Dr. Helena Hartmann (she/her)
@helenahartmann.com
Neuroscientist, psychologist & science communicator ✨
www.helenahartmann.com
Pain & expectations in the (social) 🧠
Postdoc @ulrikebingel.bsky.social's lab & @SFB-TRR-289.bsky.social 💊
Explaining science with fictional stories 📖 @scienceandfiction.net
www.helenahartmann.com
Pain & expectations in the (social) 🧠
Postdoc @ulrikebingel.bsky.social's lab & @SFB-TRR-289.bsky.social 💊
Explaining science with fictional stories 📖 @scienceandfiction.net
Currently reviewing some new "In a nutshell" videos for our @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social YouTube channel! 🤩
Some cool videos coming up feat. @janhaaker.bsky.social, @jlaferton.bsky.social and Christine Knaevelsrud! 🤯
For now, stay tuned and subscribe: youtube.com/@sfb-trr_289...
Some cool videos coming up feat. @janhaaker.bsky.social, @jlaferton.bsky.social and Christine Knaevelsrud! 🤯
For now, stay tuned and subscribe: youtube.com/@sfb-trr_289...
January 13, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Currently reviewing some new "In a nutshell" videos for our @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social YouTube channel! 🤩
Some cool videos coming up feat. @janhaaker.bsky.social, @jlaferton.bsky.social and Christine Knaevelsrud! 🤯
For now, stay tuned and subscribe: youtube.com/@sfb-trr_289...
Some cool videos coming up feat. @janhaaker.bsky.social, @jlaferton.bsky.social and Christine Knaevelsrud! 🤯
For now, stay tuned and subscribe: youtube.com/@sfb-trr_289...
What did we find? Mainly mixed and inconsistent effects, meaning some types of pain modulation sometimes increased or decreased social cognition abilities, with the most consistent and replicated result being that placebo analgesia reduces empathy for others’ pain.
January 13, 2026 at 9:54 AM
What did we find? Mainly mixed and inconsistent effects, meaning some types of pain modulation sometimes increased or decreased social cognition abilities, with the most consistent and replicated result being that placebo analgesia reduces empathy for others’ pain.
The paper also features an absolutely insane table of all the different ways researchers have operationalized social emotions and behaviors in these studies - from emotional face processing over empathy to prosocial behavior! 😱
We hope this overview is helpful to many social cognition researchers!
We hope this overview is helpful to many social cognition researchers!
January 13, 2026 at 9:54 AM
The paper also features an absolutely insane table of all the different ways researchers have operationalized social emotions and behaviors in these studies - from emotional face processing over empathy to prosocial behavior! 😱
We hope this overview is helpful to many social cognition researchers!
We hope this overview is helpful to many social cognition researchers!
What manipulations did we investigate? 🤔
Previous studies used substances like opioids, acetaminophen, cannabinoids, placebos, alcohol, or hypnosis to directly or indirectly change participants' pain processing and then look at its social consequences.
Previous studies used substances like opioids, acetaminophen, cannabinoids, placebos, alcohol, or hypnosis to directly or indirectly change participants' pain processing and then look at its social consequences.
January 13, 2026 at 9:54 AM
What manipulations did we investigate? 🤔
Previous studies used substances like opioids, acetaminophen, cannabinoids, placebos, alcohol, or hypnosis to directly or indirectly change participants' pain processing and then look at its social consequences.
Previous studies used substances like opioids, acetaminophen, cannabinoids, placebos, alcohol, or hypnosis to directly or indirectly change participants' pain processing and then look at its social consequences.
Today I went to the Corpus museum in Leiden where you (literally) travel through the human body. Favourite location? Ofc the brain 🧠
December 31, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Today I went to the Corpus museum in Leiden where you (literally) travel through the human body. Favourite location? Ofc the brain 🧠
Now we wrote a piece about many things we always wanted to say about replications.
How they are used, tracked and valued by the science community. And how we can evaluate their results, whatever those may be 🤔
Read the preprint 📃 osf.io/preprints/me...
Browse the Hub 🌐 forrt.org/replication-...
How they are used, tracked and valued by the science community. And how we can evaluate their results, whatever those may be 🤔
Read the preprint 📃 osf.io/preprints/me...
Browse the Hub 🌐 forrt.org/replication-...
December 3, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Now we wrote a piece about many things we always wanted to say about replications.
How they are used, tracked and valued by the science community. And how we can evaluate their results, whatever those may be 🤔
Read the preprint 📃 osf.io/preprints/me...
Browse the Hub 🌐 forrt.org/replication-...
How they are used, tracked and valued by the science community. And how we can evaluate their results, whatever those may be 🤔
Read the preprint 📃 osf.io/preprints/me...
Browse the Hub 🌐 forrt.org/replication-...
It has been a while since @flavioazevedo.bsky.social asked me to take over the Reversals project at @forrt.bsky.social...
It has since evolved beyond my wildest dreams, mostly thanks to @aufdroeseler.bsky.social & @lukaswallrich.bsky.social.
We are very proud of the Replication Hub & Database ♥️
It has since evolved beyond my wildest dreams, mostly thanks to @aufdroeseler.bsky.social & @lukaswallrich.bsky.social.
We are very proud of the Replication Hub & Database ♥️
December 3, 2025 at 6:06 PM
It has been a while since @flavioazevedo.bsky.social asked me to take over the Reversals project at @forrt.bsky.social...
It has since evolved beyond my wildest dreams, mostly thanks to @aufdroeseler.bsky.social & @lukaswallrich.bsky.social.
We are very proud of the Replication Hub & Database ♥️
It has since evolved beyond my wildest dreams, mostly thanks to @aufdroeseler.bsky.social & @lukaswallrich.bsky.social.
We are very proud of the Replication Hub & Database ♥️
Made it just in time ♥️
December 2, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Made it just in time ♥️
Early bird today to make it to @nawik.de's @wisskon.bsky.social in time ✨
Book, tea and stickers - I'm ready for a day of #scicomm fun 💙
Watch me present @scienceandfiction.net later at 16:00: www.nawik.de/wisskon-netz...
Book, tea and stickers - I'm ready for a day of #scicomm fun 💙
Watch me present @scienceandfiction.net later at 16:00: www.nawik.de/wisskon-netz...
December 2, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Early bird today to make it to @nawik.de's @wisskon.bsky.social in time ✨
Book, tea and stickers - I'm ready for a day of #scicomm fun 💙
Watch me present @scienceandfiction.net later at 16:00: www.nawik.de/wisskon-netz...
Book, tea and stickers - I'm ready for a day of #scicomm fun 💙
Watch me present @scienceandfiction.net later at 16:00: www.nawik.de/wisskon-netz...
I knit a t-shirt for the first time and it actually turned out quite nice 💕🧶
I present: the #poppytee by #PetiteKnit (which was a wild ride because the original instructions don't account for stripes!)
I present: the #poppytee by #PetiteKnit (which was a wild ride because the original instructions don't account for stripes!)
November 29, 2025 at 9:05 AM
I knit a t-shirt for the first time and it actually turned out quite nice 💕🧶
I present: the #poppytee by #PetiteKnit (which was a wild ride because the original instructions don't account for stripes!)
I present: the #poppytee by #PetiteKnit (which was a wild ride because the original instructions don't account for stripes!)
This is my 1st year participating in Letters to a Pre-Scientist 🤩
Today I received a letter from a middle schooler in Los Angeles who's interested in science! 😱
Over the next few months, I hope to share my life as a psychologist and neuroscientist who studies brains in pain! 🧠
#SciComm
Today I received a letter from a middle schooler in Los Angeles who's interested in science! 😱
Over the next few months, I hope to share my life as a psychologist and neuroscientist who studies brains in pain! 🧠
#SciComm
October 3, 2025 at 1:26 PM
This is my 1st year participating in Letters to a Pre-Scientist 🤩
Today I received a letter from a middle schooler in Los Angeles who's interested in science! 😱
Over the next few months, I hope to share my life as a psychologist and neuroscientist who studies brains in pain! 🧠
#SciComm
Today I received a letter from a middle schooler in Los Angeles who's interested in science! 😱
Over the next few months, I hope to share my life as a psychologist and neuroscientist who studies brains in pain! 🧠
#SciComm
Back at the MRI scanner today to test the first participant of @rebeccalutz.bsky.social's new study! 🧲🧠
This never gets any less exciting! 🤩
#PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
@neurologieessen.bsky.social
@unidue.bsky.social
This never gets any less exciting! 🤩
#PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
@neurologieessen.bsky.social
@unidue.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Back at the MRI scanner today to test the first participant of @rebeccalutz.bsky.social's new study! 🧲🧠
This never gets any less exciting! 🤩
#PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
@neurologieessen.bsky.social
@unidue.bsky.social
This never gets any less exciting! 🤩
#PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
@neurologieessen.bsky.social
@unidue.bsky.social
Today and tomorrow I am giving my first #scicomm workshop all on my own 😱
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
September 18, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Today and tomorrow I am giving my first #scicomm workshop all on my own 😱
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
It's all about communicating science through fictional short stories (like in @scienceandfiction.net) and on social media! 🤩
Another fantastic gift dropped this weekend, from the DGPs Interest Group Open and Reproducible Science (@igor-dgps.bsky.social) for my 2-year work as coordinator together with @gordonfeld.bsky.social 😭💙
Thanks so much to everyone who made this time memorable (& to everyone who signed this bag!)
Thanks so much to everyone who made this time memorable (& to everyone who signed this bag!)
August 2, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Another fantastic gift dropped this weekend, from the DGPs Interest Group Open and Reproducible Science (@igor-dgps.bsky.social) for my 2-year work as coordinator together with @gordonfeld.bsky.social 😭💙
Thanks so much to everyone who made this time memorable (& to everyone who signed this bag!)
Thanks so much to everyone who made this time memorable (& to everyone who signed this bag!)
Today I'm double- and triple-checking that my scripts correctly extracted the onsets and durations of all events during my task for MRI analysis 🫠
Super tedious but very necessary 😫
#PostdocLife #AcademicSky #PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
Super tedious but very necessary 😫
#PostdocLife #AcademicSky #PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
August 1, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Today I'm double- and triple-checking that my scripts correctly extracted the onsets and durations of all events during my task for MRI analysis 🫠
Super tedious but very necessary 😫
#PostdocLife #AcademicSky #PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
Super tedious but very necessary 😫
#PostdocLife #AcademicSky #PsychSciSky #NeuroSkyence
Such a lovely present from @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social for my two year term as deputy early career researcher representative 😭✨
Huge thanks especially to the dream team @mfjsperl.bsky.social, Marie Mückstein, @annesaulin.bsky.social, @tinalonsdorf.bsky.social, Nina Alexander, and Christian Merz 💙
Huge thanks especially to the dream team @mfjsperl.bsky.social, Marie Mückstein, @annesaulin.bsky.social, @tinalonsdorf.bsky.social, Nina Alexander, and Christian Merz 💙
July 30, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Such a lovely present from @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social for my two year term as deputy early career researcher representative 😭✨
Huge thanks especially to the dream team @mfjsperl.bsky.social, Marie Mückstein, @annesaulin.bsky.social, @tinalonsdorf.bsky.social, Nina Alexander, and Christian Merz 💙
Huge thanks especially to the dream team @mfjsperl.bsky.social, Marie Mückstein, @annesaulin.bsky.social, @tinalonsdorf.bsky.social, Nina Alexander, and Christian Merz 💙
What to expect on this account:
- #Postdoclife on pain⚡, expectations 💊, & the (social) brain 🧠🧲
- #ECR at @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
- #SciComm/#WissKomm at @nawik.de & @scienceandfiction.net 🗣️
- #OpenScience at @forrt.bsky.social & @igor-dgps.bsky.social 👩💻
- Team #Knitting 🧶
- #TeamGIF ✨
- #Postdoclife on pain⚡, expectations 💊, & the (social) brain 🧠🧲
- #ECR at @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
- #SciComm/#WissKomm at @nawik.de & @scienceandfiction.net 🗣️
- #OpenScience at @forrt.bsky.social & @igor-dgps.bsky.social 👩💻
- Team #Knitting 🧶
- #TeamGIF ✨
July 8, 2025 at 10:07 AM
What to expect on this account:
- #Postdoclife on pain⚡, expectations 💊, & the (social) brain 🧠🧲
- #ECR at @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
- #SciComm/#WissKomm at @nawik.de & @scienceandfiction.net 🗣️
- #OpenScience at @forrt.bsky.social & @igor-dgps.bsky.social 👩💻
- Team #Knitting 🧶
- #TeamGIF ✨
- #Postdoclife on pain⚡, expectations 💊, & the (social) brain 🧠🧲
- #ECR at @biodgps-dgpa.bsky.social
- #SciComm/#WissKomm at @nawik.de & @scienceandfiction.net 🗣️
- #OpenScience at @forrt.bsky.social & @igor-dgps.bsky.social 👩💻
- Team #Knitting 🧶
- #TeamGIF ✨
Heute besuche ich selbst mal einen @nawik.de Workshop zum Thema Evaluation von #WissKomm mit @ricardaz.bsky.social & Cecilia Buz 💪
Ich freue mich auf drei Tage Input & Austausch, damit @ulrikebingel.bsky.social, Sven Benson & ich unser @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social Teilprojekt gut evaluieren können! 🤩
Ich freue mich auf drei Tage Input & Austausch, damit @ulrikebingel.bsky.social, Sven Benson & ich unser @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social Teilprojekt gut evaluieren können! 🤩
July 8, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Heute besuche ich selbst mal einen @nawik.de Workshop zum Thema Evaluation von #WissKomm mit @ricardaz.bsky.social & Cecilia Buz 💪
Ich freue mich auf drei Tage Input & Austausch, damit @ulrikebingel.bsky.social, Sven Benson & ich unser @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social Teilprojekt gut evaluieren können! 🤩
Ich freue mich auf drei Tage Input & Austausch, damit @ulrikebingel.bsky.social, Sven Benson & ich unser @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social Teilprojekt gut evaluieren können! 🤩
How many researchers does it take to change the cooling fluid of the heat pain stimulator? 😅
(Answer: Three who learn by doing and one taking the picture)
Love our little #TeamEmpathy at the Bingellab @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social preparing two really cool new studies ❤️
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
(Answer: Three who learn by doing and one taking the picture)
Love our little #TeamEmpathy at the Bingellab @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social preparing two really cool new studies ❤️
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
May 16, 2025 at 6:05 PM
How many researchers does it take to change the cooling fluid of the heat pain stimulator? 😅
(Answer: Three who learn by doing and one taking the picture)
Love our little #TeamEmpathy at the Bingellab @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social preparing two really cool new studies ❤️
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
(Answer: Three who learn by doing and one taking the picture)
Love our little #TeamEmpathy at the Bingellab @sfb-trr-289.bsky.social preparing two really cool new studies ❤️
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
I should give #scicomm talks at @unidue.bsky.social more often 😁
Huge thanks to @ankehinney.bsky.social and Luisa Rajcsanyi for this lovely thank-you package! ❤️
#AcademicSky
Huge thanks to @ankehinney.bsky.social and Luisa Rajcsanyi for this lovely thank-you package! ❤️
#AcademicSky
May 14, 2025 at 9:58 AM
I should give #scicomm talks at @unidue.bsky.social more often 😁
Huge thanks to @ankehinney.bsky.social and Luisa Rajcsanyi for this lovely thank-you package! ❤️
#AcademicSky
Huge thanks to @ankehinney.bsky.social and Luisa Rajcsanyi for this lovely thank-you package! ❤️
#AcademicSky
More wool has (un)fortunately been bought 😬
May 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
More wool has (un)fortunately been bought 😬
Just people analysing MRI data things 🫠
(aka the data is so large that I need multiple harddrives to even hold all the data and all its processing steps)
#AcademicSky #Neuroskyence #PsychSciSky
(aka the data is so large that I need multiple harddrives to even hold all the data and all its processing steps)
#AcademicSky #Neuroskyence #PsychSciSky
May 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Just people analysing MRI data things 🫠
(aka the data is so large that I need multiple harddrives to even hold all the data and all its processing steps)
#AcademicSky #Neuroskyence #PsychSciSky
(aka the data is so large that I need multiple harddrives to even hold all the data and all its processing steps)
#AcademicSky #Neuroskyence #PsychSciSky
A graduate student wrote to @clauslamm.bsky.social and me because they successfully reproduced our @scanunit.bsky.social paper "Placebo Analgesia Reduces Costly Prosocial Helping to Lower Another Person’s Pain" with the code and data I uploaded! 😱
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
April 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
A graduate student wrote to @clauslamm.bsky.social and me because they successfully reproduced our @scanunit.bsky.social paper "Placebo Analgesia Reduces Costly Prosocial Helping to Lower Another Person’s Pain" with the code and data I uploaded! 😱
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky
#PsychSciSky #AcademicSky