University of Cologne
Center for Social and Economic Behavior
The Center for Social and Economic Behavior (C-SEB) at the University of Cologne (UoC) brings together Cologne-based researchers from economics, management science, and psychology. Together with internationally renowned scientists from Europe and the USA, they investigate the fundamental principles and behavioral mechanisms that affect social and economic behavior. Since its establishment in 2019, the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute is an important partner.
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Social and economic behavior is shaping almost all aspects of our lives. But it does not only influence the actions of individuals. Behavior and its underlying motivation and cognition, also affects the success of societies, politics, markets and organizations. Understanding its determinants, and how it can be ‘managed’, is thus of crucial importance for understanding and addressing major challenges to society and humanity.
C-SEB aims to develop an empirically based theory of the institutions that define economic incentives and of the conditions that influence information processing in social and economic contexts. Using a behavioral economics and social cognition approach, the center examines how these mechanisms can be designed and manipulated. C-SEB seeks to build a bridge between laboratory research and real-world contexts in order to contribute to solutions to contemporary challenges in the economy.
Our Aims
Scientific exchange
C-SEB runs various programs to create a productive research environment and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration among scientists. In order to foster communication across disciplines and research units, the center regularly organizes workshops and conferences with international guests.Learn more
Research funding
C-SEB provides funding for outstanding individuals and excellent collaborative research projects in the field of behavioral economics and social cognition. There are six funding lines at the moment that are designed to serve different purposes and target groups.Learn more
Equal opportunity & junior researcher promotion
C-SEB is strongly committed to promote equal opportunities in academia and to advance the careers of junior researchers. The center assists its members with career planning and with reconciling academic and family life.Learn more
Press Releases
On March 18, 2025, the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology, the MPI for Research on Collective Goods, and …
Matthias Sutter has been elected as a new member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina for the section …
C-SEB has approved the following 12 projects for funding in the 19th funding round: Junior Start-Up Grants Arno Apffelstaedt (with …
On September 26, 2024, Bettina Rockenbach was elected as the new president of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. She …
ECONtribute and C-SEB member Christopher Roth, Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne, …
The “ESA Prize for Exceptional Achievement” recognizes no more than one researcher per year who has overcome unusually difficult obstacles …
In the media
FAZ, 31.10.2024 | Julia Löhr, Christian Müßgens, & Johannes Pennekamp
“Die Verbindungen zwischen Politik und Konzern sind seit jeher eng. Sie umfassen Personen, Sonderregeln für VW und strukturelle Verstrickungen, die eine unabhängige Aufsicht erschweren. […] Bernd Irlenbusch, Wirtschaftsprofessor in Köln mit Schwerpunkt auf gute Unternehmensführung, hält all das für keine gute Idee: “Es gibt eine ganze Menge Evidenz, dass der Staat gut daran tut, sich generell darauf zu beschränken, die wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen zu definieren, innerhalb derer die Unternehmen handeln können.””And How About You? – Podcast, 30.10.2024 | Host: Maria Schmitz-Hüser
“Prof. Dr. Pia Pinger ist Professorin für angewandte Ökonometrie und Verhaltensökonomik an der Universität zu Köln. Im Gespräch erzählt sie von den Leitfragen ihrer Forschung an der Schnittstelle zwischen Arbeitsmarkt-, Bildungs- und Verhaltensökonomik und von der spannenden Arbeit im Exzellenzcluster ECONTribute. Außerdem spricht sie über erfolgreiche Teamarbeit, Herausforderungen des Familienslebens und die individuellen Vorzüge der Arbeit an unserer Universität.”The Economist, 12.10.2024 | Bartleby
“A couple of recent studies underline the risk that incentives will have unintended consequences. One, from Jakob Altifian and Dirk Sliwka of the University of Cologne and Timo Vogelsang of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, tested the effect of paying an attendance bonus on levels of absenteeism. They did so by randomly assigning apprentice workers at a German retailer to two groups which offered a financial reward or some extra holiday, respectively, for a perfect attendance record. Neither reward reduced absenteeism, and the monetary bonus had precisely the opposite effect: it actually increased rates of absenteeism by 50% on average.”
Events
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Richard Franke (Trinity College Dublin)
22. January 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Richard Franke (Trinity College Dublin) - "Reversing Fortunes of German Regions, 1926–2019: Boon and Bane of Early Industrialization?"
More Information here
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Pedro Gonzalez-Fernandez (Maastricht University)
28. January 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Pedro Gonzalez-Fernandez (Maastricht University) - "Shaping Beliefs: Elicitation and Bias Identification"
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Daniel Waldenström (IFN Stockholm)
9. April 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Daniel Waldenström (IFN Stockholm) - tbd
More Information here
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C-SEB Workshop 2024
9. May 2025 @ 9:30 - 19:00 InnoDom Cologne, Weyertal 109, 50931 Köln, Germany
Publications
Ndiaye, Y. S., Cramton, P., Chernev, C., & Ockenfels, A. (2025).
“Comparison of Radiological Interpretation Made by Veterinary Radiologists and State-of-the-Art Commercial AI Software for Canine and Feline Radiographic Studies.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 12. Advance online publication.Righetti, F., Đurić, M., & Schneider, I. (2024).
“Beyond Good or Bad: The Four Evaluative Quadrants of Relationships.” Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10888683241302247. Advance online publication.Gürtler, O., & Struth, L. (2024).
“Do Workers Benefit From Wage Transparency Rules?” International Economic Review, iere.12750. Advance online publication.Koch, A., Dotsch, R., Imhoff, R., Unkelbach, C., & Alves, H. (2025).
“Ideological Beliefs as Cues to Exploitation-Exploration Behavior.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 117, 104718.Đurić, M., Righetti, F., Zoppolat, G., Lohmer, C., & Schneider, I. K. (2024).
“Mixed Signals: Romantic Jealousy and Ambivalence in Relationships.” Emotion. Advance online publication.Sperlich, L. M., & Unkelbach, C. (2024).
“Why Is There No Negativity Bias in Evaluative Conditioning? A Cognitive-Ecological Answer.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online publication.Hohnsbehn, J.-M., Paules, E., & Schneider, I. K. (2024).
“Open for Business: How Leader Ambivalence Facilitates Upward Follower Communication Via Perceptions of Increased Cognitive Flexibility and Responsiveness.” Current Psychology. Advance online publication.Gillebaart, M., & Schneider, I. K. (2024).
“Effortless Self-Control.” Current Opinion in Psychology, 59, 101860.Roth, C., Schwardmann, P., & Tripodi, E. (2024).
“Misperceived Effectiveness and the Demand for Psychotherapy.” Journal of Public Economics, 240, 105254.Gretschko, V., Ockenfels, A., & Wambach, A. (2024).
“Optimierung des Verhandlungsgebot auf dem Telekommunikationsmarkt.” Wirtschaftsdienst, 2024(11), 794–799.
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