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Prof. Dr. Birte Siem

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C1.307
Fon +49.4131.677-1702, birte.siem@leuphana.de
Professor, Professorship of Social and Organisational Psychology of Social Work

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Vita

Birte Siem is a Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology of Social Work at Leuphana University Lüneburg. In her research, she focuses on the role of social group memberships and the associated processes of discrimination and exclusion in the transformation of diverse societies. Her research interests in this field include:

  • Discrimination against young people (e.g., in educational contexts),
  • Predictors of constructive engagement with diversity (e.g., tolerance of ambiguity, empathy),
  • Representation of marginalized groups in organizations (e.g., climate protection initiatives),
  • Context and discrimination,
  • Trust in intergroup relations.

Professional positions

Since 04/2021: Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology of Social Work, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Faculty of Education, Institute of Social Work and Social Pedagogy, Germany

02/2016-03/2021: Lecturer, FernUniversität in Hagen, Department of Social Psychology (02/2016-03/2021), Department of Health Psychology (02/2016-12/2016), Department of Community Psychology (01/2017-03/2021), Germany  

 05/2010-01/2016: Postdoctoral research and teaching fellow, FernUniversität in Hagen, Department of Social Psychology, Germany

10/2009-03/2010: Postdoctoral research and teaching fellow, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Department of Social Psychology, Germany

 02/2008-09/2009: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, International DFG Graduate College “Conflict and Cooperation between Social Groups”, Germany

06/2007-01/2008: Predoctoral research and teaching fellow, FernUniversität in Hagen, Department of Social Psychology, Germany

10/2004-05/2007: Predoctoral research and teaching fellow, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Department of Applied Social Psychology, Germany

Academic education

05/2020: Habilitation and venia legendi in Psychology, „Approaching the other – Determinants of positive behavior across group boundaries in benign and conflictual intergroup contexts”, FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany

07/2008: Dr. phil. in Psychology, „Prosocial Emotions and Intercultural Helping“, FernUniversität in Hagen, Germany

12/2003: Diploma in Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany

Memberships in scientific associations

International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs)

Fachgruppe Sozialpsychologie der DGPs

Society of Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)

European Association of Social Psychology (EASP)

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)

Reviewer activities (journals, selection)

British Journal of Social Psychology, European Journal of Social Psychology, Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Journal of Economic Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Social Psychological and Personality Science, Social Psychology

Teaching

Social Psychology
Intergroup Processes
Discrimination-Sensitive Approaches
Quantitative Research Methods

 

Research Interests

  • Discrimination against young people (e.g., in educational contexts),
  • Predictors of constructive engagement with diversity (e.g., tolerance of ambiguity, empathy),
  • Representation of marginalized groups in organizations (e.g., climate protection initiatives),
  • Context and discrimination,
  • Trust in intergroup relations

Projects

  1. Konstruktiver Diversity Talk für angehende Lehrkräfte
    Birte Siem (Project manager, academic) , Philipp Sandermann (Project manager, academic) , Iniobong Essien (Project manager, academic) , Laura Wenzel (Project staff) , Vanessa Sophia Schwenker (Project staff) , Vera Maren Straßburger (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Teaching

  2. Adultismus und Diskriminierung entlang des jungen Alters
    Lars Alberth (Project manager, academic) , Birte Siem (Project manager, academic) , Iniobong Essien (Project staff) , Verena Marke (Project staff)
    →

    Project: Research

  3. Context-based discrimination in education outcomes: Examining the effects of ethnic classroom composition on teachers’ use of disciplinary measures in school
    Iniobong Essien (Project manager, academic) , Anette Rohmann (Partner) , Lysann Zander (Partner) , Birte Siem (Partner)
    →

    Project: Research

  4. Chancen und Risiken solidarischer Protestunterstützung durch Verbündete
    Julia C. Becker (Project manager, academic) , Birte Siem (Partner) , Stephen C. Wright (Partner)
    →

    Project: Research

View all projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. Sozialpsychologie der Gruppe
    Stefan Stürmer (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 2022 3. unv. Aufl ed. München , 130 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research

  2. Approaching the other: Determinants of positive behaviour across group boundaries in benign and conflictual intergroup contexts
    Birte Siem (Author) , 2020 Hagen , 43 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Post-doctoral dissertations › Research

  3. Sozialpsychologie der Gruppe
    Stefan Stürmer (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 2020 2. ed. München , 130 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Monographs › Research

  4. Special Issue: Proactive behaviour across group boundaries:: Seeking and maintaining positive interactions with outgroup members
    Birte Siem (Editor) , Stefan Stürmer (Editor) , Todd L. Pittinsky (Editor) , 2016 , 200 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Special Journal issue › Research

  5. Sozialpsychologie der Gruppe
    Stefan Stürmer (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 2013 1. ed. Stuttgard , 118 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Monographs › Research

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. "Race doesn't matter?": Sociodemographic predictors of racial colourblindness and perceptions of racism among social work professionals
    Birte Siem (Author) , Philipp Sandermann (Author) , Iniobong Essien (Author) , 16.07.2026 , in: The British Journal of Social Work, 56 , 22 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  2. Effects of psychological distance on mental abstraction: A registered report of four tests of construal level theory
    Sofia Calderon (Author) , Erik Mac Giolla (Author) , Karl Ask (Author) , Susanne Jana Adler (Author) , Jens Agerström (Author) , Burcu Akpınar (Author) , Nihan Albayrak (Author) , Francesca Romana Alparone (Author) , Shahrazad Amin (Author) , Antonio Aquino (Author) , Melissa Bachet (Author) , Baisile Baisile (Author) , Karin M. Bausenhart (Author) , Magali Beylat (Author) , Olga Bialobrzeska (Author) , Eliana C. Bloomfield (Author) , Lea Boecker (Author) , Matteo Bonora (Author) , Shannon T. Brady (Author) , Jared G. Branch (Author) , Nicole E. Brandy (Author) , Kelley T. Bui (Author) , Mariela Bustos-Ortega (Author) , Amparo Caballero (Author) , Andi Cai (Author) , Katarzyna Cantarero (Author) , Stephanie A. Cárdenas (Author) , Pilar Carrera (Author) , Jung-Tzu Chang (Author) , Hsuan-Fu Chao (Author) , Andrew G. Christy (Author) , Jennifer A. Cook (Author) , Junhua Dang (Author) , Scott Danielson (Author) , William e. Davis (Author) , Cara de Boer (Author) , Elise de Groot (Author) , Jaye L. Derrick (Author) , Sarah Dittmar (Author) , Tim Döring (Author) , Céline Douilliez (Author) , Martin Egger (Author) , Thomas Rhys Evans (Author) , Sofia Fabiani (Author) , Gilad Feldman (Author) , Nicole Fernandez (Author) , Julia Fischer (Author) , Magdalena Formanowicz (Author) , Malte Friese (Author) , Paul T. Fuglestad (Author) , Aurore Gaboriaud (Author) , Jessica Gale (Author) , Richard Gamrát (Author) , Oliver Genschow (Author) , Omid Ghasemi (Author) , Mauro Giacomantonio (Author) , Karolin Gieseler (Author) , Hedy Greijdanus (Author) , Siobhán Mary Griffin (Author) , Doğa Gül (Author) , Gul Gunaydin (Author) , Simona Haasova (Author) , Georgios Halkias (Author) , Christopher E. Hawk (Author) , Anna Helfers (Author) , Cindy L. Hernandez (Author) , Yanine D. Hess (Author) , Petr J. Horgos (Author) , Yehor Hrymchak (Author) , Markus Huff (Author) , Ezgi Ildırım (Author) , Biljana Jokić (Author) , Yoann Julliard (Author) , Pavol Kačmár (Author) , Barbara Kaup (Author) , Hyunji Kim (Author) , Kyungmi Kim (Author) , Alan Kingstone (Author) , Kenan Koç (Author) , Lina Koppel (Author) , Anita Körner (Author) , Bibiána Kováčová Holevová (Author) , Paul Danielle Labor (Author) , Bronwyn D. Laforet (Author) , Fanny Lalot (Author) , Leonie Lamm (Author) , Sean M. Laurent (Author) , Sean T. H. Lee (Author) , Yi-Chen Lee (Author) , Edward P. Lemay, Jr. (Author) , Zhicheng Lin (Author) , Yun-Kai Lin (Author) , Jia-Xin Long (Author) , David D. Loschelder (Author) , Katerina Makri (Author) , Harry Manley (Author) , Nicolò Maugeri (Author) , Randy J. McCarthy (Author) , Cillian McHugh (Author) , Katatzyna Miazek (Author) , Marina Milyavskaya (Author) , Coby Morvinski (Author) , Michaela Muchová (Author) , Sümeyye Muftareviç (Author) , Dominique Muller (Author) , Gideon Nave (Author) , Ben R. Newell (Author) , Cécile Nurra (Author) , Marc Oullet (Author) , Asil Ali Özdoğru (Author) , Mia Pagnani (Author) , Daniele Paolini (Author) , Frank Papenmeier (Author) , Hannes Petrowsky (Author) , Stefan Pfattheicher (Author) , Jean C. Picado (Author) , Ryan M. Pickering (Author) , Danka Purić (Author) , Alain Quiamzade (Author) , Jonathan E. Ramsay (Author) , Tristan Nicholas Renaud (Author) , Mónica Romero-Sánchez (Author) , Robert M. Ross (Author) , Ángel Sánchez-Rodríguez (Author) , Julio Santiago (Author) , Marko Sarstedt (Author) , Luke Scally (Author) , Michele Scandola (Author) , Judith P. M. Schachtner (Author) , Simon Schindler (Author) , Andreas Segerberg (Author) , Emre Selcuk (Author) , Verónica Sevillano (Author) , Edith Shalev (Author) , Xiaoyi Shao (Author) , Steven D. Shaw (Author) , Keyi Shi (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , Pablo Solana (Author) , Meikel Neumann (Author) , Gaye Solmazer (Author) , Fatih Sonmez (Author) , Samantha K. Stanley (Author) , Janina Steinmetz (Author) , Adam W. Stivers (Author) , Aleksandra Szymkow (Author) , Maude Tagand (Author) , Yan Zhen Tan (Author) , Hilal Terzi (Author) , Miaomiao Tian (Author) , Gustav Tinghög (Author) , Ulrich S. Tran (Author) , David F. Urschler (Author) , Daniel R. VanHorn (Author) , Daniel Västfjäll (Author) , Bruno Verschuere (Author) , Amelie Verschueren (Author) , Anna Laura Vlad (Author) , Martin Voracek (Author) , Xiaotian Wang (Author) , Deming Wang (Author) , Lara Warmelink (Author) , Adam Kah Jjin Wee (Author) , Aaron Lee Wichman (Author) , Sera Wiechert (Author) , Karl-Andrew Woltin (Author) , Hoo Keat Wong (Author) , Jiawen Xu (Author) , Zai-Fu Yao (Author) , Siu Kit Yeung (Author) , Kumar Yogeeswaran (Author) , Iris Žeželj (Author) , Qing Zhang (Author) , Rene Ziegler (Author) , Timothy J. Luke (Author) , Yannik Andrea Escher (Author) , 01.04.2026 , in: Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 9, 2 , 29 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  3. Space-focused stereotypes and their potential role in group-based disparities in social work services
    Iniobong Essien (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 24.04.2025 , in: Social Work & Society, 22, 2 , p. 1-17 , 17 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  4. Key experiences of volunteers in Refugee Aid
    Helen Landmann (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , Birgit Fuchs (Author) , Anette Rohmann (Author) , 01.01.2025 , in: Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies, 23, 4 , p. 646-661 , 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

  5. "White and educated?": Toward a (More) Diverse Climate Movement
    Birte Siem (Author) , Iniobong Essien (Author) , 01.01.2025 , in: In-Mind magazine (engl.), 57

    Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Transfer › peer-review

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Vertrauen in Personen
    Birte Siem (Author) , 12.08.2025 Bielefeld , p. 17 - 38 , 22 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research

  2. Selbst und Identität
    Birte Siem (Author) , Anette Rohmann (Author) , 01.01.2018 Bern , p. 229-245 , 17 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  3. Freiwilliges Engagement im Kontext von Flucht und Migration
    Birte Siem (Author) , 01.01.2018 Berlin, Bern, Wien ua. , p. 29-52 , 24 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Research

  4. Soziale Ungleichheit und Diversität
    Marieke van Egmond (Author) , Anette Rohmann (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 01.01.2018 Bern , p. 573-585 , 13 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

  5. A group-level theory of helping and altruism within and across group boundaries
    Stefan Stürmer (Author) , Birte Siem (Author) , 17.05.2017 Cham , p. 103-127 , 25 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Chapter › Research › peer-review

View all publications

Activities

  1. Fostering Tolerance of Ambiguity in School-Based Democratic Education: A Systematic Review
    Poldi Kuhl (Coauthor) , Harald Hantke (Coauthor) , Birte Siem (Coauthor) , Luca Lambers (Speaker)

    Activity: Presentations (poster etc.) › Research

  2. Marginalized group’s psychological barriers to joining pro-environmental initiatives: Can perceived initiative inclusiveness help overcome them?
    Birte Siem (Speaker) , Lise Jans (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  3. The racialized classroom: The influence of classroom composition on teachers’ decisions to use disciplinary measures.
    Iniobong Essien (Speaker) , Birte Siem (Coauthor) , Lysann Zander (Coauthor) , Anette Rohmann (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  4. Police officers’ perceptions of urban spaces are related to regional demographics.
    Iniobong Essien (Speaker) , Birte Siem (Coauthor) , Julia Clasen (Coauthor) , Eva Groß (Coauthor) , Joachim Häfele (Coauthor) , Ilka Kamigan (Coauthor) , Stefanie Kemme (Coauthor) , Anabel Taefi (Coauthor) , Ulrike Zähringer (Coauthor) , Amelie Nickel (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  5. Marginalized minorities‘ psychological barriers to joining pro-environmental initiatives: Can perceived initiative inclusiveness help overcome them?
    Birte Siem (Speaker) , Lise Jans (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

View all activities

Press / Media

Courses

3rd semester: Color-blind ideology in the school context (Part 2)
Birte Siem
Next appointment:
Tuesday, 2026-10-13 at 12:15
Room: C 5.310 Seminarraum
Interventions from Social and Community Psychology: Promoting Sustainable Social Identities
Birte Siem
People's willingness to engage in sustainable behavior is significantly shaped by the social groups they belong to and the social identities tied to those groups. The module covers different social and community psychological theories and empirical findings on inter- and intragroup processes relevant to the sustainable transformation of societies. Based on this knowledge, students will develop an intervention concept aimed at transforming the social identity associated with a specific group or community (e.g., a school, a county) into a sustainable one.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-14 at 10:15
Room: C 3.120 Seminarraum
Lecture Social Psychology
Birte Siem
In dieser Veranstaltung werden die folgenden Themen behandelt:
- Einführung in die Sozialpsychologie und methodische Grundlagen
- Soziale Kognition
- Soziale Wahrnehmung
- Einstellungen
- Prozesse innerhalb von Gruppen
- Aggressionen
- Stereotype, Vorurteile und Diskriminierung
Next appointment:
Tuesday, 2026-12-01 at 14:15
Room: C HS 1
Quantitative Research Methods
Birte Siem
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-10-12 at 10:15
Room: C 5.019 Seminarraum
Social Pedagogy Research Colloquium
Lars Alberth, Anke Karber, Ellen Kollender, Philipp Sandermann, Birte Siem, Maren Zeller
Das Kolloquium dient der Vorstellung und kollegialen Diskussion laufender Promotionsverfahren im Themenbereich des Kollegs.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-21 at 12:15
Room: C 1.005 Seminarraum
Tolerance of Ambiguity in Social Work Contexts
Birte Siem
Soziale Arbeit ist von komplexen, widersprüchlichen und oft nicht eindeutig lösbaren Situationen geprägt. Eine zentrale professionelle Kompetenz stellt daher die Fähigkeit dar, Ambiguitäten auszuhalten, produktiv mit Unsicherheit und Mehrdeutigkeit umzugehen und nicht in zu stark vereinfachende Denkmuster zu verfallen. Diese Fähigkeit wird als Ambiguitätstoleranz bezeichnet. Auch wenn verschiedene Studien darauf hinweisen, dass Ambiguitätstoleranz mit für die Soziale Arbeit wichtigen Kompetenzen (z.B. interkulturelle Kompetenz) oder Denkweisen (z.B. stereotypischen Überzeugungen) zusammenhängt, findet sich kaum empirische Forschung, die sich explizit mit der Ambiguitätstoleranz sozialarbeiterischer oder sozialpädagogischer Fachkräfte beschäftigt. In unserem Seminar werden wir uns daher mit der Frage beschäftigen, in welchem Ausmaß (angehende) Fachkräfte der Sozialen Arbeit oder Sozialpädagogik Ambiguitätstoleranz aufweisen und von welchen Faktoren dieses Ausmaß abhängt.

Dazu werden wir uns in einem ersten Teil des Seminars (WiSe26/27) mit relevanten theoretischen Ansätzen und Forschungsbefunden zur Thematik auseinandersetzen. Darauf aufbauend werden wir gemeinsam eine quantitative Fragebogenstudie entwickeln, um Ambiguitätstoleranz bei (angehenden) Fachkräften der Sozialen Arbeit erfassen und untersuchen zu können. Im Laufe des Semesters setzen sich die Studierenden in Kleingruppen außerdem vertieft mit verschiedenen forschungsmethodischen Inhalten (z.B. Stichprobenziehung, Forschungsethik) auseinander und bereiten diesen Input in Form von Kurzpräsentationen für das Seminar auf. Außerdem werden wir die Fragestellung gemeinsam präzisieren.
Im zweiten Teil des Seminars (SoSe27) finden dann die Datenerhebung mittels einer Online-Studie sowie die Datenauswertung statt.
Next appointment:
Wednesday, 2026-10-14 at 08:15
Room: C 3.121 Seminarraum