Maike Hübner
Wirtschaftsinstitut
Person
Maike Hübner is an Academic Associate at Hochschule Ruhr West and a doctoral candidate at the University of Twente. Her research focuses on consumer behaviour, particularly cognitive and emotional responses to advertising content. Using eye-tracking, galvanic skin response (GSR), and facial expression analysis (FEA), she uncovers unconscious decision-making processes in both digital and physical retail contexts. At HRW, she supports teaching in practice-oriented modules such as User Experience (UX) and Intercultural Management. In the Usability & Interaction Lab, she supervises experimental studies and applied research. With an interdisciplinary profile, international experience, and data-driven methodology, she is one of the emerging voices in innovative consumer research. Her goal is to make well-founded insights accessible to academia, society, and industry — from social media advertising to the application of biometric methods in retail.
Maike Hübner is available at Hochschule Ruhr West from Wednesday to Friday, typically between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm.
- For minor queries or spontaneous questions, please feel free to use the Webex link: https://hrw.webex.com/meet/maike.huebner
- For more extensive matters, please contact her preferably by email at maike.huebner@hs-ruhrwest.de.
Please note: You may also reach her by email outside regular working hours (e.g., evenings or weekends). Immediate responses are not expected. Replies will always be provided with due care and within reasonable timeframes.
| Since 10/2020 | Academic Associate Research and teaching in the fields of Consumer Behaviour, UX, and Neuromarketing Hochschule Ruhr West, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany |
| 03/2020 – 09/2020 | Student Assistant in Marketing and Service Management Support for research and teaching Technical University of Ingolstadt, Germany |
| 01/2020 – 09/2020 | Consulting Project Manager Project management, process analysis, internal communication Qsit GmbH, Ingolstadt, Germany |
| 08/2015 – 03/2019 | Degree with Extended Practical Training Marketing, Corporate Communications, Retail Management A.T.U Auto-Teile-Unger Handels GmbH & Co. KG, Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Germany |
| 07/2014 – 01/2015 | Language Instructor for German and English Foreign Language Didactics, Intercultural Communication International Institute of Education, Chengdu, China |
| Since 2022 | Doctorate (PhD) Department of Design, Production and Management University of Twente, Netherlands |
| 2019 – 2020 | Master of Arts (M.A.) Technical University of Ingolstadt Retail and Consumer Management |
| 2015 – 2019 | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) OTH Amberg-Weiden Retail and Service Management |
| 2014 – 2015 | Language Studies Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China Chinese as a Foreign Language |
Academic Member der American Marketing Association (AMA)
https://www.ama.org
Research and Cooperation
Maike Hübner conducts research at the intersection of consumer behaviour, digital advertising effectiveness, and neuromarketing. She is an active member of the university-wide research focus on Artificial Intelligence in Business and Economics at Hochschule Ruhr West. Within this framework, she explores current developments in virtual humans, algorithmic communication, and AI-supported consumer interaction.
Maike Hübner’s doctoral supervision is provided by:
Thalmann, Julia
, Hochschule Ruhr West (Daily Supervisor)
Professur für Betriebswirtschaftslehre, insbesondere Marketing
Usability and Interaction Lab (UnI Lab) in Parkstadt Mülheim
Feel free to visit the website of the Usability and Interaction Lab (UnI Lab) in Parkstadt Mülheim and contact us to arrange an appointment.
Maike Hübner possesses extensive practical expertise in a range of specialised software solutions for conducting, analysing, and visualising experimental studies in consumer behaviour and neuromarketing. Her software skills include, among others:
- iMotions: Integration and analysis of multimodal biometric data (eye-tracking, GSR/EDA, facial expression analysis)
- Tobii Pro Lab & Tobii Studio: Experimental design, recording, and analysis of eye-tracking data (screen-based and wearable)
- SPSS: Statistical data analysis, hypothesis testing, regression, and variance analyses
- MAXQDA & Atlas.ti: Qualitative content analysis (e.g., think-aloud protocols)
- Shopware: Configuration and analysis of e-commerce environments for research on digital purchasing behaviour
- Qualtrics & SoSci Survey: Online surveys, UX testing, and pretests
An up-to-date overview of all publications can be found on Maike Hübner’s ORCID profile. Below is a selection:
Hübner, M., Thalmann, J., & Henseler, J. (2025). Mapping the Attention–Conversion Funnel from Exposure to Memory of Instagram In-Feed Advertising. NeuroBusiness Conference. [Conference paper preprint]
Hübner, M., Thalmann, J., & Schmidt, A. (2024). Virtual Influencers: The Impact of Cultural Intelligence on Perceived Credibility. EMAC Regional Conference. [Conference paper]
Roemer, E., Thalmann, J., Faupel, U., & Hübner, M. (2022). Eye Tracking as a Research Method for Social Media. In Guta, A. & Han, S. (Eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Social Media Marketing. SAGE Publications.
ISBN: 9781529784473
Hübner, M., Thalmann, J., & Steinwegs, H. (2023). A Theoretical and Practical Perspective on Virtual Influencers. The Economic Perspective on Artificial Intelligence (EPEAI). [Conference paper]
University Administration
Maike Hübner is actively involved in the academic self-administration at Hochschule Ruhr West, holding several elected and appointed positions:
- Voting member of the Senate
(representing the group of academic staff)
– Terms: 2022–2024, 2024–2026 (re-elected) - Member of the Senate Finance Committee (SKF)
– Term: 2022–2024 - Voting member of the Peer-to-Peer Committee (P2P)
– Since January 2021, Faculty 2 - Deputy member of the Disciplinary Committee
– Term: 15 May 2025 – 31 March 2029
These roles demonstrate her ongoing commitment to the strategic, financial, and structural development of the university, as well as her active representation of academic staff interests.