PD Dr. Timur Sevincer

21335 Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, C11.102
Fon 04131.677-1759, timur.sevincer@leuphana.de
Research associate, Institute of Sustainability Psychology

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Vita

Timur Sevincer is a motivation and social psychologist. His main area of research is motivation and self-regulation. In particular, he examines future-oriented self-regulation strategies – their spontaneous use and effects on behavior change - in various domains, including promoting sustainable behavior and fostering positive intergroup relationships. His research involves a wide variety of research questions and designs as well as diverse methods such as physiological measures, implicit measures, cognitive measures, ecological momentary assessment, behavioral observations in the field, large-scale surveys, and analyses of population-level data, and archival records.

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • 2025-today: Research Associate, Institute of Sustainability Psychology
  • 2025: Interim Professorship, Institute of Sustainability Psychology, Psychology in particular Sustainable Behavior
  • 2024-2025: Research Fellow, Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Delmenhorst, Institute for Advanced Study
  • 2023-2024: Interim Professorship, Institute of Sustainability Psychology, Psychology and Transformation
  • 2022-2023: Interim Professorship, Institute of Psychology, Motivation and General Psychology, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • 2022: Interim Professorship, Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Social Psychology, TU Dresden
  • 2018-2021: Research Associate, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg
  • 2018-2020: Part-Time Lecturer in Psychology, Leuphana University Lüneburg
  • 2017-2018: Part-Time Lecturer in Psychology, New York University Berlin
  • 2010-2018: Interim Professorship/Research Associate, Institute of Psychology, Educational Psychology and Motivation, University of Hamburg
  • 2008-2010: Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg
  • 2004-2008: Doctoral student, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg 

EDUCATION

  • 2015: Venia Legendi, University of Hamburg, Psychology
  • 2015: Habilitation, University of Hamburg, Psychology
  • 2008: Ph.D., Summa cum laude, University of Hamburg, Psychology
  • 2004: Magister Artium (M.A. equivalent), University of Hamburg, Philosophy (Minors: Psychology and American Studies)

Projects

Publications

Books and anthologies

  1. The Psychology of Thinking about the Future
    Gabriele Oettingen (Editor) , A. Timur Sevincer (Editor) , Peter M. Gollwitzer (Editor) , 2018 New York , 554 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologies › Book › Research

View all publications

Journal contributions

  1. Measuring the semantic priming effect across many languages
    Erin M. Buchanan (Author) , Kelly Cuccolo (Author) , Tom Heyman (Author) , Niels van Berkel (Author) , Nicholas A. Coles (Author) , Aishwarya Iyer (Author) , Kim Peters (Author) , A. E. van ’t Veer (Author) , Maria Montefinese (Author) , Nicholas P. Maxwell (Author) , Jack E. Taylor (Author) , Kathrene D. Valentine (Author) , Patrícia Arriaga (Author) , Krystian Barzykowski (Author) , Leanne Boucher (Author) , W. Matthew Collins (Author) , David C. Vaidis (Author) , Balazs Aczel (Author) , Ali H. Al-Hoorie (Author) , Ettore Ambrosini (Author) , Théo Besson (Author) , Debora I. Burin (Author) , Muhammad Mussaffa Butt (Author) , A. J.Benjamin Clarke (Author) , Yalda Daryani (Author) , Dina Abdel Salam El-Dakhs (Author) , Mahmoud M. Elsherif (Author) , Maria Fernández-López (Author) , Paulo Roberto dos Santos Ferreira (Author) , Raquel Meister Ko Freitag (Author) , Carolina A. Gattei (Author) , Hendrik Godbersen (Author) , Philip A. Grim (Author) , Peter Halama (Author) , Patrik Havan (Author) , Natalia C. Irrazabal (Author) , Chris Isloi (Author) , Rebecca Kvisler Iversen (Author) , Yoann Julliard (Author) , Aslan Karaaslan (Author) , Michal Kohút (Author) , Veronika Kohútová (Author) , Julija Kos (Author) , Alexandra I. Kosachenko (Author) , Tiago Jessé Souza de Lima (Author) , Matthew H.C. Mak (Author) , Christina Manouilidou (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Monika Tschense (Author) , Sebastian Wallot (Author) , 01.01.2026 , in: Nature Human Behaviour, 10, 1 , p. 182-201 , 20 p.

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

  2. Does the relationship between sustainable human resource management and organizational identification vary by culture? Evidence from 35 countries based on GLOBE framework
    Dariusz Turek (Author) , Agnieszka Wojtczuk-Turek (Author) , Fiona Edgar (Author) , Nataliya Podgorodnichenko (Author) , Belgin Okay-Somerville (Author) , Na Fu (Author) , Anna Lupina-Wegener (Author) , Howard J. Klein (Author) , Gulcin Akbas (Author) , Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy (Author) , Eleni Apospori (Author) , Janine Bosak (Author) , Adriana Caldana (Author) , Eleonora Crapolicchio (Author) , Jennifer Chavanovanich (Author) , Guillaume Desjardins (Author) , Angela Dorrough (Author) , Patrick Dunlop (Author) , Divina Edralin (Author) , Arum Etikariena (Author) , Denise Fernando (Author) , Lady Brigitte Galvez Sierra (Author) , Nicolas Gillet (Author) , Sergio Madero-Gómez (Author) , Francisca Gutiérrez-Crocco (Author) , Carolin Haeffner (Author) , Paul Hutchings (Author) , Tiphaine Huyghebaert-Zouaghi (Author) , Hiroshi Ikeda (Author) , Maria Järlström (Author) , Marc Jekel (Author) , Dorthe Høj Jensen (Author) , Jerin Jose (Author) , Serdar Karabatı (Author) , Mary Kinahan (Author) , Martin Lauzier (Author) , Abiodun Lawal (Author) , Alon Lisak (Author) , Pedro Leiva (Author) , Shera Malayeri (Author) , Claudia Manzi (Author) , Marco Giovanni Mariani (Author) , Khatuna Martskvishvili (Author) , Claude Hélène Mayer (Author) , Katarzyna Mikołajczyk (Author) , María José Charlo Molina (Author) , Silvia Moscatelli (Author) , Matteo Mösli (Author) , Felix Neto (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , 07.11.2025 , in: Central European Management Journal, 33, 4 , p. 667-696 , 30 p.

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

  3. Commonly observed sex differences in direct aggression are absent or reversed in sibling contexts
    Michael E.W. Varnum (Author) , Amanda P. Kirsch (Author) , Daniel J. Beal (Author) , Cari M. Pick (Author) , Laith Al-Shawaf (Author) , Chiara Ambrosio (Author) , Maria Teresa Barbato (Author) , Oumar Barry (Author) , Watcharaporn Boonyasiriwat (Author) , Eduard Brandstätter (Author) , Suzan Ceylan-Batur (Author) , Marco Antonio Correa Varella (Author) , Julio Eduardo Cruz (Author) , Oana David (Author) , Laina Ngom Dieng (Author) , Dimitri Dubois (Author) , Ana María Fernandez (Author) , Silvia Galdi (Author) , Oscar Javier Galindo Caballero (Author) , Sylvie Graf (Author) , Igor Grossmann (Author) , David Guzman (Author) , Peter Halama (Author) , Takeshi Hamamura (Author) , Martina Hřebíčková (Author) , Ioana Iuga (Author) , Lady Javela (Author) , Jaewuk Jung (Author) , Johannes A. Karl (Author) , Jinseok P. Kim (Author) , Michal Kohút (Author) , Anthonieta Looman Mafra (Author) , Dieynaba Gabrielle Ndiaye (Author) , O. Jiaqing (Author) , Beatriz Perez Sánchez (Author) , Eric Roth Unzueta (Author) , Muhammad Rizwan (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Eric Skoog (Author) , Eunkook M. Suh (Author) , Daniel Sznycer (Author) , Evelina Thunell (Author) , Arnaud Tognetti (Author) , Ayse K. Uskul (Author) , Jaroslava Varella Valentova (Author) , Yunsuh Nike Wee (Author) , Anja Lundkvist Winter (Author) , Torin Peter Young (Author) , Danilo Zambrano (Author) , Anna Ziska (Author) , Douglas T. Kenrick (Author) , 01.08.2025 , in: PNAS Nexus, 4, 8 , 10 p.

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

  4. Alcohol use and drinking motives across five countries: a post-COVID-19 pandemic update
    Joana Rupprecht (Author) , Bettina Spitzweck (Author) , Gabriele Oettingen (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , 01.03.2025 , in: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 51, 1 , p. 85-95 , 11 p.

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

  5. Mental contrasting and conflict management in satisfied and unsatisfied romantic relationships
    Henrik Jöhnk (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Gabriele Oettingen (Author) , 01.02.2025 , in: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 42, 2 , p. 367-391 , 25 p.

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

View all publications

Contributions to collected editions/anthologies

  1. Lernzielorientierung: Learning goal orientation
    Veronika Job (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Gabriele Oettingen (Author) , 24.11.2021

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Articles for encyclopedia › Research

  2. Teaching mental contrasting to facilitate educational attainment across sociocultural contexts
    A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Gabriele Oettingen (Author) , 01.01.2020 , p. 201-227 , 26 p.

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

  3. The modern land of opportunity: Cosmopolitan cities attract independent immigrants
    A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Michael E.W. Varnum (Author) , Shinobu Kitayama (Author) , 29.05.2019 , p. 27-47 , 21 p.

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

  4. Wenn-Dann Pläne und mentale Kontrastierung als Strategien zur Förderung der Selbstregulation
    Ulrike Schwarz (Author) , A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , Caterina Gawrilow (Author) , 01.01.2019 , p. 193-205 , 13 p.

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

  5. Kosmopolitismus
    A. Timur Sevincer (Author) , 01.01.2019

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/anthologies › Articles for encyclopedia › Research

View all publications

Activities

  1. Voluntary migration to cosmopolitan cities and risk-taking
    A. Timur Sevincer (Speaker) , Jung Yul Kwon (Coauthor) , Michael E.W. Varnum (Coauthor) , Shinobu Kitayama (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  2. Fantasizing now, feeling disappointed later. Positive fantasies and negative emotions in soccer fans
    Greta Wagner (Speaker) , A. Timur Sevincer (Coauthor) , Gabriele Oettingen (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  3. Alcohol myopia and gambling behavior
    Jennifer Brinkmann (Speaker) , A. Timur Sevincer (Coauthor) , Gabriele Oettingen (Coauthor) , Graciela Garibay (Coauthor)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  4. Substance use without a substance: The risk factors and mechanisms of gambling
    A. Timur Sevincer (Speaker)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

  5. Performance resource depletion influence on performance: Advancing concepts and findings
    A. Timur Sevincer (Speaker)

    Activity: Conference Presentations › Research

View all activities

Press / Media

  1. Haunted – living with unusual experiences
    Interviewed once

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  2. Empathy towards refugees
    Interviewed once

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  3. The strategy that turns daydreams into reality
    1 time cited

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  4. Idealistic Thinking linked with Economic Slump
    1 time cited

    Press/Media: Press/Media

  5. Rose-Colored Words, but Gray Outcomes
    1 time cited

    Press/Media: Press/Media

View all press/media coverage

Prizes

  1. Fellowship for exceptional international scientists.
    A. Timur Sevincer (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  2. Outstanding teaching award
    A. Timur Sevincer (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  3. Postdoctoral fellowship
    A. Timur Sevincer (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  4. Stipend for continuing scientific education 2007-2008
    A. Timur Sevincer (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

  5. Doctoral Fellowship 2005 - 2007
    A. Timur Sevincer (Recipient) ,

    Prize: external Prizes, scholarships, distinctions, appointments › Research

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Courses

Psychology of Motivation, Emotion, Communication and Self-Regulation
Timur Sevincer
⌄
Motivation Science is a course that provides students with general knowledge of motivational processes, their origins, and their significant role in human decision processes and behaviors. In this course, you will explore the major factors underlying human actions. What motivates people to perform certain behaviors over others? What gives people the energy and direction to move forward? What keeps people going in the face of challenges and difficulties? This course is about “why” and “how.” Why do people behave the way they do? Why do people regularly fail at their goals? How can people make better plans to increase their chances of success? How do people experience emotions? How do emotions steer people’s motivation and behavior? The course will cover the major theoretical perspectives and methodologies related to the study of motivation. It starts with reflecting on the nature of motivation and attempting to track its evolutionary origins. These themes will be followed by a review of the core human motives of autonomy, competence, and belonging. Further, the course devotes four sessions to the goal attainment process, including discussions on goal setting, goal planning, and goal striving, which highlights the central role of goals in the field of motivation. Students will also be provided with an overview of the emerging work on automatic, unconscious motivation. Subsequently, the issue of emotion will be introduced, followed by a discussion of the effects of individual differences and social situations on motivation. The final lecture will introduce the interdisciplinary nature of motivation science by covering insights made in sustainability psychology.

This course features a format that mixes traditional class meetings with autonomous out-of-class learning. Class meetings will include a combination of lectures, activities (e.g., self-scoring the Self-Control Scale by Tangney et al., 2004), and discussions (e.g., peer-to-peer discussion among students). Specifically, class meetings will be used to teach students about a variety of theories, frameworks, and models that explain motivation, to explore extensions and applications of concepts and ideas, and to cover important or intriguing topics that are not addressed in the handbook. Note that reading and preparing are not included in class meetings. These activities are expected of students above and beyond the required meeting times.
Next appointment:
Thursday, 2026-05-07 at 12:15
Room: C HS 2
Social psychology
Timur Sevincer
⌄
This lecture offers an introduction to the field of Social Psychology. During class, prominent theoretical approaches, social psychological research methods, and major findings from classic and contemporary empirical studies will be reviewed and discussed. Some of the topics covered in this lecture include: social cognition (e.g., automatic and controlled thinking), social perception (e.g., nonverbal communication and causal attribution), self and identity (e.g., self-esteem, personal and social identity), attitudes and attitude change (e.g., bases of attitudes, persuasion), group processes (e.g., conformity, group decisions), prosocial behavior (e.g., altruism, bystander intervention), aggression (e.g., different forms of aggression and violence, e.g., school yard violence, genocide, violence in the media), and stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination (e.g., implicit prejudices, intergroup contact). Theories and empirical findings will be illustrated with real-life examples, critically evaluated, and applied to pressing social problems.
Next appointment:
Monday, 2026-05-04 at 12:15
Room: C 14.027 Seminarraum