Just published

January 2024 Revised new edition of the popular, German-language introduction to research methods in psychology and the social sciences by Schreier, Echterhoff and colleagues. E-book available here.

psychological factors of helping refugees

February 2023 In the recent podcast episode (LINK) on The Breaker (UK), Gerald Echterhoff talks about psychological factors of helping refugees. The focus is on UK residents offering shelter to refugees from the Ukraine. The episode was also aired on Hope FM radio.

Expert analysis in Swiss daily newspaper

November 2022 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff in the Swiss daily newspaper NZZ (Neue Züricher Zeitung) on responses to loss and the psychology of conscious sacrifice. Online in German.

presentation on attitudes toward different refugee groups

October 2022 Judith Knausenberger gives a presentation for the Akademie Franz Hitze Haus and Deutscher Caritasverband on attitudes toward different refugee groups and unequal treatment of Ukrainian and Syrian refugees.

Expert analysis for German newspaper

September 2022 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on loneliness risks due to high inflation in the newspaper NRZ (Neue Rhein Zeitung).

Call for papers (Link below)

May 2022 Check out our Call For Papers (LINK) for a Special Issue on "The Social Psychology of Forced Migration" in Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology (CRESP), Guest Editors: Gerald Echterhoff, Julia Becker & Eva Green

Interview Antenne Niedersachsen

March 2022 Radio interview with Gerald Echterhoff on explanations of help and support for people fleeing Ukraine, Antenne Niedersachsen. INTERVIEW

Full-page Interview in news magazine "Christian Science Monitor"

February 2022 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff in the news magazine „Christian Science Monitor“ on Germans' confidence in science and the testing culture in the pandemic. ARTICLE

Full-page Interview in Psychologie Heute

February 2022 Interview about identity conflicts and perceived threat by refugees and Muslims with Gerald Echterhoff & Mitja Back in German magazine "Psychologie Heute". Online in German ARTICLE

Full-page Interview in german daily nation-wide newspaper

December 2021 Full-page Interview with Gerald Echterhoff in the daily nation-wide newspaper „Der Tagesspiegel” on communication and social contact in times of the pandemic. Online in German ARTICLE

Interview on Swiss Radio and Television (SRF)

December 2021 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) on mandatory vaccinations. Online in German PODCAST SRF

expert analysis for Bavarian Public Radio

November 2021 In a radio podcast for Bavarian Public Radio (Bayern 2), Gerald Echterhoff analyses the public reaction to the fourth Covid-19 wave. Online in German PODCAST

Interview on WDR Public TV

November 2021 TV Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on WDR Public Broadcasting (Lokalzeit Münsterland) on individual responsibility behaviors in the prolonged Corona pandemic. Online in German LINK TO INTERVIEW

Shared Reality in the media

November 2021 BBC Article "What makes strangers click?" and PsyPost Article "Psychologists identify 'shared reality' as a key component of close relationships"

Expert interview for public TV news magazine

June 2021 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on psychological responses to the lifting of pandemic control measures and the corresponding "new / old freedom" in Tagesthemen News Magazine on German Public Television.

Interview Antenne Münster

May 2021 Radio interview with Gerald Echterhoff on vaccination envy, justice perception, and social comparison during the Corona pandemic, Antenne Münster. LINK TO INTERVIEW

Interview on German National Public Radio

April 2021 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on in a feature on affective and cognitive effects of warnings against the surge of new Corona infections reflective / systematic processing of scientific evidence, and barriers to collective agency. LINK TO INTERVIEW

Interview on WDR Public TV

March 2021 TV Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on WDR Public Broadcasting (Lokalzeit Münsterland) on frustration and aggressive behaviors in the prolonged Corona pandemic. Online in German at the WDR media library

Expert analysis in German Public Radio Feature

February 2021 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff in a feature on the limits of idividual freedom in an era of crises (pandemics, climate change) on National Public Radio (Deutschlandfunk Kultur). GE analyzes the relation between collective and individual processes, gambling on uncertainty, and radical protests. LINK TO INTERVIEW

Full-page Interview in SZ

February 2021 Full-page Interview with Gerald Echterhoff in the daily nation-wide newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung on zu distress, social inequality, unrealistic optimism und unfulfilled hopes after one year of the Corona pandemic. Online (in German) at https://www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/corona-psychologie-echterhoff-gabenzaun-1.5217806

Interview on German Public Radio

January 2021 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on Deutschlandfunk Kultur. GE analyzes the psychology of complying with COVID restrictions, behavioral control and justification for non-compliance. LINK TO INTERVIEW

Expert analysis on 1Live Radio

January 2021 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on WDR 1Live (German Public Radio) on psychological factors of frustration in the tightened lockdown and COVID policy acceptance. LINK TO INTERVIEW

Consulting at a Microsoft Executive Roundtable

December 2020 Interview and discussion with Gerald Echterhoff at the Microsoft Virtual Executive Roundtable, "Work and private life in crisis mode: How the pandemice affects society and organizations - a psychological perspective"

Expert analysis on social distancing

December 2020 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on social distancing during the COVID pandemic and the role of social online media for coping with loneliness, in wissen leben, WWU University Journal.

Interview on social distancing

December 2020 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on coping with social distance and isolation during the COVID pandemic, for the online journal RUMS

Expert analysis on BR24 social video

November 2020 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff for a social video produced by Bayerischer Rundfunk public broadcasting, Channel BR24, Why have Corona infections been rising?

DFG funded memory workshop

October 2020 Virtual Workshop GEM (Generative Episodic Memory) 2021, organized by the DFG-funded Research Unit FOR 2812, February 16-18, 2021.

Interview for Radio Bremen

October 2020 Gerald Echterhoff analyzes people's responses to new social-contact restrictions, political communication and social inequalities due to anti-infection measures, Radio Bremen 2 (Public Radio).

Interview on WDR5 Public Radio

October 2020 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on WDR5 Public Radio concerning optimism biases and political communication about the "Corona-Marathon" LINK TO INTERVIEW (IN GERMAN)

Interview for Radio Bremen

October 2020 Gerald Echterhoff analyses motivational processes, decision fatigue and uncertainty in the "Corona Fall" in an interview on Public Radio Bremen.

Expert analysis in DER STANDARD daily newspaper (Vienna)

October 2020 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on responses to Corona risks, guilt and communication about infections. Article (in German)

Expert analysis in FOCUS online magazine

September 2020 Interview and expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on stigma, emotions and coping with uncertainty in response to Corona infections. Article

Interview in WN daily newspaper

August 2020 Interview with Gerald Echterhoff on attention and prosocial behaviors in mundane situations.

Expert analysis in DIE ZEIT weekly magazine

July 2020 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff on preventive behaviors, group norms and shared reality in the new "Corona normality" in ZEIT online.

Interview for Radio Bremen

July 2020 Public radio station Radion Bremen: Gerald Echterhoff talks about violations of Corona rules in group settings.

Interview for Deutschlandfunk Nova

May 2020 Public radio (Deutschlandfunk Nova): Gerald Echterhoff talks about need threat, shared reality and we-ness in the Corona crisis.

Corona expert analysis in FOCUS News Magazine

May 2020 Expert analysis by Gerald Echterhoff in the lead article of FOCUS Weekly Magazine on reactions to the Corona crisis.

Corona expert analysis on Public TV

April 2020 Expert analysis from Gerald Echterhoff in the public TV news magazine "Tagesthemen" on psychological demands from curfew during the Corona crisis.

Analysis on climate politics after Corona on Public TV

April 2020 Expert opinion by Gerald Echterhoff in the public TV magazine "Aktuelle Stunde" on psychological stressors (uncertainty, frustration) from curfew rules during the Corona crisis

Analysis of psychological stressors from Corona lockdown on Public TV

April 2020 Expert opinion by Gerald Echterhoff in the public TV magazine "Aktuelle Stunde" on psychological stressors (uncertainty, frustration) from curfew rules during the Corona crisis

Corona expert analysis in Focus news magazine

April 2020 Social-psychological expert analysis from Gerald Echterhoff in the news magazine Focus Online on threats to social cohesion from the Corona crisis.

Interview with HR Info Radio

March 2020 Public radio (HR info): Gerald Echterhoff talks about the impact of the Corona crisis on people and society and about the psychology of political communication

Interview with MDR Radio

March 2020 Gerald Echterhoff talks about responses to unpredictability and self-management strategies during the Corona crisis. Podcast

Interview with German Public Radio

March 2020 In a 30 minute interview with German National Public Radio (Deutschlandfunk Kultur) Gerald Echterhoff talks about psychological responses and social dilemmas in the Corona crisis.

Newspaper article on threats by corono virus

March 2020 In a half-page article in "Westfälische Nachrichten" Gerald Echterhoff explains responses to threats from the new corona virus.

Interview for Radio RST

February 2020 In a radio interview for Radio RST Gerald Echterhoff talks about defense and prejudice towards people potentially infected with the new corona virus.

Interview for BR2 radio

December 2019 In a radio interview for Bavarian Public Radio (Bayern 2) Gerald Echterhoff explains how people will be likely to remember the past decade (i.e., the 2010s).

Our research in the media

October 2019 Newspaper report and press release on studies of support for refugee integration in East vs. West Germany.

Gerald Echterhoff appointed to ISSEP board of directors

September 2019 Gerald Echterhoff has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology (ISSEP).

Bjarne Schmalbach receives funding

May 2019 Sebastian Cancino Montecinos (Stockholm University), Simona Haásová (University of Vienna), and Bjarne Schmalbach receive funding from the EASP for a research project titled "Shared Reality as a Cognitive Process without Motivation" (volume: 2,370 €)

Funding in New DFG Research Group

December 2018 Gerald Echterhoff has just been awarded funding for a research project titled "How Interpersonal Communication Affects Communicators’ Memory: An Analysis of Cognitive and Motivational Processes" (36 months, approx. 264.000 €) in the new Research Group "Constructing Scenarios of the Past: A New Framework in Episodic Memory" (FOR2812 Speaker: Prof. Dr. Sen Cheng, Ruhr-University Bochum), funded by The German Research Foundation (DFG).

Funding from Successful DFG Excellence Cluster

November 2018 The application for new funding for the DFG Excellence Cluster "Religion und Politics: Dynamics of Tradition and Innovation" at WWU Münster has been successful! In the cluster, Mitja Back, Gerald Echterhoff, Olaf Müller, Detlef Pollack, Bernd Schlipphak will receive funding (705.000 €) for their project titled "Threat perceptions, feelings of belonging, acceptace of democratic sovereignty: A new European conflict line with religious implications?"

Bjarne Schmalbach receives travel grant

October 2018 Bjarne Schmalbach receives a travel grant from the DAAD (volume 1,542€) and a travel grant from the SPSP (volume $500) to visit the SPSP annual convention 2019 in Portland.

Gerald Echterhoff appointed Academy Fellow

April 2018 The Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Federal State (NRW) has elected Gerald Echterhoff as fellow (full regular member) of the Class of Humanities. The induction will take place at the Academy's annual celebration on May 16.

EJSP Special Issue on Forced Migration & Refugee Integration

March 2018 A Special Issue proposal on "The Social Psychology of Forced Migration and Refugee Integration" (guest-edited by Gerald Echterhoff, Jens Hellmann, Mitja Back, Victoria Esses, Ulrich Wagner) was selected in a competitive process for publication in the European Journal of Social Psychology (EJSP).

Expert advice from Gerald Echterhoff on WDR and NDR radio

Award by the Social Psych Division

September 2017 Anna Giesen has been awarded the poster award at this year's meeting of the the Social Psychology division of the German Association of Psychology for her poster "Do I really feel your pain? Comparing the effects of observed and personal ostracism" (co-authored by Gerald Echterhoff).

Gerald Echterhoff cited as expert in Swiss newspaper

August 2017 Gerald Echterhoff was interviewed for an article on flashbulb memories in the Swiss newspaper Zürcher Tagesanzeiger. See the article (in German) here.

new dfg research grant

March 2017 The German Research Foundation (DFG) has just awarded funding for a project titled "When Virtual Contact Is All You Need: The Effect of Facebook Reminders on Responses to Social Exclusion" to Gerald Echterhoff (funding period: 24 months, total volume approx. EUR 164.000).

ullrich wagner awarded a research grant from the german research foundation

December 2016 PD Dr. Ullrich Wagner has been awarded a research grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) for a project entitled "Psychological Mechanisms of Socially Guided Memory Encoding and the Role of Oxytocin" (volume 210.000 EUR, including a full postdoctoral researcher position) for a duration of two years.

bjarne schmalbach receives award for his master's thesis

November 2016 Bjarne Schmalbach receives an award for his master's thesis on regulatory focus in health-specific contexts from the faculty for Applied Human Sciences at the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal.

judith knausenberger and colleagues awarded an EASP funded seedcorn grant

October 2016 Melika Janbakhsh (University of Exeter), Judith Knausenberger, Adrian Lüders (University of Salzburg) and Sohad Murrar (University of Wisconsin-Madison) receive funding from the EASP for a research project titled "Threat and Surveillance" (volume 2.000 €).

Interview on HR2 radio about memory biases

September 2016 Gerald Echterhoff talks about the susceptibility of human memory to distortion and social influence in an interview with Doris Renck on HR2 radio. Podcast

Interview with dpa

July 2016 On the occasion of Theresa May's inauguration as British prime minister, Gerald Echterhoff is interviewed by The German Press Agency (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa) about gender differences in professional communication and leadership.

Upcoming symposium on the role of oxytocin in social cognition

June 2016 A symposium on "The role of oxytocin in social cognition and behavior: Current advances," co-organized by Michaela Pfundmair (LMU Munich), Gerald Echterhoff, and Shihui Han (Peking University), held in Munich on September 15-17, will receive funding (EUR 27.932) from the Sino-German Science Center, a joint venture of the DFG and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). We are looking forward to the event!

Our research covered in lead story in DER SPIEGEL

January 2016 Research by Gerald Echterhoff und Isabel Lindner (University of Kassel) on false self-attributions of others' actions is reported in the lead story "Das eingebildete Leben" (The imagined life) in the German news magazine DER SPIEGEL (Issue 1/2016).

Tory Higgins receives award for 5-year cooperation with the lab

December 2015 After being nominated by Gerald Echterhoff, our close collaborator Tory Higgins from Columbia University (New York) will receive the prestigious Anneliese Maier Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (host: Gerald Echterhoff). The award funds are made available over a period of five years to support research collaboration with colleagues in Germany. We are delighted about this opportunity for intensiying the collaboration!

Anna Giesen and colleagues awarded an EASP funded seedcorn grant

October 2015 Lara Ditrich (IWM Tübingen), Anna Giesen, and Janne Kaltiainen (Helsinki University) will receive funding from the EASP for a research project titled "Be innovative, but don't take it too far: testing boundary conditions of the leeway effect" (volume € 2.000)

new research grant for international research group

August 2015 Gerald Echterhoff, René Kopietz, Leonel Garcia-Marques (ISCTE Instituto Universitário de Lisboa) and Margarida Garrido (ISCTE IUL, PI) will receive funding from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for a research project titled "Shared Representations: A Peek into the Collaborative Memory Toolbox" (volume approx. € 94.000)