We offer the opportunity to write Bachelor's and Master's theses at our lab.
Possible topics include:
Formation of stereotypes and prejudices
Dimensions of stereotypes
Person perception and interpersonal attraction
Cognitive foundations of attitude formation
Information sampling and processing
Consumer psychology
We also encourage students to learn more about the specific research interests of our team members, as thesis topics can often be aligned with their current research projects.
If you are interested in writing your thesis with us, feel free to contact us.
In the Winter Semester 2025/2026, our lab is hosting a research colloquium in which we welcome both junior and senior researchers to present their current work. The colloquium offers participants the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge research in social cognition and related fields, gain insights into how researchers communicate their findings, ask questions, and engage in scientific discussions.
All talks and discussions will be conducted in English to ensure accessibility for non-German-speaking attendees.
Below, you will find the schedule for the upcoming sessions. Please make sure to consult this website regularly, as session times may change and individual meetings may need to be cancelled on short notice.
The colloquium takes place from 16:15 to 17:45 in Room IA 1/157.
22.10.2025 – Moritz Ingendahl (Ruhr University Bochum)
Introduction
29.10.2025 – André Vaz (Ruhr University Bochum)
Investigating the role of unpacking effects in impression formation
26.11.2025 – Zhengtai Liu (University of Cologne)
A desire for equality produces inequality in social hierarchies when people focus on categories of recipients rather than individuals
03.12.2025 – Oliver Sng (University of California, Irvine)
Rethinking stereotypes: race-as-ecology stereotypes and the directed nature of stereotype content
10.12.2025 – Marina Orifici (University of Cologne)
A multinational experimental test of social role theory
17.12.2025 – Vanessa Clemens (University of Cologne)
The role of institutions in shaping closeness-based favoritism and generalized trust and cooperation
07.01.2026 – Fiona Kazarovytska (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)
TBA
14.01.2026 – Celine Frank & Fiona tho Pesch (University of Cologne)
TBA
21.01.2026 – Nele Freyer (TU Dresden – Technische Universität Dresden)
TBA
22.01.2026 – Claudine Pulm (University of Cologne)
TBA
28.01.2026 – Felix Hermans (KU Leuven – Katholieke Universiteit Leuven)
TBA
04.02.2026 – Jens Lange (HMU Erfurt – Health and Medical University Erfurt)
TBA
Internships at our lab are generally possible. We aim to actively involve interns in our ongoing research and provide them with a comprehensive insight into the day-to-day work of academic research. Depending on the project, this may include participation in lab meetings, literature reviews, study programming, data analysis, and the presentation of research findings.
We primarily supervise internships that take place alongside university studies and extend over a longer period of time. This allows for a more meaningful experience, as most research projects span several months.
If you are interested in doing an internship with us, please send us a short motivation letter (including your interest in our lab and research topics), your current transcript of records, and a brief CV via email to socialcognition@rub.de.
Copyright © SoCo 2025
Last update: Dec 03, 2025