2026

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2026). Manipulating prior causal beliefs affects the formation of apparent causal illusions. Cognition, 277, 106684. Paper OSF Code Preregistration

  • Stephan, S., Placì, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2026). Recognizing estimation-relevant structural differences in predictive causal reasoning. In G. Boleda, I. Dautriche, M. Maldonado, C. Saldana, & T. Torrent (Eds.), Proceedings of the 48th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper Poster

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2026). Manipulating causal priors affects the outcome-density bias. In G. Boleda, I. Dautriche, M. Maldonado, C. Saldana, & T. Torrent (Eds.), Proceedings of the 48th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper Poster

2025

  • Stephan, S. (2025). Reasoning about actual causation in reversible and irreversible causal structures. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 51(1), 152–169. Paper Project page OSF Preregistration

2024

  • On parental leave.

2023

  • Stephan, S. (2023). Revisiting the narrow latent scope bias in explanatory reasoning. Cognition, 241, 105630. Paper Project page OSF Preprint

  • Stephan, S., Engelmann, N., & Waldmann, M. R. (2023). The perceived dilution of causal strength. Cognitive Psychology, 140, 101540. Paper Project page OSF

2022

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2022). The interplay between covariation, temporal, and mechanism information in singular causation judgments. In A. Wiegmann, & P. Willemsen (Eds.). Advances in Experimental Philosophy of Causation. London, UK: Bloomsbury Press. Preprint

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2022). The role of mechanism knowledge in singular causation judgments. Cognition, 218, 104924. Paper OSF Code

2021

  • Skovgaard-Olsen, N., Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2021). Conditionals and the hierarchy of causal queries. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 150, 2472–2505. Paper OSF

  • Gerstenberg, T., & Stephan, S. (2021). A counterfactual simulation model of causation by omission. Cognition, 216, 104842. Paper Preprint OSF Code Preregistration

  • Stephan, S., Placì, Sarah & Waldmann, M. R. (2021). Evaluating general versus singular causal prevention. In T. Fitch, C. Lamm, H. Leder, & K. Tessmar (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. (pp. 1402–1408). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper Project page Poster

  • Stephan, S., Tentori, K., Pighin, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2021). Interpolating causal mechanisms: The paradox of knowing more. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 150(8), 1500-1527. Paper OSF

2020

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2020). Causal scope and causal strength: The number of potential effects of a cause influences causal strength estimates. In S. Denison., M. Mack, Y. Xu, & B.C. Armstrong (Eds.), Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 3426 - 3432). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper OSF

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2020). On causal claims, contingencies, and inference: How causal terminology affects what we think about the strength of causal links. In S. Denison., M. Mack, Y. Xu, & B.C. Armstrong (Eds.), Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 3419 - 3425). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper OSF

  • Stephan, S., Mayrhofer, R., & Waldmann, M. R. (2020). Time and singular causation - a computational model. Cognitive Science, 44, e12871. Paper OSF Preregistration

2019

  • Stephan, S. (2019). Answering causal queries about singular cases - an evaluation of a new computational model. (Dissertation) PDF

2018

  • Stephan, S., Mayrhofer, R., & Waldmann, M. R. (2018). Assessing singular causation: The role of causal latencies. In T.T. Rogers, M. Rau, X. Zhu, & C. W. Kalish (Eds.), Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1080 - 1085). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2018). Preemption in singular causation judgments: A computational model. Topics in Cognitive Science, 10, 242–257. Paper

2017

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2017). Preemption in singular causation judgments: A computational model. In G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, & E. Davelaar (Eds.), Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1126-1131). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. (Computational Modeling: Higher Level Cognition Award of the Cognitive Science Society). Award Paper

  • Stephan, S., Willemsen, P. & Gerstenberg, T. (2017). Marbles in inaction: Counterfactual simulation and causation by omission. In G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, & E. Davelaar (Eds.), Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1132-1137). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper

2016

  • Nagel, J., & Stephan, S. (2016). Explanations in causal chains: Selecting distal causes requires exportable mechanisms. In A. Papafragou, D. Grodner, D. Mirman, & J.C. Trueswell (Eds.), Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 806-811). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper Poster

  • Stephan, S., & Waldmann, M. R. (2016). Answering causal queries about singular cases. In A. Papafragou, D. Grodner, D. Mirman, & J.C. Trueswell (Eds.), Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 2795-2801). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper

2015

  • Nagel, J., & Stephan, S.. (2015). Mediators or alternative explanations: Transitivity in human-mediated causal chains. In D. C. Noelle, R. Dale, A. S. Warlaumont, J. Yoshimi, T. Matlock, C. D. Jennings, & P. P. Maglio (Eds.), Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1691-1696). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. Paper Poster

Back to top ↑