesis on ERP and time-frequency dynamics underlying Grapheme-Colour Synaesthesia.
PhD in Psychology, Swansea University, Wales. PhD thesis on impulsivity and psychopathic traits.
CPsychol & Full member of the BPS-Division of Forensic Psychology

Areas Of Expertise

Impulsivity
Psychopathic traits
Paedophilia
Gambling
EEG
tDCS
fMRI
MRS

Publications

Research Highlights

Pena, L., Weidacker, K., Massau, C., Wetzel, K., Brand, A., Weckes, K., Opwis, M., Schiffer, B., & Kärgel, C. (2024). Can people empathize with offenders and victims during violent scenes? Behavioral and brain correlates of affective and cognitive empathy considering victim vs. offender perspective using the Bochumer affective and cognitive empathy task (BACET).. Neuropsychologia, 194(108784), 108784
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108784, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65872
Weidacker, K., Zhao, Y., Zhang, Y., Whiteford, S., Ren, Q., Zhang, C., & Voon, V. (2023). Methadone maintenance treatment and impulsivity: premature responding. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 45(6), 606-617.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2023.2276483, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64902
Weidacker, K., Kärgel, C., Massau, C., Krueger, T., Walter, M., Ponseti, J., Walter, H., & Schiffer, B. (2022). Interference inhibition in offending and non-offending pedophiles: A preliminary event-related fMRI study. Neuropsychologia, 173, 108301
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108301, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60289
Konzok, J., Henze, G., Kreuzpointner, L., Peter, H., Giglberger, M., Bärtl, C., Massau, C., Kärgel, C., Weidacker, K., Schiffer, B., Eisenbarth, H., Wüst, S., & Kudielka, B. (2022). Dissociation of behavioral and neural responses to provocation during reactive aggression in healthy adults with high versus low externalization. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 22(5), 1130-1144.
https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-021-00981-y, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59287
Li, W., Huang, J., Zhang, N., Weidacker, K., Li, J., Voon, V., Wang, C., & Zhang, C. (2022). Modulation of Attentional Bias to Drug and Affective Cues by Therapeutic and Neuropsychological Factors in Patients With Opioid Use Disorder on Methadone Maintenance Therapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.780208, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59172

All Research

Journal Articles

Pena, L., Weidacker, K., Massau, C., Wetzel, K., Brand, A., Weckes, K., Opwis, M., Schiffer, B., & Kärgel, C. (2024). Can people empathize with offenders and victims during violent scenes? Behavioral and brain correlates of affective and cognitive empathy considering victim vs. offender perspective using the Bochumer affective and cognitive empathy task (BACET).. Neuropsychologia, 194(108784), 108784
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108784, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65872
Weidacker, K., Zhao, Y., Zhang, Y., Whiteford, S., Ren, Q., Zhang, C., & Voon, V. (2023). Methadone maintenance treatment and impulsivity: premature responding. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 45(6), 606-617.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2023.2276483, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa64902
Konzok, J., Henze, G., Kreuzpointner, L., Peter, H., Giglberger, M., Bärtl, C., Massau, C., Kärgel, C., Weidacker, K., Schiffer, B., Eisenbarth, H., Wüst, S., & Kudielka, B. (2022). Dissociation of behavioral and neural responses to provocation during reactive aggression in healthy adults with high versus low externalization. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 22(5), 1130-1144.
https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-021-00981-y, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59287
Weidacker, K., Kärgel, C., Massau, C., Krueger, T., Walter, M., Ponseti, J., Walter, H., & Schiffer, B. (2022). Interference inhibition in offending and non-offending pedophiles: A preliminary event-related fMRI study. Neuropsychologia, 173, 108301
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108301, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa60289
Weidacker, K., Kim, S., Buhl-Callesen, M., Jensen, M., Pedersen, M., Thomsen, K., & Voon, V. (2022). The prediction of resilience to alcohol consumption in youths: insular and subcallosal cingulate myeloarchitecture. Psychological Medicine, 52(11), 2032-2042.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291720003852, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57011
Li, W., Huang, J., Zhang, N., Weidacker, K., Li, J., Voon, V., Wang, C., & Zhang, C. (2022). Modulation of Attentional Bias to Drug and Affective Cues by Therapeutic and Neuropsychological Factors in Patients With Opioid Use Disorder on Methadone Maintenance Therapy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.780208, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59172
Weidacker, K., Kim, S., Nord, C., Rua, C., Rodgers, C., & Voon, V. (2021). Avoiding monetary loss: A human habenula functional MRI ultra-high field study. Cortex, 142, 62-73.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2021.05.013, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57015
Weidacker, K., Johnston, S., Mullins, P., Boy, F., & Dymond, S. (2021). Neurochemistry of response inhibition and interference in gambling disorder: a preliminary study of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+) and glutamate–glutamine (Glx). CNS Spectrums, 27(4), 1-11.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1092852921000316, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57014
Li, J., Weidacker, K., Mandali, A., Zhang, Y., Whiteford, S., Ren, Q., Zhou, Z., Zhou, H., Jiang, H., Du, J., Zhang, C., Sun, B., & Voon, V. (2021). Impulsivity and craving in subjects with opioid use disorder on methadone maintenance treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 219, 108483
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108483, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57013
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/313892
Weidacker, K., Kvamme, T., Whiteford, S., Guzman, N., & Voon, V. (2021). Incentives and voluntary stopping: The intentional hand task. Cognition, 206, 104504
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104504, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57012
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/311810
Voon, V., Grodin, E., Mandali, A., Morris, L., Doñamayor, N., Weidacker, K., Kwako, L., Goldman, D., Koob, G., & Momenan, R. (2020). Addictions NeuroImaging Assessment (ANIA): Towards an integrative framework for alcohol use disorder. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 113, 492-506.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.04.004, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57010
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/304388
Konzok, J., Kreuzpointner, L., Henze, G., Wagels, L., Kärgel, C., Weidacker, K., Schiffer, B., Eisenbarth, H., Wüst, S., & Kudielka, B. (2020). Validation of a monetary Taylor Aggression Paradigm: Associations with trait aggression and role of provocation sequence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 88, 103960
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2020.103960, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57009
Weidacker, K., Weidacker, K., Johnston, S., Mullins, P., Boy, F., & Dymond, S. (2020). Impulsive decision-making and gambling severity: The influence of γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate-glutamine (Glx). European Neuropsychopharmacology, 32, 36-46.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2019.12.110, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa53120
Nord, C., Popa, T., Smith, E., Hannah, R., Doñamayor, N., Weidacker, K., Bays, P., Rothwell, J., & Voon, V. (2019). The effect of frontoparietal paired associative stimulation on decision-making and working memory. Cortex, 117, 266-276.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.03.015, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57007
Li, Y., Zhang, C., Weidacker, K., Zhang, Y., He, N., Jin, H., Chen, W., Voon, V., Edden, R., & Yan, F. (2019). Investigation of anterior cingulate cortex gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate-glutamine levels in obsessive-compulsive disorder using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1)
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-019-2160-1, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57008
Mandali, A., Weidacker, K., Kim, S., & Voon, V. (2019). The ease and sureness of a decision: evidence accumulation of conflict and uncertainty. Brain, 142(5), 1471-1482.
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awz013, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57006
https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/288457
Gray, N., Weidacker, K., & Snowden, R. (2019). Psychopathy and impulsivity: The relationship of psychopathy to different aspects of UPPS-P impulsivity. Psychiatry Research, 272, 474-482.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.155, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa48246
Weidacker, K., Kärgel, C., Massau, C., Weiß, S., Kneer, J., Krueger, T., & Schiffer, B. (2018). Approach and Avoidance Tendencies Toward Picture Stimuli of (Pre-)Pubescent Children and Adults: An Investigation in Pedophilic and Nonpedophilic Samples. Sexual Abuse, 30(7), 781-802.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1079063217697134, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa57003
Weidacker, K., Snowden, R., Boy, F., & Johnston, S. (2017). Response inhibition in the parametric Go/No-Go task in psychopathic offenders. Psychiatry Research, 250, 256-263.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.01.083, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31854
Weidacker, K., O'Farrell, K., Gray, N., Johnston, S., & Snowden, R. (2017). Psychopathy and impulsivity: The relationship of the triarchic model of psychopathy to different forms of impulsivity in offenders and community participants. Personality and Individual Differences, 114, 134-139.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.03.069, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa32964
Weidacker, K., Whiteford, S., Boy, F., & Johnston, S. (2017). Response Inhibition in the Parametric Go/No-Go Task and Its Relation to Impulsivity and Subclinical Psychopathy. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 70(3), 473-487.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1135350, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa26506
Weidacker, K., Weidemann, C., Boy, F., & Johnston, S. (2016). Cathodal tDCS improves task performance in participants high in Coldheartedness. Clinical Neurophysiology, 127(9), 3102-3109.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2016.05.274, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28966
Cohen, M., Weidacker, K., Tankink, J., Scholte, H., & Rouw, R. (2015). Grapheme-color synesthesia subtypes: Stable individual differences reflected in posterior alpha-band oscillations. Cognitive Neuroscience, 6(2-3), 56-67.
https://doi.org/10.1080/17588928.2015.1017450, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31065
Ehring, T., Raes, F., Weidacker, K., & Emmelkamp, P. (2012). Validation of the Dutch Version of the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ-NL). European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 28(2), 102-108.
https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000097, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31064
Ehring, T., Zetsche, U., Weidacker, K., Wahl, K., Schönfeld, S., & Ehlers, A. (2011). The Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ): Validation of a content-independent measure of repetitive negative thinking. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 42(2), 225-232.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.12.003, SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31063

Supervision

The Effect of Video Game Use on Executive Functions (awarded 2024)

PhD

Other supervisor: Dr Rob Lowe

Other supervisor: Dr Stephen Johnston

Taught Modules

PS-M73 EEG Analysis

Electroencephalography (EEG) makes it possible to record the brain¿s function in vivo. This module will give students an introduction to the preprocessing and analysis of EEG data with a focus on event-related potentials (ERPs). Students will learn about the preprocessing and analysis of EEG data, and learn how to use popular software, such as the toolbox EEGLab which relies on the software MATLAB.
PS-M73I EEG Analysis

Electroencephalography (EEG) makes it possible to record the brain¿s function in vivo. This module will give students an introduction to the preprocessing and analysis of EEG data with a focus on event-related potentials (ERPs). Students will learn about the preprocessing and analysis of EEG data, and learn how to use popular software, such as the toolbox EEGLab which relies on the software MATLAB.
PSY328 Cognitive Forensic Neuroscience

This module focusses on behavioural and neuroimaging correlates of inhibition/interference, a cognitive neuroscience topic central to sex offenders/pedophilia, antisocial personality disorder/psychopathy. These are disorders commonly encountered in forensic settings and together with their neural abnormalities are central to this course. The confounding influence of factors such as alcohol/substance abuse and gambling behaviours on neural abnormalities will also be discussed. Because the relationships between these disorders is discussed across lectures, each lecture features for example some kind of mentioning of sexual offending against adults/children and could be triggering emotional reactions. The Cognitive Forensic Neuroscience module covers a range of neuroimaging methods:The students will learn about research using functional (fMRI), structural (MRI, Myelin-content) and neurochemical (MRS) measures in the aforementioned forensic populations. This neuroscience research has to be discussed as part of the assignment and the associated literature will be on canvas. Students will develop knowledge and understanding of the neural underpinnings underlying commonalities and differences of a core cognitive aspect across these disorders. The module is suited for students with forensic/clinical and cognitive neuroscience aspirations.

Career History

Post-doctoral Research Associate, Cambridge University, Department of Psychiatry

October 2017 - March 2020

Dr Kathrin Weidacker

Email address

Research Links

About

Areas Of Expertise

Publications

Research Highlights

All Research

Journal Articles

Supervision

The Effect of Video Game Use on Executive Functions (awarded 2024)

Taught Modules

PS-M73 EEG Analysis

PS-M73I EEG Analysis

PSY328 Cognitive Forensic Neuroscience

Career History

Post-doctoral Research Associate, Cambridge University, Department of Psychiatry