Research
We study how people experience their social world and how their social world shapes their cognitions, emotions, behavior, and life outcomes. Our research relies on a variety of methodological approaches, including cross-national survey data, longitudinal and intensive longitudinal studies, online and lab experiments, dyadic and round-robin designs, text analysis and computational social science methods.
Research topics
Social and Personal Relationships
Social relationships are a crucial ingredient of a happy and healthy life. Our lab is asking what types of relationships are particularly conductive to well-being, whether there can be “too much” of social interactions, whether there are circumstances under which sociality is no longer beneficial and how romantic life events (e.g., experiencing infidelity or parenthood) shape well-being development.
We are also interested in sociality in a broader sense, including interpersonal effects in romantic relationships (e.g., the consequences of one’s spouse’s personality for one’s life outcomes), social perception and reputational consequences of personality and other individual differences.
Featured publications:
- Stavrova, O., Pronk, T., Denissen, J. (2022). Estranged and unhappy? Examining the dynamics of personal and relationship well-being surrounding infidelity. Psychological Science, 34(2),143–169.
- Ren, D., Stavrova, O., & Wei Loh, W. (2022). Nonlinear effect of social interaction quantity on psychological well-being: Diminishing Returns or Inverted U? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 122(6), 1056-1074. pdf.
- Stavrova, O., Ren, D., & Evans, A. M. (2025). Turning the Camera Off in Virtual Interactions Can Harm the Reputation. European Journal of Social Psychology.
Subjective Well-being
We investigate various aspects of psychological well-being, including happiness and life satisfaction, emotional well-being, and the experience of meaning in life. We explore the cultural variability of well-being, well-being in everyday life, the interactions between life events and the development of well-being, and the role of digital technologies (social media, remote work).
Featured publications:
- Tran, C., Ivanova, K., Stavrova, O., & Reitz, A. K. (2025). Changes in psychological well-being across the transition to motherhood: Combining longitudinal and experience sampling methods. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/pspp0000573
- Stavrova, O. (2019). Having a happy spouse is associated with lower risk of mortality. Psychological Science, 30(5), 798–803.
- Stavrova, O., Ren, D., & Pronk, T. (2021). Low self-control: a hidden cause of loneliness? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Cynicism and Trust
Are most people honest, trustworthy, and good, or are they dishonest, egoistic, and self-interested? Our research suggests that people differ in how they answer this question and these differences – referred to as cynicism – play a potentially important role in their well-being, occupational success, social relationships and physical health.
Featured publications:
Stavrova, O., & Ehlebracht, D. (2016). Cynical beliefs about human nature and income: Longitudinal and cross-cultural analyses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110(1), 116–132. pdf.
Stavrova, O., & Ehlebracht, D. (2019). The cynical genius illusion: Exploring and debunking lay beliefs about cynicism and competence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(2), 254–269.
Stavrova, O., Ehlebracht, D., & Vohs, K. D. (2020). Victims, perpetrators, or both? The vicious cycle of disrespect and cynical beliefs about human nature. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 149(9), 1736–1754. pdf.
Stavrova, O., Evans, A.M., & Brandt, M.J. (2021). Ecological dimensions explain the past but do not predict future changes in trust. American Psychologist, 76(1), 983–996. pdf.
Spiridonova, T., Leib, M., van Beest, I., & Stavrova, O. (2025). Do cynics lie to avoid exploitation, to exploit others, or not at all? A registered report on the relationship between cynicism and dishonesty.European Journal of Personality.
Psychology of Taxation
Taxation forms the financial backbone of modern societies. It enables resource redistribution, supports social welfare, and funds essential infrastructure and services. But what drives people to pay their fair share of taxes? Our research explores the social and psychological factors shaping tax behavior, with a focus on communication about taxes and the moral aspects of paying taxes.
Featured publications:
Puklavec, Ž., Stavrova, O., Kogler, C., & Zeelenberg, M. (2025). Exploring the morality of tax morale. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), e70042. https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.70042
Puklavec, Ž., Stavrova, O., Kogler, C., & Zeelenberg, M. (2024). Diffusion of tax-related communication on social media. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 110, 102203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2024.102203
Puklavec, Ž., Kogler, C., Stavrova, O., & Zeelenberg, M. (2023). What we tweet about when we tweet about taxes: A topic modelling approach. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, 212, 1242-1254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2023.07.005
Conspiracy Theories
Our research investigates why people believe in conspiracy theories, the psychological mechanisms underlying these beliefs, how conspiracy beliefs shape attitudes and behavior, and how the potential negative consequences of conspiracy theories can be mitigated. A particular focus lies on social processes and emotions.
Featured publications:
- Pummerer, L., Ditrich, L. (shared first authorship), Winter, K., Sassenberg, K. (2025). Belief in a Norm-Consistent Climate Policy Conspiracy Theory and Non-Normative Collective Action. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 55 (5). doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13094 (Open Access).
- Pummerer, L., Gkinopoulos, T., Douglas, K. M., Jolley, D., Sassenberg, K (2024). The Appraisal Model of Conspiracy Theories (AMCT): Applying Appraisal Theories to Understand Emotional and Behavioral Reactions to Conspiracy Theories. Psychological Inquiry, 35 (3–4). https://doi.org/10.1080/1047840X.2024.2442906 (Open Access).
- Pummerer, L., Fock, L., Winter, K., Sassenberg, K. (2024). Conspiracy Beliefs and Majority Influence. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.2024.2397491 (Open Access).
- Pummerer, L., Ditrich, L., Winter, K. & Sassenberg, K. (2023). Think about it! Deliberation reduces the negative relation between conspiracy belief and norm adherence. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 14 (8). https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506221144150 (Open Access).
- Kim, S., Stavrova, O., Vohs, K. (2022). Do Voting and Election Outcomes Predict Changes in Conspiracy Beliefs? Evidence from Two High-Profile U.S. Elections. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104396
Political and Religious Attitudes and Behavior
Political and religious beliefs can be central dimensions of our identity. Our research explores how such beliefs emerge, how they change, and how they shape individual behavior such as protest participation or leaving the church.
Featured publications:
- Pummerer, L., Reinhardt, C. & Nielsen, M. (2025). Leaving the Catholic church: Cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of leaving intentions. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2025.2553408 (Open Access).
- Stavrova, O. (2015). Religion, self-rated health and mortality: Whether religiosity delays death depends on the cultural context. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(8), 911–922. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550615593149
- Stavrova, O., & Siegers, P. (2014). Religious prosociality and morality across cultures: How social enforcement of religion shapes the effects of personal religiosity on prosocial and moral attitudes and behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(3), 315–333. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167213510951
- Stavrova, O., Fetchenhauer, D., & Schlösser, T. (2013). Why are religious people happy? The effect of the social norm of religiosity across countries. Social Science Research, 42(1), 90–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2012.07.002
Current projects:
The Transition to Parenthood: Individual Variability in Well-Being:
The transition to parenthood is a major life event associated with happiness in some individuals and unhappiness in others. This project will use longitudinal and experience sampling methods to study the sources and processes underlying individual differences in psychological well-being trajectories during the transition to parenthood. The project is financed by the Herbert Simon Research Institute: [Project webpage].
Measuring Cynicism and Trust Using Text Data to Predict Information Diffusion, Polarization and Incivility on Digital Platforms.
The proposed project will1) use techniques from Natural Language Processing and machine learning to develop a tool that measures Cynicism and Trust (CaT tool) in text data, and 2)apply the CaT tool to better understand information diffusion, polarization, and incivility on social media platforms. The project is financed by the Herbert Simon Research Institute: [Project webpage].
When Do Conspiracy Theories Lead to Violence? The Role of Threat Perception and Moral Beliefs
This project examines to what extent perceived threat and individual moral beliefs contribute to an increased willingness to use violence in the context of conspiracy theories. The project combines correlational and experimental studies, integrating insights from psychology, communication science, and philosophy, and is funded by the German Foundation for Peace Research: https://bundesstiftung-friedensforschung.de/blog/wann-fuehren-verschwoerungstheorien-zu-gewalt/
Selected publications of team members
Stavrova, O., Ren, D., Kim, S., & Vohs, K. (2026). Psychological forecasting in the 2024 U.S. presidential election: Accuracy and errors. Social Psychology and Personality Science.
Ren, D., Johnson, C., Stavrova, O., & Loh, W. W. (2026). Socioeconomic and Immigration Disparities in Ostracism: A Study of Statistical Outliers. Social Psychological and Personality Science
Stavrova, O., Ren, D., Kim, S., & Vohs, K. (2026). Trajectories of Psychological Outcomes during the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Puklavec, Ž., Kogler, C., Stavrova, O., & Zeelenberg, M. (2025). Unobscuring the Concept of Tax Morale: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Journal of Business Ethics.
Pummerer, L., Reinhardt, C. & Nielsen, M. (2025). Leaving the Catholic church: Cross-sectional and longitudinal predictors of leaving intentions. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.
Winter, K., Pummerer, L., von Oertzen, T., Hornsey, M. J. & Sassenberg, K. (2025). Conspiracy belief and opposition to wind farms: a longitudinal study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 104.
Pummerer, L., Ditrich, L., Winter, K. & Sassenberg, K. (2025). Belief in a Norm-Consistent Climate Policy Conspiracy Theory and Non-Normative Collective Action. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 55 (5).
Ren, D., Stavrova, O., van Beest, I., van Dijk, E. & Loh, W. W. (2025). Investigating lived ostracism: Valid causal inference requires articulating the causal estimand. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1–8.
Spiridonova, T., van Beest, I. & Stavrova, O. (2025). Does protection come at a cost? A random stimuli approach to investigating the (side-)effects of misinformation inoculations. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Spiridonova, T., Leib, M., van Beest, I. & Stavrova, O. (2025). Do cynics lie to avoid exploitation, to exploit others, or not at all? A registered report on the relationship between cynicism and dishonesty. Registered Report (Stage 2). European Journal of Personality.
Tran, C., Ivanova, K., Stavrova, O., & Reitz, A. K. (2025). Changes in Psychological Well-being Across the Transition to Motherhood: Combining Longitudinal and Experience Sampling Methods. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Stavrova, O., Kleinberg, B., Evans, A. M. & Ivanović, M. (2025). Scientific publications that use promotional language in the abstract receive more citations and public attention. Communications Psychology, 10.1038/s44271-025-00293-8.
Stavrova, O., Ren, D. & Evans, A. M. (2025). Turning the Camera Off in Virtual Interactions Can Harm the Reputation. European Journal of Social Psychology.
Puklavec, Ž., Stavrova, O. Kogler, C. & Zeelenberg, M. (2025). Exploring the Morality of Tax Morale. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), e70042
Pummerer, L., Gkinopoulos, T., Douglas, K. M., Jolley, D., Sassenberg, K (2024). The Appraisal Model of Conspiracy Theories (AMCT): Applying Appraisal Theories to Understand Emotional and Behavioral Reactions to Conspiracy Theories. Psychological Inquiry, 35 (3–4).
Pummerer, L., Gkinopoulos, T., Douglas, K. M., Jolley, D., Sassenberg, K (2024). The Appraisal Model of Conspiracy Theories (AMCT): Highlighting Core Concepts and Potential Extensions. Psychological Inquiry, 35 (3–4).
Winter, K., Hornsey, M., Pummerer, L., Sassenberg, K. (2024). Public agreement with misinformation about wind farms. Nature Communications, 15 (8888).
Pummerer, L., Fock, L., Winter, K., Sassenberg, K. (2024). Conspiracy Beliefs and Majority Influence. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1–16.
Pummerer, L. (2024). On different operationalizations and conceptualizations of the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories. A comment on Nera (2023). Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 1.
Stavrova, O., Kleinberg, B., Evans, A. M. & Ivanović, M. (2024). Expressions of uncertainty in online science communication hinder information diffusion. PNAS Nexus, 439.
Kokkoris, M. D. & Stavrova, O. (2024). In control but uninspired: Displays of artist self‐control undermine perceptions of creativity. European Journal of Social Psychology.
Büttner, C. M., Ren, D., Stavrova, O., Rudert, S. C., Williams, K. D. & Greifeneder, R. (2024). Ostracism in everyday life: A framework of threat and behavioral responses in real life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Tran, C., Ivanova, K., Reitz, A. K. & Stavrova, O. (2024). Transition to Parenthood: The Association Between Expectations and Family-Life Satisfaction. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 19485506241260570.
Spiridonova, T., Leib, M., van Beest, I. & Stavrova, O. (2024). Do cynics lie to avoid exploitation, to exploit others, or not at all? A registered report on the relationship between cynicism and dishonesty. Registered Report (Stage 1). European Journal of Personality.
Puklavec, Ž., Stavrova, O., Kogler, C. & Zeelenberg, M. (2024). Diffusion of Tax-Related Communication on Social Media. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 110, 102203.
Pummerer, L., Ditrich, L., Winter, K. & Sassenberg, K. (2023). Think about it! Deliberation reduces the negative relation between conspiracy belief and norm adherence. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 14(8).
Winter, K., Pummerer, L., & Sassenberg, K. (2023). Change by (almost) all means: The role of conspiracy mentality outweighs political orientation in predicting support for social change among the political left and right. European Journal of Social Psychology.
Stavrova, O. & Chopik, W. (2023). Don’t drag me down: Valence asymmetry in well-being co-development in couples. Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Klein, N. & Stavrova, O. (2023). Respondents with more extreme views show moderation of opinions in multi-year surveys in the USA and the Netherlands. Communications Psychology.
Stavrova, O., Ehlebracht, D. & Ren, D., (2023). Cynical people desire power but rarely acquire it: Exploring the role of cynicism in leadership attainment. British Journal of Psychology.
Baumann, J., Danilov, A. & Stavrova, O. (2023). Self-control and performance while working from home. PLOS ONE, 18(4), e0282862.
Puklavec, Ž., Kogler, C., Stavrova, O. & Zeelenberg, M. (2023). What we tweet about when we tweet about taxes: A topic modelling approach. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 212, 1242-1254.
Ren, D. & Stavrova, O. (2023). Does a pandemic context attenuate people's negative perception and meta-perception of solitude? International Journal of Psychology, 58(2), 134–142.
Ren, D., Stavrova, O. & Evans, A. M. (2023). Does dispositional preference for solitude predict better psychological outcomes during times of social distancing? Beliefs and reality. Journal of Personality.
Spiridonova, T., Stavrova, O., Evans, A. M. & van Beest, I. (2023). Cynical, but useful? A lay beliefs perspective on cynical leaders’ ability to prevent antisocial behavior at work. Social Psychology.
Stavrova, O. & Ren, D. (2023). Alone in a Crowd: Is Social Contact Associated with Less Psychological Pain of Loneliness in Everyday Life? Journal of Happiness Studies, 24(5), 1841-1860.
Stavrova, O., Spiridonova, T., van de Calseyde, P., Meyers, C. & Evans, A. M. (2023). Does remote work erode trust in organizations? A within-person investigation in the COVID-19 context. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 17(7), e12762.
Stavrova, O., Pronk, T., Denissen, J. (2022). Estranged and unhappy? Examining the dynamics of personal and relationship well-being surrounding infidelity. Psychological Science.
Ren, D., Stavrova, O. & Wei Loh, W. (2022). Nonlinear effect of social interaction quantity on psychological well-being: Diminishing Returns or Inverted U? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Kim, S., Stavrova, O., Vohs, K. (2022). Do Voting and Election Outcomes Predict Changes in Conspiracy Beliefs? Evidence from Two High-Profile U.S. Elections. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
Stavrova, O., Evans, A.M., van Beest, I. (2022). The effects of partner extraversion and agreeableness on trust. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Stavrova, O., Evans, A.M., Sleegers, W., van Beest, I. (2022). Examining the accuracy of lay beliefs about the effects of personality on prosocial behavior. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making.
Stavrova, O., Reitz, A.K., Evans, A.M. (2022). Temporal dynamics of interpersonal trust during the transition to parenthood. Journal of Research in Personality.
Machneva, M., Evans, A. M. & Stavrova, O. (2022). Consensus and (lack of) accuracy in perceptions of avatar trustworthiness. Computers in Human Behavior, 126.
Winter, K., Hornsey, M., Pummerer, L., Sassenberg, K. (2022). Anticipating and defusing the role of conspiracy beliefs in shaping opposition to wind farms. Nature Energy, 7, 1200-1207.
Wroblewski, D., School, A., Ditrich, L., Pummerer, L., Sassenberg, K. (2022). Let’s stay in touch: Frequency (but not mode) of interaction between leaders and followers predicts better leadership outcomes. PLoS ONE, 17(12), e0279176.
Pummerer, L. (2022). Belief in conspiracy theories and non-normative behavior. Current Opinion in Psychology, 47
Pummerer, L., Böhm, R., Lilleholt, L., Winter, K., Zettler, I., & Sassenberg, K. (2022). Conspiracy theories and their societal effects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 13(1), 49–59.
Pummerer, L., Winter, K., & Sassenberg, K. (2022). Addressing covid-19 vaccination conspiracy theories and vaccination intentions. European Journal of Health Communication, 3(2), 1–12.
van Mulukom, V., Pummerer, L. J., Alper, S., Bai, H., Čavojová, V., Farias, J., Kay, C. S., Lazarevic, L. B., Lobato, E. J., Marinthe, G., Pavela Banai, I., Šrol, J., & Žeželj, I. (2022). Antecedents and consequences of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine, 301.
Winter, K., Pummerer, L., Hornsey, M. J., & Sassenberg, K. (2022). Pro‐vaccination subjective norms moderate the relationship between conspiracy mentality and vaccination intentions. British Journal of Health Psychology, 27(2), 390–405.
Enachescu, J., Puklavec, Ž., Olsen, J., & Kirchler, E. (2021). Tax compliance is not fundamentally influenced by incidental emotions: An experiment. Economics of Governance, 22(4), 345–362.
Evans, A.M., Meyers, C., van de Calseyde, P. & Stavrova, O. (2021). Extraversion and Conscientiousness Predict Deteriorating Job Outcomes During the COVID-19 Transition to Enforced Remote Work. Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Evans, A. M., Stavrova, O., Rosenbusch, H. & Brandt, M. J. (2021). Expressions of Doubt in Online News Discussions. Social Science Computer Review, 08944393211034163.
Kokkoris, M. D. & Stavrova, O. (2021). Meaning of food and consumer eating behaviors. Food Quality and Preference, 94, 104343.
Stavrova, O., Ren, D. & Pronk, T. (2021). Low self-control: a hidden cause of loneliness? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 48(3), 347–362.
Stavrova, O., Evans, A.M. & Brandt, M.J. (2021). Ecological dimensions explain the past but do not predict future changes in trust. American Psychologist.
Van de Grint, L.T.M., Evans, A.M. & Stavrova, O. (2021). Good eats, bad intentions? Reputational costs of organic consumption. Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Lieberoth, A., Lin, S.-Y., Stöckli, S.,..., Pummerer, L., ..., & Dubrov, D. (2021). Stress and worry in the 2020 coronavirus pandemic: relationships to trust and compliance with preventive measures across 48 countries in the COVIDiSTRESS global survey. Royal Society Open Science, 8(2).
Scholl, A., Sassenberg, K., Zapf, B., & Pummerer, L. (2020). Out of sight, out of mind: Power-holders feel responsible when anticipating face-to-face, but not digital contact with others. Computers in Human Behavior, 112, Article 106472.
Stavrova, O. & Ren, D. (2020). Is more always better? Examining the nonlinear association of social contact frequency with physical health and longevity. Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Kokkoris, M. & Stavrova, O. (2020). Staying on track in turbulent times: Trait self-control and goal pursuit during self-quarantine. Personality and Individual Differences, 170.
Stavrova, O. & Denissen, J. (2020). Does using social media jeopardize well-being? The importance of separating within- from between-person effects. Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Stavrova, O., Ehlebracht, D. & Vohs, K. D. (2020). Victims, perpetrators, or both? The vicious cycle of disrespect and cynical beliefs about human nature. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Stavrova, O. & Haarmann, L. (2020). How to tell a happy person: Accuracy of subjective well-being perception from texts. Motivation & Emotion, 44, 597–607.
Evans, A.M., Stavrova, O. & Rosenbusch, H. (2020). Expressions of doubt and trust in online user reviews. Computers in Human Behavior.
Stavrova, O., Pronk, T. M. & Kokkoris, M. D. (2020). Finding meaning in self-control: The effect of self-control on the perception of meaning in life. Self & Identity, 19, 201–218.
Stavrova, O. (2019). Having a happy spouse is associated with lower risk of mortality. Psychological Science, 30(5), 798–803.
Stavrova, O., Pronk, T. & Kokkoris, M. D. (2019). Choosing goals that express the true self: A novel mechanism of the effect of self-control on goal attainment. European Journal of Social Psychology, 49, 1329-1336.
This paper was selected as „Editor’s choice“ in Science: Rai, T.S. (2019). Self-control and authentic goals. Science, 363(6426). DOI: 10.1126/science.363.6426.495-e
Rose, D. & Stavrova, O. (2019). Does life satisfaction predict reemployment? Evidence from German panel data. Journal of Economic Psychology, 72, 1–11.
Stavrova, O. (2019). How much do sources of happiness vary across countries? A review of the empirical literature. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 71, 429–464.
Stavrova, O. & Ehlebracht, D. (2019). Broken bodies, broken spirits: How poor health contributes to a cynical worldview. European Journal of Personality, 33(1), 52–71.
Stavrova, O. & Ehlebracht, D. (2019). The cynical genius illusion: Exploring and debunking lay beliefs about cynicism and competence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(2), 254–269.
This paper received the highest Altmetric score of all PSPB papers.
Burgmer, P., Forstmann, M. & Stavrova, O. (2019). Ideas are cheap: When and why adults value labor over ideas. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 148(5), 824–844.
Stavrova, O. & Evans, A. M. (2019). Examining the trade-off between confidence and optimism in future forecasts. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 32(1), 3–14.
Stavrova, O. & Kokkoris., M. D. (2019). Struggling to be liked: The prospective effect of trait self-control on social desirability and the moderating role of agreeableness. International Journal of Psychology, 54(2), 232–236.
Stavrova, O. (2019). Social perception of forecasters: People see forecasts of future outcomes as cues to forecasters’ desires, attitudes, and identity. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 10(6), 802–810.
Ehlebracht, D., Stavrova, O., Fetchenhauer, D. & Farrelly, D. (2018). The synergistic effect of prosociality and physical attractiveness on mate desirability. British Journal of Psychology, 109(3), 517–537.
Stavrova, O. & Ehlebracht, D. (2018). Education as an antidote to cynicism: A longitudinal investigation. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9(1), 59–69.
Stavrova, O. & Meckel., A. (2017). Perceiving emotion in non-social targets: The effect of trait empathy on emotional contagion through art. Motivation and Emotion, 41(4), 492–509.
Rothmund, T., Stavrova, O. & Schlösser, T. (2017). Justice concerns can feed nationalistic concerns and impede solidarity in the euro crisis – How victim sensitivity translates into political attitudes. Social Justice Research, 30(1), 48–71.
Stavrova, O. & Meckel, A. (2017). The role of magical thinking in forecasting the future. British Journal of Psychology, 108(1), 148–168.
Stavrova, O. & Ehlebracht, D. (2016). Cynical beliefs about human nature and income: Longitudinal and cross-cultural analyses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 110(1), 116–132.
Stavrova, O., Newman, G., Kulemann, A. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2016). Contamination without contact: An examination of intention-based contagion. Judgment and decision making, 11(6), 554–571.
Stavrova, O., Köneke, V. & Schlösser, T. (2016). Overfulfilling the norm: The better-than-average effect in judgments of attitudes. Social Psychology, 47, 288–293.
Stavrova, O. & Luhmann, M. (2016). Are conservatives happier than liberals? Not always and not everywhere. Journal of Research in Personality, 63, 29–35.
Stavrova, O., Ehlebracht, D. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2016). Belief in scientific-technological progress and life satisfaction: the role of personal control. Personality and Individual Differences, 96, 227–236.
Stavrova, O. & Luhmann, M. (2016). Social connectedness as a source and consequence of meaning in life. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 470–479.
Stavrova, O. (2015). How regional personality affects individuals' life satisfaction: A case of emotional contagion? Journal of Research in Personality, 58, 1–5.
Stavrova, O. (2015). Religion, self-rated health and mortality: Whether religiosity delays death depends on the cultural context. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(8), 911–922.
Stavrova, O. & Ehlebracht, D. (2015). A longitudinal analysis of romantic relationship formation: The effect of prosocial behavior. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(5), 521–527.
Stavrova, O. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2015). Married and cohabiting parents’ well-being: The effects of a cultural normative context across countries. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 32(5), 601–632.
Stavrova, O. & Schlösser, T. (2015). Solidarity and social justice: Effect of individual differences in justice sensitivity on solidarity behavior. European Journal of Personality, 29(1), 2–16.
Oarga, C., Stavrova, O. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2015). When and why is helping others good for well-being? The role of belief in reciprocity and conformity to society’s expectations. European Journal of Social Psychology, 45(2), 242–254.
Stavrova, O. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2015). Single parents, unhappy parents? Parenthood, partnership and the cultural normative context. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(1), 134–149.
Stavrova, O. & Siegers, P. (2014). Religious prosociality and morality across cultures: How social enforcement of religion shapes the effects of personal religiosity on prosocial and moral attitudes and behaviors. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(3), 315–333.
Stavrova, O., Schlösser, T. & Baumert, A. (2014). Life satisfaction and job search behavior of the unemployed: the effect of individual differences in justice sensitivity. Applied psychology: An international review, 63(4), 643–670.
Stavrova, O., Schlösser, T. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2013). Are virtuous people happy all around the world? Civic virtue, antisocial punishment, and subjective well-being across cultures. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39(7), 927–942.
Stavrova, O., Fetchenhauer, D. & Schlösser, T. (2013). Why are religious people happy? The effect of the social norm of religiosity across countries. Social Science Research, 42(1), 90–105.
Stavrova, O., Fetchenhauer, D. & Schlösser, T. (2012). Cohabitation, gender, and happiness: A cross-cultural study in 30 countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 43(7), 1063 – 1081.
Stavrova, O., Schlösser, T. & Fetchenhauer, D. (2011). Are the unemployed equally unhappy all around the world? The role of the social norms to work and welfare state provision in 28 OECD countries. Journal of Economic Psychology, 32(1), 159–171.
Stavrova, O. & Urhahne, D. (2010). Modification of a School Programme in the Deutsches Museum to Enhance Students’ Attitudes and Understanding. International Journal of Science Education, 32(17), 2291 – 2310.
Book
Stavrova, O. (2014). Fitting In and Getting Happy. How Conformity to Societal Norms Affects Subjective Well-being. Frankfurt/
New York: Campus. Book Chapters
Sassenberg, K., Pummerer, L., & Winter, K. (2023). Prävention und Intervention gegen den Glauben an Verschwörungstheorien. In Imhoff, R. (Eds.) Die Psychologie der Verschwörungstheorien: Von dunklen Mächten sonderbar belogen. (pp. 119 – 138). Göttingen: Hogrefe.
Truzka, A., Puklavec, Ž., & Kirchler, E. (2022). Nudging taxpayers to comply: Reflections about the effect of deterrence and non-deterrence behavioral interventions depending on taxpayers’ motivational postures. In Ü. R. Dayiogllu Erul (Ed.). Psikolojik Ve Sosyolojik Yönleriyle Vergilendirme / Psychological And Sociological Aspects Of Taxatıon (pp. 19–48). Kitap Yayınevi.
Pummerer, L. (2020). „Selbsttranszendenz” – ein Überblick religionspsychologischer Forschung über Spiritualität und Sinnsuche bei Nichtreligiösen. In A. Haußmann & R. Höfelschweiger (Eds.), Spiritualität und Sinn. Seelsorge und Kognitive Verhaltenstherapie im Dialog. (pp. 45–70). Leipzig: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt.
Enachescu, J., Puklavec, Ž., Bauer, C., Olsen, J., Kirchler, E., & Alm, J. (2020). Incidental emotions, integral emotions, and decisions to pay taxes. In L. Batrancea, S. Cevik, and M. M. Erdoğdu (eds.). Behavioral Public Finance: Individuals, Society, and the State (pp. 157–177). Routledge.
Stavrova, O., & Asbach, S. (2019). Economic prosperity and happiness. In E. Kirchler & K. Gangl (Eds.), A research agenda for Economic Psychology. Cheltenham, UK – Northhampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing
Stavrova, O. (2018). Single Parenthood. In M. H. Bornstein, M. E. Arterberry, K. L. Fingerman & J. E. Lansford (Eds.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.