Marcel Alexander Niesik, M. Sc.

I am a studied psychologist who is currently doing a doctorate in the field of cognitive psychology at cooperative post graduate program "Wissensmedien". Thanks to the state-funded doctoral scholarship program, I have the opportunity to deal intensively with these research questions.

As a PhD student, I focus on exploring the potential of augmented reality and virtual reality in an educational context. My work aims to investigate the impact of these technologies on knowledge retention, memory, problem solving skills and cognitive flexibility.  Of particular interest is the degree of realism and its role in knowledge retention.Through my research, I aim to contribute to the creation of innovative educational opportunities that make learning more effective, engaging and accessible.

Society memberships:
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (German Psychological Association, DGPs)

Publications: 

Niesik, M. A., P.Engel-Hermann, and A.Skulmowski. 2026. “When Backgrounds Take Center Stage: Realistic Visualizations Can Be Detrimental for Learning If They Contain Irrelevant Backgrounds.” Applied Cognitive Psychology40, no. 3: e70201. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70201