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Last update: 2025-09-19


Current Position

Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy
  • Tails or types? Testing the dimensional hypothesis in neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Supervisor: Prof. Enrico Toffalini
  • 1 year research grant
Oct. 2024 - Present

Education

Ph.D. in Psychological Sciences - cum laude
University of Padova, Italy
  • Thesis: Balancing stability and flexibility in cognitive control and learning: the effects of arousal
  • https://researchdata.cab.unipd.it/1437/
  • Supervisors: Prof. Roberta Sellaro, Prof. Nicola Cellini
Oct. 2021 - Oct. 2024
Postgraduate Internship
Psychophysiology Lab, University of Padova, Italy
  • Investigated the role of sleep characteristics in false memory formation and emotional reactivity.
  • Processed and interpreted sleep data from healthy participants.
  • Supervisors: Prof. Andrea Spoto, Prof. Nicola Cellini
Jan. 2021 - Dec. 2021
M.S. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Neuropsychology - 110 cum laude
University of Padova, Italy
  • Thesis: Sleep characteristics in adults with high functioning autism: a polysomnographic study
  • Supervisor: Prof. Nicola Cellini
Oct. 2018 - Dec. 2020
Curricular Internship
Psychophysiology Lab, University of Padova, Italy
  • Analyzed polysomnographic data to examine sleep architecture in young adults with high-functioning autism.
  • Collaborated with the University of Trento and the University of Tübingen.
  • Supervisor: Prof. Nicola Cellini
Dec. 2019 - Aug. 2020
B.S. in Cognitive Psychology and Psychobiology - 109/110
University of Padova, Italy
  • Thesis: Gender differences in the long-term consolidation of emotional memories
  • Supervisor: Prof. Michela Sarlo
Sept. 2015 - July 2018

Abroad

Visiting PostDoc
Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
  • Research on Bayesian approaches to the problem of multiplicity.
  • Supervisor: Prof. Jelle Goeman
1.5 months (Sept. 2025 - Oct. 2025)
Visiting PhD student
Cognitive Psychology Unit, University of Leiden, the Netherlands
  • Worked on a research project investigating how mind-wandering affects cognitive flexibility, applying computational models (https://psyarxiv.com/quhns) to analyze behavioral data.
  • Supervisor: Prof. Bryant Jongkees
4 months (Feb. 2024 - Jun. 2024)
Research Intern
Donders Sleep and Memory Lab, Donders Institute, the Netherlands
  • Studied associations between affective memory bias, medial prefrontal schema processing, and sleep in depressed patients and healthy controls.
  • Assisted with a project on lucid dream induction.
  • Supervisor: Prof. Martin Dresler
2 months (Jun. 2019 – Aug. 2019)
Erasmus +
Jaume I University, Spain
  • Completed a semester-long academic exchange as part of my undergraduate studies.
5 months (Feb. 2015 – July. 2015)

Publications

Published

  1. Calderan, M., Jongkees, J.B., Gambarota, F., Pastore, M., Cellini, N., & Sellaro, R. (2025) Isolating working memory gating processes under stress. Collabra::Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.140750 [IF: 3.1,Quartile: Q1], OSF repo: https://osf.io/d43vs/

  2. Calderan, M., Toffalini, E., Mirandola, C., & Cellini, N. (2025). Sleep does not affect false memory production on a script-based test. Neuropsychologia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109210 [IF: 2, Quartile: Q3] OSF repo: https://osf.io/kwycq/

  3. Toffoli, L., Calderan, M., Del Popolo Cristaldi, F., Duma, G. M., Calcagnì, A., Pastore, M., Tarantino, V., & Mento, G. (2025). Can I afford one more candy? How motivational contexts shape adaptive cognitive control in children. Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001976. [IF: 3.1, Quartile: Q2], OSF repo: https://osf.io/shuq2/

  4. Sobol, M., Błachnio, A., Calderan, M., Degasperi, G., Mioni, G., Hryhorchuk, I., Plucińska, E., Stasiniewicz, J., Kwapiński, J., Jankowski, K., & Cellini, N. (2025). Balanced time perspective as a factor mitigating the negative consequences of sleep disruptions in the perinatal period. Chronobiology International, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07420528.2025.2490499 [IF: 2.2, Quartile: Q3]

  5. Calderan, M., & Visalli, A. (2024). Challenges of meta-learning and rational analysis in large worlds. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 47, e148. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X24000128.Target paper and commentaries: https://cldlab.org/static/papers/Binz\_2024\_BBS.pdf [IF: 16.6, Quartile: Q1]

Under Review

  1. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Degasperi, G., Toffoli, L., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. Predictions under sleep restriction: The effects of partial sleep deprivation on learning and inhibitory control. Under Review in Royal Society Open Science. Preprint: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/x7m4z\_v3.

  2. Visalli, A., Calistroni, F. M., Calderan, M., Donnarumma, F., Zorzi, M., & Ambrosini, E. A computational framework for integrating Predictive processes with evidence Accumulation Models (PAM). Under Review in Behavior Research Methods. Preprint: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2411.13203.

  3. Toffalini, E., Calderan, M., Pagan, R., Tobia, V. & Sonuga-Barke, E. A Critical Tails or Types? A Critical Systematic Review of Taxometric Studies of Neurodevelopmental Conditions. Under review in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry https://github.com/EnricoToffalini/Taxometrics-Neurodevelopmental-Disorders/tree/main

  4. Mazzoni, N., Kurz, E.V., Cellini, N., Ciringione, L., Calderan, M., Gallitto, G., Falco, S., Venuti, P., Zinke, K., Born, J., & Carìa, A., Aperiodic and periodic neural activity during sleep in autism spectrum disorders. Under Review in BMC medicine.

Preregistration

  1. Sirota, M., Šrol, J., Lisi, M., Juanchich, M., Guglani, K., Silverstein, P., … Calderan, M., … Schmidt, K. (2025, January 14). Mapping and Increasing Error Correction Behaviour in a Culturally Diverse Sample. Preprint: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WN4VX.

  2. Toffalini, E., Calderan, M., Feraco, T., & Gambarota, F. Link Functions and Generalized Linear Models in Interaction Testing within Psychological Research. https://osf.io/sjdu4

In Preparation

  1. Barbiero, J., Calderan, M., & Mioni, G., The contribution of cerebellum in time perception: A systematic review and meta-analyses. In preparation for Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Cognitive Science

  2. Toffoli, L., Calderan, M., Stefanelli, G., Duma, G.M., Del Popolo Cristaldi, F., Duma, G., Pastore, M., Frisina, S., Tarantino, V., & Mento, G., I am talking to you! Engagement modulates the effects of digital contents exposure on preschoolers’ adaptive cognitive control. In preparation for Developmental Sciences.

  3. Calderan, M., van Dooren, R., Sellaro, R., & Jongkees, J.B., Dynamic and contextual modulation of constraints on cognitive control. In preparation for Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.

Published Abstract

  1. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. (2024). Restless Sleep, Uncertain Minds: Learning and Inhibitory Control Under Partial Sleep Deprivation. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 46. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/65b2f0n7.

  2. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N., (2024). The Effects of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Adaptive Cognitive Control. Sleep Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2023.11.156.

  3. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. (2024). Expecting the unexpected: a closer look at the effect of partial sleep deprivation on learning and inhibitory control. Journal of Sleep Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14291.

  4. Baldassarri, A., Colombo, C., Bergamo, D., Calderan, M., Varanini, A., Ferrentino, A.,D’atri, A., & Cellini, N. (2024). Exploring the impact of oscillatory events during a nap on emotional memory consolidation. Journal of Sleep Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14291

Conferences

  1. Stefanelli G., Toffoli L., Calderan M., Del Popolo Cristaldi F., Duma G. M., Tarantino V., Visalli A., Sellaro R., Mento G. Apprendimento associativo implicito e volatilità ambientale nell’ADHD. Video-Poster at Giornate di aggiornamento sull’uso degli strumenti in Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo Bologna (Italy), February 2025.

  2. Stefanelli G., Toffoli L., Calderan M., Duma G. M., Del Popolo Cristaldi F., Tarantino V., Visalli A., Sellaro R. & Mento G. Super Learning Bros: Developmental trajectories of probabilistic learning in volatile environment. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2025.

  3. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Degasperi, G., Calistroni, F.M., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. Expecting the unexpected: a closer look at the effect of partial sleep deprivation on learning and inhibitory control. Poster presented at Sleep Europe 2024, Seville (Spain), September 2024.

  4. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Degasperi, G., Calistroni, F.M., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. Restless Sleep, Uncertain Minds: Learning and Inhibitory Control Under Partial Sleep Deprivation. Poster presented at CogSci 2024: Dynamics of Cognition, Rotterdam (Netherlands), July 2024.

  5. Degasperi, G.,Calderan, M., Mioni, G., Meisner, M., Blachnio, A., Hryhorchuk, I., Plucinska, E., Sobol, M., & Cellini, N. The role of sleep, circadian rhythms, balanced time perspective on perinatal depression symptoms. Poster at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2024.

  6. Toffoli, L.,Calderan, M., Duma, G. M., Frisina, S., Tarantino V., & Mento, G. I’m talking to you! Interactive digital content effects on children’s adaptive cognitive control. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2024.

  7. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. The Effects of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Adaptive Cognitive Control. Poster presented at World Sleep Congress, Rio de Janeiro (Brasil), October 2023.

  8. Calderan, M., Visalli, A., Sellaro, R., & Cellini, N. The sleep-deprived predictive brain: modeling the effect of partial sleep deprivation on adaptive cognitive control. Talk at the XXIX Conference of the Italian Association of Psychology (AIP) - Experimental Psychology Section. Lucca (Italy), September 2023.

  9. Calderan, M., Cellini, N., Sellaro, R., Stressed Minds: Unraveling Acute-Stress Effects on Working Memory Processes. Mini-Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2023.

  10. Toffoli, L., Calderan, M., Del Popolo Cristaldi, F., Duma, G. M., Calcagnì, A., Pastore, M., Tarantino, V., & Mento, G. Can I afford one more candy? How motivational contexts shape adaptive cognitive control in children. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2023.

  11. Calderan, M., Cellini, N., Sellaro, R., Exploring the Influence of Stress on Working Memory Gating Mechanisms. Mini-Talk at the XXX Conference of the Italian Association of Psychology (AIP). Padova (Italy), September 2022.

  12. Calderan, M., Cellini, N., Sellaro, R., Understanding stress-induced Effects on Working Memory gating mechanisms. Poster presented at the 22nd meeting of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCoP), Lille (France), August 2022.

Awards and Grants

  1. Travel Grant: European Conference on Visual Perception, Mainz, (Germany).
  2. Travel Grant: qHelp international seminar on Quantitative Psychology. Arrifana (Portugal)
  3. Painter Award: Best Poster, Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen, (Italy).
  4. Erasmus Placement Grant (2 Months): Donders Sleep and Memory Lab, Nijmegen (Netherlands).
  5. Erasmus Placement Grant (5 Months): Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, (Spain).

Teaching

Lectures on contract (docenze a contratto)

  • Test per le organizzazioni (21 hours, 3 CFU). Scheduled for the 2nd semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. Lecturer (titolare di modulo) for the Master’s Degree in Psicologia Sociale, del Lavoro e della Comunicazione, University of Padova.

  • Introduction to meta-analysis with application in R (5 hours, 1 CFU). Scheduled for the 2nd semester of the 2025/2026 academic year. Professor for the course within the PhD program in Psychological Sciences, University of Padova.

Seminars

  • Introduction to R. An intensive R programming course offered within the ARCA (Applied Research Course Academy) courses, Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova. Material: https://github.com/arca-dpss/course-R-2425
    • December, 2024 (20 hrs.)
    • April, 2025 (20 hrs.)
    • November, 2025 (20 hrs., planned)
  • Learning in Dynamic Environments: A Tentative Implementation of the Volatile Kalman Filter in STAN. Presentation (1 hr.) on a Bayesian-based implementation of a learning algorithm for the 2023/24 Psicostat meeting series: https://psicostat.dpss.psy.unipd.it/meetings/slides/2024-03-22_calderan.pdf

Integrative teaching (Didattica integrativa)

  • Preparation and correction of practical group exercises and exams for the course Experimental Research Methods in Psychology (Prof. Roberta Sellaro), Master’s degree in Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Padova (14 hrs.).

  • Assistance in the preparation of exercises and corrections for the course General Psychology (Prof. Enrico Toffalini), Bachelor’s degree in Techniques and Methods in Psychological Sciences, University of Padova (15 hrs.).

  • Assistance during lectures and preparation of practical group exercise for the course General Psychology (Prof.Giovanna Mioni),Bachelor’s degree in Social and Work Psychological Sciences, University of Padova (14 hrs.).

Workshops

Other Academic Roles

  • Representative of Research Fellows in the Department of General Psychology, University of Padova. 02/2024 – Present

  • Co-supervision of students for their internships and Bachelor’s (2) and Master’s theses (1)

Organizational Activities

Methodological School: Replicability Crisis in Science

Member of the Organizing team. The school aims to provide a broad and interdisciplinary perspective on replicability, along with tools that help participants explore aspects most relevant to their own field. Lectures cover the epistemological, philosophical, and statistical foundations of replicability and the so-called replication crisis. Students engage in guided group activities to discuss core issues and apply the course concepts to real data analysis. Padova (Italy). (https://psicostat.github.io/replicability-psy-unipd-phd)

  • Lecturers: Prof. Branden Fitelson, Prof. Giovanni Parmigiani, Dr. Filippo Gambarota

International Winter School - The 4 Ms: Meta-research, Measurement, Multi-lab, and Multiverse data analysis in Behavioral Sciences

Member of the Organizing team. The Winter School aims to address the methodological challenges in behavioral sciences, which impact theory, measurement, and data analysis. Its main purpose is to introduce attendees to advancements in meta-research, providing both theoretical insights and practical tools to conduct rigorous research. Additionally, it aims to foster collaborative networks by enabling attendees to discuss their ongoing projects with teachers and peers, facilitating new collaborations and the application of the presented tools. Padova (Italy). (https://winterschool4ms.dpg.unipd.it/)

  • Lecturers: Prof. Daniël Lakens, Prof. Dorothy Bishop, Prof. Jessica Flake, Prof. Lisa DeBruine, Prof. Ulrich Schimmack, Prof. Carlo Umiltà, Prof. Ettore Ambrosini, Dr. Filippo Gambarota, Dr. Giulia Calignano, Prof. Massimo Grassi, Prof. Livio Finos

ONIRICAMENTE

Member of the Organizing team of the one-day workshop dedicated to public outreach on the Psychology of Sleep. Padova (Italy) (https://sites.google.com/view/oniricamente/home-page?authuser=0)

Cognitive Neuroscience of Sleep Summer School

Member of the Supporting team. The Summer School examined methods for investigating sleep and memory in humans and animals. It also covered topics related to sleep medicine and dreaming. Nijmegen (Netherlands)

Research Groups Membership

Psicostat
University of Padova
2024 - Present
SleePy
University of Padova
  • I am a member of SleePy, a research group focusing on sleep psychology.
2019 - Present

Collaborations

Dr. Bryant Jongkees
Univerisity of Leiden, the Netherlands
  • Examining the influence of expectations and mind-wandering on cognitive control stability and flexibility using computational modeling approaches.
2024 - Present
Dr. Antonino Visalli
University of Modena-Reggio Emilia, Italy
  • Integrating models of learning and control.
2023 - Present

Involvement in Research Groups

National Project on Malpractice in Psychological Research

Collaborative initiative aimed at identifying and addressing methodological malpractice in psychological science, with Enrico Toffalini (University of Padova), Filippo Gambarota (University of Padova) and Tommaso Feraco (University of Padova). My contributions include:

National Project on Adaptive Cognitive Control in Children

Part of a national research group focused on investigating adaptive cognitive control in typical, at-risk, and atypical populations within a Neuroconstructivist framework, with Giovanni Mento (University of Padova), Fiorella Del Popolo Cristaldi (University of Padova), Lisa Toffoli (University of Padova), Giulia Stefanelli (University of Padova), Gian Marco Duma (Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, IRCCS E. Medea). The group has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and posters. My contributions specifically focused on the application of Bayesian methods, including generalized multilevel models and survival analysis techniques, in the following selected works:

  • Toffoli, L., Calderan, M., Del Popolo Cristaldi, F., Duma, G. M., Calcagnì, A., Pastore, M., Tarantino, V., & Mento, G. (2025). Can I afford one more candy? How motivational contexts shape adaptive cognitive control in children. Developmental Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001976.

  • Stefanelli G., Toffoli L., Calderan M., Del Popolo Cristaldi F., Duma G. M., Tarantino V., Visalli A., Sellaro R., Mento G. Apprendimento associativo implicito e volatilità ambientale nell’ADHD. Video-Poster at Giornate di aggiornamento sull’uso degli strumenti in Psicologia Clinica dello Sviluppo Bologna (Italy), February 2025.

  • Stefanelli G., Toffoli L., Calderan M., Duma G. M., Del Popolo Cristaldi F., Tarantino V., Visalli A., Sellaro R. & Mento G. Super Learning Bros: Developmental trajectories of probabilistic learning in volatile environment. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2025.

  • Toffoli, L.,Calderan, M., Duma, G. M., Frisina, S., Tarantino V., & Mento, G. I’m talking to you! Interactive digital content effects on children’s adaptive cognitive control. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2024.

  • Toffoli, L., Calderan, M., Del Popolo Cristaldi, F., Duma, G. M., Calcagnì, A., Pastore, M., Tarantino, V., & Mento, G. Can I afford one more candy? How motivational contexts shape adaptive cognitive control in children. Talk at the Cognitive Science Arena, Brixen (Italy), February 2023.

Training

Model-based Neuroscience Summer School
University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
  • Hands-on experience in both cognitive modeling using evidence-accumulation models and cognitive neuroscience methods. Three-day introduction to evidence-accumulation modeling using Bayesian inference. Two days focused on how to use the evidence-accumulation framework to formalize performance in complex experimental paradigms, how to construct joint models of multiple tasks using techniques such as hierarchical factor models, and how to combine evidence-accumulation and reinforcement-learning models.
  • Lecturers: Prof. Andrew Heathcote, Prof. Dora Matzke, Dr. Michael Nunez, Dr. Steven Miletic, and Dr. Niek Stevenson
29/07/2024 - 02/08/2024
qHelp international seminar on Quantitative Psychology
Arrifana, Portugal
  • A one-week intensive seminar covering Shiny and R Markdown for interactive data reporting, Copula theory and its applications in dependence modeling, numerical methods, and optimization techniques for computational analysis.
  • Lecturers: Julian Mollenhauer, Ana Lourenço, Prof. Luciano Stefanutti, Prof. Hans Colonius, Prof. Francis Tuerlinckx, and Prof. Sérgio Moreira
26/03/2023 - 02/04/2023
Statistical Rethinking
Online Course
  • Pre-recorded lectures and weekly meetings to discuss the material. This course teaches data analysis, focusing on scientific models: conceptual and causal models. Bayesian data analysis to connect scientific models to evidence.
  • Lecturers: Prof. Richard McElreath
06/01/2023 - 10/03/2023
Fundamentals and Applications of Pupillometry
University of Padova, Italy
  • This course offers an introduction to the use of pupillometry in cognitive science, combining practical exercises in data processing with free software tools: OpenSesame for implementing classic cognitive psychology tasks and R for analyzing and visualizing continuous pupil diameter changes. Covering key topics such as noise sources, experimental design, data processing options, and the cognitive interpretation of pupillometric measures.
  • Professor: Dr. Giulia Calignano
20 hours
EEGLAB: analysis of electroencephalographic data
University of Padova, Italy
  • The EEGLAB and ERPLAB toolboxes, which operate within MATLAB, facilitate the analysis of electroencephalographic (EEG) data. This course offers foundational skills in data analysis and theoretical knowledge through practical examples, covering key topics such as data pre-processing and event-related potential (ERP) computation.
  • Professor: Dr. Mattia Doro
20 hours
Introduction to R
University of Padova, Italy
  • This course introduces the fundamentals of the open-source programming language R, teaching core programming concepts, data structures, and function creation through practical exercises to build versatile skills applicable across academic and professional settings.
  • Professor: Dr. Filippo Gambarota
20 hours
PsychoPy3: experimental programming
University of Padova, Italy
  • This course introduces participants to PsychoPy, an open-source Python-based software for designing and running behavioral science experiments, teaching them how to create, test, deploy, and manage experiments using its flexible and user-friendly graphical interface.
  • Professor: Dr. Thomas Quettier
20 hours

Scientific Societies Membership

Cognitive Science Society
https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/
2024 - Present
Italian Reproduciblity Network
https://www.itrn.org/
2023 - Present
European Sleep Research Society
https://esrs.eu/
2023 - Present
AIP, Sezione Sperimentale
https://aipass.org/psicologia-sperimentale/
2022 - Present
Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science
https://improvingpsych.org/
2022 - 2023
European Society for Cognitive Psychology
https://www.escop.eu/
2021 - 2023

Languages

🇮🇹 Italian: Mother Tongue
🇬🇧 English : Proficient
🇪🇸 Spanish : Beginner

Programming Languages

R/R Studio
Proficient
STAN
Intermediate
JAGS
Basic
Python
Basic
MatLab
Basic

Research and Project Management Skills

PsychoPy/Pavlovia and OpenSesame/OSWeb
Intermediate
  • Task development for behavioral research.
GitHub and GitLab
Intermediate
Docker
Basic
  • Development and deployment of containers.
Google Suite, Office Suite
Intermediate
  • Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Meet, Docs, Forms, Sheets.
Operating Systems

  • macOS (Intermediate)
  • Windows (Intermediate)
  • Linux (Intermediate)