Work and Organisational Psychology

Dr. Roman Prem & Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Korunka

There is an application deadline each semester for starting a new master's thesis and participating in the master's seminar (see the top of the page).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Dr. Roman Prem (guest/interim professor) will supervise new Master's theses in work and organizational psychology starting in the winter semester 2024/25. Professor Korunka will only supervise new Master's theses in exceptional cases and by prior arrangement.

New work will be assigned on topics including:

• Conceptualization and operationalization of challenge stressors (e.g., workload, time pressure, cognitive demands, job responsibility)
• Effects of challenge stressors on well-being, learning, motivation, and performance
• Cognitive appraisal processes and other explanatory mechanisms of job stress
• Boundary conditions and potential interventions in dealing with job stress
• Ambivalency of autonomy and flexibility in modern work settings
• Work unpredictablity and cogntive demands of flexible work
  
  

Expected time frame and methodology:

Master’s theses starting in the winter semester 2024/25 are expected to be completed within the academic year. The following table provides a rough overview of the timeline:

• Oct – Dec 2024: Planning phase and preregistration
• Jan – Mar 2025: Data collection and analysis
• Apr – Jun 2025: Completion and submission of thesis

Empirical studies are likely to use methodologies that allow for comparably rapid data collection while obtaining repeated measures per individual employee (e.g., experience sampling, diary studies, weekly diaries).

Special consideration will be given to students who meet the following requirements:

• SE Theory and Empirical Research (Prof. Kirchler, Prof. Korunka, Dr. Schöllbauer)
• SE Advanced Seminar: Implementation of theoretical knowledge (within the master's specialization of Work, Economy & Society)
• VU Work and Organisational Psychology
  
  

Use this form to apply for supervision.

For more information on this field, please visit the homepage of the website of the Work and Organisational Psychology group.

Received a supervision spot?

• Download guidelines for theses and diploma exams here.
• Download the admission form here.

Motivation Psychology

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Veronika Job

There is an application deadline each semester for starting a new master's thesis and participating in the master's seminar (see the top of the page).

Use this form to apply for supervision.

For more information on this field, please visit the homepage of the website of the Motivation Psychology group.

Master's theses are assigned on the research topics of the group.

Applied Social Psychology and Consumer Behavior Research

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Arnd Florack

There is an application deadline each semester for starting a new master's thesis and participating in the master's seminar (see the top of the page).

Use this form to apply for supervision.

To get an idea of our research interests and the theses supervised in our area, you can browse through our website and, in particular, the topics of completed theses.

Currently, we offer supervision of master thesis projects in the following areas:

Responsible Consumption

• New ways of consuming to address climate change
• How to reduce consumption while maintaining satisfaction
• Social movements to address climate change
• Gratitude and consumption

Food choices and enjoyment of eating

• Healthy eating with pleasure
• The influence of the environment on food preferences
• How communication norms influence taste expectations
• How social inequalities influence eating behavior
• New ways of eating (hybrid food, meat substitutes, new proteins)

Experiences and behavior of consumers in a digital world

• Passive consumers in the digital age: Do consumers no longer see their power?
• Social Network Sites behavior and tendency to compare oneself with others
• Digital maturity of children and adolescents in the use of mobile technology
• The impact of AI (ChatGPT, ...) on experiences and behavior

Consumer experiences and well-being

• Does the mix of positive and negative experiences lead to a psychologically rich life?
• How the social environment shapes beliefs and narratives about consumption, competition, and well-being
• When we do not match our expectations: The effects of self-discrepancies on well-being

Social Psychology General

• The effects language and communication on views and preferences
• How narratives shape social behavior
• The effects of social beliefs like nonzero-sum beliefs and personality like humility on the underestimation of the impact of situations on behavior
• The impact of self-discrepancies

Further topics

• Brands as meaning makers
• Can only distinct influencers impact attitudes towards brands?
• Psychology of brands
• How to prevent that nudging policies backfire: Supporting consistency and avoiding licensing

Social and Economic Psychology

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Robert Böhm

There is an application deadline each semester for starting a new master's thesis and participating in the master's seminar (see the top of the page).

Use this form to apply for supervision.

For more information on this field, please visit the homepage of the website of the Social and Economic Psychology group.

A good indication of our subject areas is provided by the master's theses completed to date.

New work will be assigned on topics including:

• Determinants of and interventions for promoting vaccine uptake
• Determinants of and interventions for promoting prudent antibiotic intake
• Determinants of and interventions for prosocial behavior in the context of climate and environmental protection
• Measuring of rational decision making
• Intergroup conflict and cooperation from a social dilemma perspective

Special consideration will be given to students who meet the following requirements:

• SE Theory and Empirical Research (Prof. Kirchler)
• SE Advanced Seminar: Implementation of theoretical knowledge in the area of Economic Psychology
• VU Economic Psychology