Homepage Reinout Wiers
Biosketch and main research interests
Prof. Wiers is full professor of developmental psychopathology at the University of Amsterdam. He is internationally known for his work on implicit cognitive processes in addiction. He published over 100 international papers and chapters, mostly on this subject and received the prestigious VIDI (2002) and VICI (2008) research grants from the Dutch National Science Foundation (N.W.O.) for research on implicit cognition and addiction. With Alan Stacy, he edited the Handbook of Implicit Cognition and Addiction (SAGE, 2006). He is senior editor of the no 1 ranked journal in the field (Addiction) and on the editorial board of several other Addiction journals.
See for more info on research group, and to obtain publications: ADAPT-lab, see www.adaptlab.eu
Zie voor meer info, voor proeftestjes en inschrijven onderzoek: www.adaptlab.eu
Brief history
Current Post: Professor of Developmental Psychopathology, University of Amsterdam, 2008-present Previous Posts: Professor of Experimental Psychological Research on Addictive Behaviors in Youth, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, 2006-2008. Associate Professor, Experimental Addiction Research, University of Maastricht, 2002-2008. Qualifications: Ph.D., Experimental Psychopathology, University of Amsterdam, 1998, cum laude. Advisors: Joe Sergeant, Boudewijn Gunning & Ken Sher (University of Missouri). M.Sc. Psychonomics (Experimental Psychology), University of Amsterdam, 1992, cum laude.
Main Research Topics
My main research topic concerns the (neuro-)cognitive processes involved in the etiology of addictive behaviors, and related psychopathology. In our lab we investigate what changes in people's mind/brain as they develop addictive behaviors. We also try to directly influence the processes involved in addiction, in order to study the causal status of these processes and ultimately to "re-train" these processes back to normal, which would imply increased control over addictive behaviors.
Theory
We developed models to explain the (neuro-)cognitive changes in the development of addictive behaviors, an ongoing enterprise. In a nutshell, we think that as an addictive behavior develops, relatively automatic or "implicit" processes gain importance: in a problem drinker, alcohol-cues capture attention (attentional bias), elicit memory associations related to the effects of alcohol, and an approach tendency is elicited. These impulsive processes can be controlled (executive control processes), if there is enough motivation and ability to do so. People differ both in the strength of their relatively automatic appetitive impulsive processes and in their ability and motivation to control, both as a stable characteristic (personality differences, differences in working memory capacity), and momentarily (e.g., less control when tired or after a few drinks). Some relevant publications: Wiers & Stacy, (2006a,b; 2010). Wiers, Bartholow, et al (2007). Hofmann, et al (2008a,b). Thush, et al (2008, 2009). Grenard et al (2008). Stacy & Wiers, 2006, 2010). SEE UNDER PUBLICATIONS.
Moderation studies
In a series of studies we tested both relatively automatic processes (attentional bias; memory associations; approach tendencies) and executive control processes as individual difference measures. What we consistently found was that in individuals with relatively low executive control functions, automatic processes primarily predicted their addictive behaviors, while in individuals with relatively high executive control, reflective processes (e.g. expected outcomes) predicted their addictive behaviors (Grenard et al., 2008; Thush et al., 2008; Houben & Wiers, 2009). We found the same dissociation for the prediction of other impulsive behaviors, including eating behavior in restraint eaters, sexual interest and aggression (Hofmann et al.,2008) and for aggression after alcohol (Wiers et al., 2009, Pharmacol, Biochem Behav). We also started studying acute alcohol effects from this perspective and found that attentional bias in heavy drinkers is stronger found stronger attentional bias after alcohol than after placebo and the correlation between attentional bias and approach bias was markedly stronger after alcohol than after placebo (Schoenmakers et al., 2008). SEE UNDER PUBLICATIONS.
Neurocognitive mechanisms
We are interested in the study of neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the psychological processes described above and in genetic associations with these processes. Regarding the latter, we found that heavy drinking carriers of the G-Allele in the OPRM1 gene showed stronger cue-induced craving (Van den Wildenberg et al., 2007) and stronger automatic approach tendencies for alcohol, as well as for other appetitive stimuli (Wiers et al., 2009, Genes Brain Behav). We are currently studying genetic correlates of attentional bias as well (Sara Pieters). In addition to cognitive measures we use psychophysiological indices of underlying processes (e.g. eye movements, Schoenmakers et al., 2008; Friese et al., 2010), EEG and fMRI (in preperation, Janna Cousijn, Ozlem Korucuoglu; Thomas Gladwin, Esther Beraha).
New Interventions
From the general perspective outlined above, we have developed new interventions which aim to restore the balance between relatively impulsive processes on the one hand, and reflective/control processes on the other hand. This is done either by new ways to change the impulsive processes, for example through attentional re-training (Wiers et al., 2006; Schoenmakers etal., 2007; 2010),orthrough approach-bias re-training (Wiers et al., 2010; 2011). We also work on increasing executive control. We currently prepare a study where we will test combinations of different new interventions (Denise van Deursen). We will also study the effects of these new interventions in cannabis abusers (Andrea Wolf). We work on the development of game-versions of the re-training procedures, aimed at substance abusing youth (Wouter Boendermaker). Finally, we will study new interventions involving direct stimulation of the relevant brain areas and neurofeedback (Thomas Gladwin).
Assessment of Implicit or Relatively automatic processes
We worked on the assessment of relatively automatic/implicit processes in addiction. Katrijn Houben (former PhD student, now postdoc in Maastricht University) and I tested many varieties of the IAT to assess alcohol-related associative processes (Wiers et al 2002; 2005; Houben & Wiers, 2006,a,b; 2007a,b; 2008a,b; Houben, Rothermund & Wiers, 2009; Houben, Nosek & Wiers, 2010). We also collaborated with Brian Nosek (Univ Virigina) on the assessment of rt-tests over the internet (validation study: Houben & Wiers, 2008 Behav Res Methods; comparison different iats: Houben, Nosek & Wiers, 2010; large study comparing gender stereotypes, Nosek et al. PNAS, 2009). We also developed an alcohol variety of an approach-avoidance task (Wiers et al. 2009, Genes Brain Behav), which we used for re-training (Wiers et al., 2010). We currently develop many RT-tests for a large internet-based longitudinal project (Tim Janssen, Thomas Pronk, Wouter Boendermakers, Margo Peeters).
Collaborators, PhD students
see www.adapt-lab.eu formost up-to-date info.
Assistant Profs
Elske Salemink
Marija Maric
Postdocs
Thomas Gladwin (UvA; vici grant)
PhD students
UvA
Janna Cousijn (collaboration with AMC, Anneke Gourdiaan, Dick Veltman, Wim van den Brink)
Denise van Deursen (vici)
Tim Janssen (vici)
Ozlem Korucuoglu (vici)
Thomas Pronk (partly vici)
Andrea Wolf (collaboration with Arkin)
Esther Beraha
Wouter Boendermaker
Universiteit Utrecht
Margo Peeters (collaboration with Wilma Vollebergh (UU) and Saskia Dorselaer (Trimbos) and others)
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen Sara Pieters (collaboration with Rutger Engels & Haske van der Vorst and others)
Daan Creemers (collaboration with Rutger Engels, Ron Scholte)
Universiteit Maastricht Iman Elfeddali (with Hein de Vries, and others)
Finished Phd students
Katrijn Houben (now at UM)
Esther van den Wildenberg (now at STAP)
Jade van de Luitgaarden
Tim Schoenmakers (now at IVO)
Carolien Thush (now at UM)
National Collaborations.
NL: Uva-AMC (Van den Brink);
Nijmegen (Engels, Becker, Rinck);
Maastricht (Houben, Roefs);
VU (Van Lier);
Utrecht (Vollebergh);
Groningen (Peter de Jong);
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (Ingmar Franken)
Trimbos (Heleen Riper).
Clinics: Arkin; U-Center; Solutions; Brijder; Bouman; Meerkanten
International Collaborations.
UK, Field; Cox;
US: Stacy-Ames; Wood; O’Malley; Hofmann
BRD: Salus Clinic Lindow
CH: Friese; Kuntsche;
Aus: MacLeod-Stritzke-Sharbanee