Cognition, Emotion, and Cognitive Aging Laboratory
In the Cognition, Emotion, and Cognitive Aging Laboratory, memory and attention processes, the interaction of these processes with emotional and social factors, and their change with healthy aging are studied, mainly by using the experimental method. Findings are interpreted with a cognitive science perspective, by referring to the theories and inferences of philosophy of mind, linguistics, and neuroscience besides cognitive psychology.
General information about the research areas and the related publications and graduate theses from the lab are presented below.
Cognition/Cognition and Emotion Interactions
Memory and attention processes and their interactions with emotion are investigated. The effects of emotion on cognition are studied by varying the emotional state of the participants or by systematically manipulating the emotional valence or intensity of the experimental materials. The effects of cognition on emotion are studied in the context of emotion regulation.
Publications:
Dönerkayalı, C., & Ikier, S. (2025). Effects of imagining someone else experience a negative autobiographical memory on phenomenological experience. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 39(3), e70084. (SSCI & Scopus)
Sıtkı, M., Ikier, S., & Şener, N. (2024). Reduced false memory in the second language of Turkish-English bilinguals. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 1-9. (SCI-e & Scopus)
Ikier, S., & Demirci, Ş. N. (2023). Çocukta belleğin gelişimi. S. Erden Çınar (Ed.), Çocuk psikolojisi, (s. 113-130). PEGEM Akademi.
Ikier, S., Dönerkayalı, C., Halıcı, Ö. S., Kaymak Gülseren, Z. A., Göksal, H., & Akbaş, B. (2024). When is memory more reliable? Scientific findings, theories, and myths. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 31(1), 77-94. (SCI-e & Scopus)
Pakkan, C., Ikier, S., & Mortan Sevi, O. (2024). Effects of anxiety level on directed forgetting of emotional information and related metacognitive judgments. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 31(4), 585-594. (SCI-e & Scopus)
Tumen, C., & Ikier, S. (2022). Exhaustion of the executive control capacity eliminates retrieval induced forgetting. Psychological Reports, 125(6), 3126-3140. (SSCI & Scopus)
Coşkunçay, M, Ikier, S., & Şener, S. (2020/2022). Detection of expected versus unexpected changes. Current Psychology, 41(3), 1139-1147. (SSCI & Scopus)
Çapan D., & Ikier, S. (2021). Metamemory and memory discrepancies in directed-forgetting of emotional information. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 17(1), 44-52. (Scopus)
Çakar, M. & Ikier, S. (2021). Priming effects for the unexpected stimulus in inattentional blindness. Nesne, 9(19), 19-28.(TRDizin)
Ikier, S., & Gökel, N. (2019). Can language of thought hypothesis provide a solution to the problems of linguistic context dependency in memory? (in Turkish), Kaygı, 18(1), 134-153. (TRDizin)
Raman, İ., Raman, E., Ikier, S., Kilecioğlu, E., Uzun, D., Zeyveli, S. (2018). Differential effects of age of acquisition and frequency on memory: Evidence from free recall of pictures and words in Turkish. Writing Systems Research, 10(1), 1-14.(Scopus)
Ikier, S. (2008). A study to create the memory block materials in Turkish (in Turkish). Turkish Journal of Psychology, 23(62), 53-62. (SSCI, Scopus, ULAKBİM)
Halpern, D. F., & Ikier, S. (2002). Causes, correlates, and caveats: Understanding the development of sex differences in cognition. In A. V. McGillicuddy-De Lisi, & R. De Lisi (Eds.), Biology, society and behavior: The development of sex differences in cognition (Advances in Applied Developmental Psychology Series, Vol. 21), (pp 3-22). Westport, CT: Ablex Publishing.
Doctoral Dissertation Supervision
Esra Konan Ay. "Otobiyografik anı ve karşı olgusal düşüncede duygusal değerlik ve uyarılma düzeyinin rolü" (The role of emotional valence and arousal level on autobiographical memory and counterfactual thinking). Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi (November, 2025).
Master's Thesis Supervision
Şeyma Nur Demirci. “Simulating One’s Negative Memory as if a Positive Friend Experienced It: Transfer of Positive Phenomenological Effects Onto Unsimulated Memories”. Medipol Üniversitesi Psikoloji (June, 2025).
Merve Türkkol. “Effects of Arousal on the Inhibition of Low versus High Intensity Negative Information by High Anxiety Individuals”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2024).
Ceyda Tumen. “Is Inhibition in Retrieval Induced Forgetting Automatic or Does It Require Executive Control?”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2020).
Esra Konan. “Effects of Negative Mood on Memory and Metamemory Performance of Morning Type versus Evening Type Individuals”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2020).
Canan Pakkan. “Anxiety, Emotional Directed Forgetting, and Predictions about Cognitive Control”. Bahçeşehir University, Clinical Psychology (June 2019).
Merve Çakar. “Consciousness and Implicit Memory Trace for the Unexpected Stimulus in Inattentional Blindness”. Yeditepe University Cognitive Science (May 2019).
Dilay Ata. “Effects of Anxiety and Depression on Memory Block and Facilitation”. Bahçeşehir University, Clinical Psychology (January 2018).
Demet Ay. “Retrieval Induced Forgetting: Basics of Context Account”. Yeditepe University, Cognitive Science (November 2017).
Merve Gül Değirmenci. “The Role of Frontal Lobe Functions in Inattentional Blindness and a Search for an Implicit Memory Trace”. Yeditepe University, Cognitive Science (July 2016).
Dicle Çapan. “Cognitive and Metacognitive Changes Across the Day: Investigation of the Effects of Circadian Rhythms on Memory and Metamemory Performance”. Yeditepe University, Cognitive Science (April 2016).
Mental Time Travel
The phenomenological experience of autobiographical memories, future events, and counterfactual events is investigated. Change in phenomenological experience for emotionally loaded events and its strong bonds with the self are among the topics of interest.
Publications:
Ikier, S., Duman, Ç., & Gökel, N. (2022). Phenomenological experience of mental time travel with a counterpart self. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 36(3), 526-547. (SSCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S., Tekcan, A. I., Gulgoz, S., & Kuntay, A. C. (2003). Whose life is it anyway? Adoption of each other's autobiographical memories by twins. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 17, 237-247. (SSCI & Scopus)
Graduate Thesis Supervision
Şule Gülpınar. “Does the Awareness of a Negative Collective Future Reduce the Positivity of Personal Future Thinking?”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2023).
Filiz Beste Yenievli Çocan. “Phenomenological Characteristics of the Happiest and the Saddest Autobiographical, Counterfactual, and Future Events”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2022).
Ceren Dönerkayalı. “Manipulating Perspective with Counterfactual Events Changes the Ratings Related to Self”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2022).
Gizem Merve Tüzel. “Do Counterfactual Events Influence the Interpretation of Experienced Past Events?”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2021).
Cognitive Aging
Normative cognitive aging is investigated, once more by considering the interaction of cognition with emotion and social factors. In addition to young and older participants, we also test commonly ignored middle-aged participants in some of the studies
Publications:
Urbaniak, A., Honorio, S., Gerdina, O., Groot, B., Yellon, T., Wanka, A., Pihlainen, K., Korkmaz, M., Ikier, S., Ozola, A., Lucantoni, D., Pons-Vila, J., Serrat, R., & Yaylagul, N. (2026). Ethical aspects in scientific literature on participatory research approaches with older adults: A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-25-00291 (ESCI & Scopus)
Özdemir Haksever, N., & Ikier, S. (2025). Phenomenological experience of a negative event when an older self is imagined. Current Psychology, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-025-07512-9 (SSCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S. (2025). Older adults’ cognitive performance: Effects of stereotype threat and positively valenced information. Studies in Psychology, 45(1), 1-13. (ESCI)
Kaymak Gülseren, Z. A., & Ikier, S. (2025). Memory and false memory for information that is either expected or unexpected based on age stereotypes. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 21(1), 40-53. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.13729 (ESCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S. & Akdere, S. (2024). Neural basis of healthy cognitive aging (in Turkish). In C. Hıdıroğlu Ongun, & S. Şandor (Eds.), Nöropsikolojik değerlendirme: Teoriden pratiğe. Ankara: Nobel Yayıncılık.
Akdere, S., & Ikier, S. (2024). Age-consistent phenomenological experience in remembering the past and imagining the past and the future. Applied Neuropsychology: Adult, 31(3), 218-228. (SCI-e & Scopus)
Tunç, R., & Ikier, S. (2023). Age differences in Inattentional blindness to emotional stimulus. Current Psychology, 42(10), 8327-8334. (SSCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S., & Duman, Ç. (2020/2022). The happiest and the saddest autobiographical memories and aging. Current Psychology, 41(7), 4907-4919. (SSCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S., & Çakar, M. (2018). Normal Cognitive Aging. In M. Irak (Ed.), Davranış Bozuklukları ve Biliş (s.65-96). İstanbul: Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi Yayınları.
Ikier, S. (2009). Age stereotypes versus gender stereotypes and cognitive performance: A threat or release from threat for older women? In H. T. Benninghouse, & A. G. Rosset (Eds.), Women and aging: New research, (pp. 389-401). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. (Scopus)
Yahyagil, M. Y. & Ikier, S. (2009). Job satisfaction, emotion regulation, stress relations and aging. Öneri, 8(31), 43-51. (TRDizin)
Ikier, S., Yang, L., & Hasher, L. (2008). Implicit proactive interference, age, and automatic versus controlled retrieval strategies. Psychological Science, 19, 456-461. (SCI, SSCI & Scopus)
Ikier, S., Payır, A., & Kurçaloğlu, T. (2007). Emotion-cognition interactions and aging (in Turkish). GeroBilim, 1(1), 23-43.
Ikier, S. & Hasher, L. (2006). Age differences in implicit interference. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 61(5), 278-284. (SSCI & Scopus)
Graduate Thesis Supervision
Nuray Begüm Altunbaş. “Rahatlamaya İlişkin Otobiyografik Anılar ve Karşı Olgusal Düşüncelerin Farklı Yaş Gruplarına Göre İncelenmesi”. Medipol Üniversitesi Psikoloji (Haziran 2025).
Nilay Özdemir Haksever. “Does Simulating Older Self Increase Memory Positivity: Effects of Self-Enhancement on the Valence of Post-simulation Memory”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2023).
Zeynep Nergiz Bozkurt. “The Effects of Age-related Positivity on Autobiographical Memories and Counterfactual Thoughts of Regret”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2023).
Zeynep Asude Kaymak Gülseren. “Effects of Aging-related Stereotype Consistency on False Memory Construction and Memory Performance”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2022).
Selin Akdere. “Age-Related Changes and Age-Independent Consistencies in the Phenomenological Characteristics of Autobiographical Memories, Episodic Counterfactuals, and Episodic Future Events”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2020).
Utku Özgen. “Inattentional Blindness in Older Adults under Stereotype Threat”. Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi Bilişsel Nöropsikoloji (Haziran 2020).
Elif Ezgi Uslu. “Age Differences in Emotional Directed Forgetting and Related Metacognitive Judgments”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (June 2019).
Reyhan Tunç. “Age Differences in Inattentional Blindness to Emotional Unexpected Stimulus”. Bahçeşehir University, Cognitive Neuropsychology (January 2019).
Ayşe Nur Çelik. “Inattentional Blindness in Older Age: Investigating the Effects of Anxiety and Depression”. Bahçeşehir University, Clinical Psychology (December 2017).
Elçin Kilecioğlu. “Age of Acquisition (AoA) and Frequency Effects in Recall and Recognition: Evidence from Normal Aging and Alzheimer’s”. Yeditepe University, Cognitive Science (July 2016).
This page updated by Biliş, Duygu ve Bilişsel Yaşlanma Laboratuvarı on 27.07.2026 14:31:10
