University of Cologne
Center for Social and Economic Behavior
The Center for Social and Economic Behavior (C-SEB), a Key Profile Area (KPA) of 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.
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
The Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) awards three honorary doctorates annually, alternating between the different faculties. In 2025, the renowned …
With its Research Prizes, the University of Cologne honors individual scientific excellence and outstanding achievements over the last six years …
C-SEB member Angela Dorrough wins the OECD Anti-Corruption Research Challenge for a study together with Jasper Siol from the University …
Cologne International Forum: Salon // Humboldt Lecture von Mulu Hundera on January 29, 2025 at 18:00
On January 29, 2025 at 18:00, Dr. Mulu Berhanu Hundera will give a “Humboldt Lecture” as part of the event …
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 …
In the media
ECONtribute Wirtschaftspodcast, 05.05.2025 | Host: Carolin Jackermeier
“Was bewirken Transparenzregeln für das Nebeneinkommen von Bundestagsabgeordneten? Haben sie einen Einfluss auf ihr Verhalten? Und wie reagiert die Wählerschaft auf lukrative Nebenverdienste? Carina Neisser, Postdoc bei ECONtribute an der Uni Köln, forscht zu Finanzwissenschaften und angewandter Mikroökonometrie. In einer Studie hat sie die Effekte der 2005 eingeführten Transparenzrichtlinie für den Nebenverdienst von Bundestagsabgeordneten analysiert.”FAZ, 10.03.2025 | Carina Neisser
“Transparenz schafft Vertrauen und beugt Korruption vor. Doch was passiert, wenn Politiker dazu verpflichtet werden, ihre Nebeneinkünfte offenzulegen? […] nach der Transparenzreform beobachteten wir einen Anstieg um 15 Prozent […] hauptsächlich bei Abgeordneten der CDU/CSU und FDP […] Der Anstieg lässt sich unter anderem aus dem Zusammenspiel von Wählern und Politikern erklären. […] Wähler der CDU/CSU und FDP sehen Nebeneinkünfte als Zeichen von Kompetenz und Fleiß, während Wähler der SPD, Linken und Grünen darin eher eine Schwächung der Interessenvertretung des Volkes erkennen.”EXZELLENT ERKLÄRT – SPITZENFORSCHUNG FÜR ALLE, 01.03.2025 | Podcast mit/with Felix Bierbrauer
“In dieser Podcast-Episode geht es um das Ehegattensplitting – ein steuerliches Verfahren, das in Deutschland seit Jahrzehnten diskutiert wird. Gemeinsam mit Felix Bierbrauer, Professor bei ECONtribute an der Universität zu Köln, werfen wir einen Blick auf die wirtschaftlichen und politischen Implikationen des Splittings, beleuchten Fragen von Gerechtigkeit, Effizienz und gesellschaftlichen Anreizen und erörtern, warum Reformen so schwer durchsetzbar sind.”
Events
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Catherine van der List (University of Essex)
20. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Catherine van der List (University of Essex) - "Reshaping the Economy? Place-Based Policies and Regional Reallocation" (with Sarah Fritz)
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Charlie Rafkin (University of British Columbia)
21. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Charlie Rafkin (University of British Columbia) - "Eviction as Bargaining Failure: Hostility and Misperceptions in the Rental Housing Market"
More Information here
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C-SEB Early Ideas Workshop // Egor Bronnikov (Maastricht University)
23. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 12:45 via ZOOM
Egor Bronnikov (Maastricht University) - "Does the Bell Still Toll? How Civil War Narratives Shape Current Political Preferences in Spain"
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Elizaveta Zelnitskaia (CERGE-EI Prague)
27. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Elizaveta Zelnitskaia (CERGE-EI Prague) - "Risk Aversion in Information Cascades"
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Hyejin Ku (University College London)
28. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Hyejin Ku (University College London) - tbd
More Information here
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C-SEB Executive Board Meeting
3. June 2025 @ 9:00 - 11:00
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Rafael Jiménez Duran (Bocconi University)
3. June 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Rafael Jiménez Duran (Bocconi University) - tbd
Publications
Ockenfels, A., Bothe, D., & Janssen, M. (2025).
“Das Dilemma der Speicherverpflichtung im Gasmarkt: Optimiertes Marktdesign erforderlich.” Wirtschaftsdienst, 105(4), 273–281.Wu, J., Balliet, D., Yuan, M., Li, W., Chen, Y., Jin, S., Luan, S., & Van Lange, P. A. M. (2025).
“Social Class and Prosociality: A Meta-Analytic Review.” Psychological Bulletin, 151(3), 285–321.Strang, L., & Schaube, S. (2025).
“(Not) Everyone Can Be a Winner—The Role of Payoff Interdependence for Redistribution.” Journal of Public Economics, 243, 105320.Berger, L. M., Kerkhof, A., Mindl, F., & Münster, J. (2025).
“Debunking “Fake News” on Social Media: Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Fact-Checking and Media Literacy Interventions.” Journal of Public Economics, 245, 105345.Posten, A.-C., Uğurlar, P., Kube, S., & Lammers, J. (2025).
“Maintaining Cooperation Through Vertical Communication of Trust When Removing Sanctions.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(12), e2415010122.Brunnermeier, M., Correia, S., Luck, S., Verner, E., & Zimmermann, T. (2025).
“The Debt-Inflation Channel of the German (Hyper-)Inflation.” American Economic Review. Advance online publication.Ivanov, I. T., Zimmermann, T., & Heinrich, N. W. (2025).
“Limits of Disclosure Regulation in the Municipal Bond Market.” Management Science, mnsc.2022.02289. Advance online publication.Brosig-Koch, J., Groß, M., Hennig-Schmidt, H., Kairies-Schwarz, N., & Wiesen, D. (2025).
“Physicians’ Incentives, Patients’ Characteristics, and Quality of Care: A Systematic Experimental Comparison of Performance-Pay Systems.” International Journal of Health Economics and Management. Advance online publication.Dymek, N. G., Jaschke, J., Stirner, A. K., Schwab, I., Ohnhäuser, T., Wiesen, D., Dresbach, T., Scholten, N., & Köberlein-Neu, J. (2025).
“Structured Lactation Support for Mothers of Very Low Birthweight Preterm Infants and Establishment of Human Donor Milk Banks in German NICUs (Neo-MILK): Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial.” BMJ Open, 15(2), e084746.Hofer, A., & Spurk, D. (2025).
“Exploring Precariousness in the Gig Economy Using a Multiple-Level Perspective.” In J. Akkermans, A. Keegan, & F. Pichault (Eds.), Research Handbook of Careers in the Gig Economy (pp. 15–35). Edward Elgar Publishing.
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