Psychology of Transformation

Research will take place in three overarching areas that aim to answer different questions:

Research Area 1: Key agents of transformation

(How do key societal agents influence transformation?)

includes the following research topics:

a. Parents: “Talking 'bout a revolution: How children ask and parents answer questions about societal transformation.”
b. Schools: “Navigating education under uncertainty - Educational governance and school development in times of crises”
c. Politics: “Public Endorsement of (Non)Democratic Decision-Making Processes and Support for Long-Term Sustainable Policies in Times of Global Crises”

In total, six doctoral scholarships are being offered, each of which can be assigned to one of the eight listed research topics (for a brief description of each research topic and potential supervisors, see below). Requirements for the doctoral candidates are comparable across topics and include the writing of a systematic review on the respective topic, the implementation of at least one empirical study, as well as engagement with topic-related intervention approaches (e.g., in the form of an intervention study or another systematic review).

The application process for the scholarships consists of four steps. 

1. Interested candidates submit a CV along with a letter of motivation, indicating which of the listed research topics they would like to pursue their PhD and why. Own interests and research topics are also welcome.
2. Selected applicants will be invited to an online presentation session, where they will present their research ideas to potential supervisors.
3. Based on the feedback received during their presentation, the candidates submit a project proposal (exposé) on the presented topic.
4. Selected applicants will then be invited to an online interview.

Societal transformation depends fundamentally on people's openness to change. This openness is shaped by the norms and values individuals adopt—systems that are largely acquired early in life. Parents play a pivotal role in shaping children’s normative beliefs across cultures (House et al., 2021, Nature Communications). This project aims to investigate how parents and children talk about societal change. Specifically, it explores the kinds of questions children pose and how parents respond to them. Of particular interest is how societal transformations are framed in these interactions—whether as good or bad, as processes to be actively influenced or as events that simply happen.

In times of crisis, schools can become places of education for transformation that empower and encourage all learners – pupils, teachers and all other members of the school community – to take action for sustainability goals. In addition to questions of teaching and pedagogy, many other levels of action come into focus that are crucial for schools. The project will study the psychology of concrete transformation of schools in times of uncertainty and crisis on different levels ranging from the level of steering and management to questions of sustainability communication. Only if transformation and change are designed holistically and in terms of a genuine cultural change schools become hubs of sustainable development and will be able to radiate out into their local communities and regional educational landscapes.

Democratic resilience is crucial for upholding long-term commitments like the Paris Agreement. Crises can undermine democratic processes, leading to reduced support for long-term policies and increased receptiveness to authoritarian solutions and populism. Through a cross-national experimental analysis, this project aims to investigate how various forms of governmental decision-making processes – ranging from democratic consensus to authoritarian decision-making – shape public support of pro/anti-climate policies and endorsement of involved stakeholders. Moreover, we will examine how the importance attributed to democratic decision-making processes shifts in various societal groups based on the salience of societal crises. Beyond deepening our understanding of democratic resilience, we aim to examine effects of interventions and participatory approaches (e.g., citizen councils) to reinforcing both democratic resilience and long-term policy commitments in times of multidimensional challenges.

Members of marginalized social groups (e.g., BIPoC, people with lower socioeconomic status) remain underrepresented in boards and initiatives whose decisions and actions shape our future. This project seeks to identify psychological barriers that hinder inclusive participation in such transformation processes. A key barrier might be stereotype-driven misperceptions—such as the (false) belief that marginalized groups are less concerned about transformation-relevant issues like climate change, health, or democracy. These misperceptions can undermine both the recognition of marginalized individuals as legitimate transformation agents and their motivation to engage in relevant initiatives. The project will empirically examine the role of these and other potential psychological barriers. Moreover, it seeks to identify strategies that initiatives can implement to reduce the identified barriers and to promote more inclusive transformation processes.

The goal of this project is to investigate effective strategies for addressing transformation-related hurts and transgressions. Models, findings and effective interventions from willingness-to-forgive and forgiveness research will be transferred to transformation processes, further developed and empirically investigated. Transformation processes often involve intense emotions among proponents and opponents, which can lead to polarization. Damaged or broken social relationships ranging from family and friendships to social cohesion in the population can be observed. Loss of cohesion, bitterness and hostility may be regarded as adverse side effects of transformation (e.g. post-traumatic bitterness syndrome following transformation related to German reunification). This project will investigate the assumption that overcoming these negative effects requires efforts to regain common ground and rebuild respectful relationships - in other words, the willingness to forgive and practice forgiveness.

as well as: Mathias Allmand (UZH / Zürich)

The research project aims to promote tolerance of ambiguity among students and teachers at selected schools in Lower Saxony through the use of targeted teaching concepts. Such an approach—explicitly focused on fostering a constructive engagement with contradiction and conflict—may prove to be even more effective in times of rising anti-democratic tendencies and increasing societal divisions than approaches that aim directly at creating unity and harmony (e.g., intergroup contact) or transmitting “correct” values. The project adopts a participatory approach in which teaching concepts to foster tolerance of ambiguity will be developed in collaboration with teachers as well as students. The aim is to strengthen existing elements and complement them with additional evidence-informed strategies. The developed teaching concepts will then be implemented and evaluated. 

Transformations in workplaces—ecological, digital, top-down, or bottom-up—challenge workers’ stability, identity, and sense of control. This project aims to shed light on the emotional and social-cognitive processes that shape individual responses to change, beyond mere behavioral adaptation. It investigates how different types of transformation evoke emotions such as envy, pride, shame, or fear, and how these emotions hinder or facilitate motivation. Social comparisons—with others or with one’s past or future self—are key mediators: individuals may feel proud when succeeding, anxious when lagging, or ashamed when recalling past job characteristics or benefits. The project also explores how social position (e.g., occupational status, migration background, gender) influences emotional responses and coping strategies. The project contributes to a deeper understanding of the experience of structural change.

In times of multiple societal crises, ensuring “decent work” is a major challenge. Yet psychological research often relies on Western-Educated-Industrialized-Rich-Democratic (WEIRD) samples, excluding those most vulnerable to crises and limiting our understanding of inclusive transformation. This project explores how psychological regeneration — the ability to recover, adapt, and sustain mental health — can foster sustainable well-being and employability through practices like healthy work design, inclusive leadership, and recovery. A core focus lies on disadvantaged groups in the (German) labor market, including people with migration backgrounds, neurodivergent individuals, caregivers, and women, especially those facing “double jeopardy” (e.g. ageism and sexism). By co-creating research with marginalized groups, the project identifies barriers and seeks answers to how work can support mental health, equal participation, and sustainable transformation for all.