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
The “ESA Prize for Exceptional Achievement” recognizes no more than one researcher per year who has overcome unusually difficult obstacles …
Axel Ockenfels has been a new member of the Specialist Group for Regulatory Issues (WAR) of the Bundesnetzagentur for Electricity, …
C-SEB has approved the following 14 projects for funding in the 18th funding round: Junior Start-Up Grants Nils Blossey – …
On July 3, 2024, at 18:30, Axel Ockenfels will give a talk at the Kölner Juristische Gesellschaft with the title “Gesetze und Gerichte oder ökonomisches Design? Wie Kooperation beim Klimawandel, bei der Organspende, in der Pandemie und in der Sharing Economy entsteht – und wie nicht.” (German-speaking event) Members of the Kölner Juristische Gesellschaft are invited; guests are also very welcome.
In the media
FAZ, 9. September 2024 | Ágnes Cseh, Christine Kurschat, Axel Ockenfels, & Alvin E. Roth
“Nierenspenden sind unter Lebenden in Deutschland bislang nur unter nahen Verwandten erlaubt. Das soll sich bald ändern. Gut so!”FAZ, 7. September 2024 | Hanna Decker
“Brauchen Erneuerbare in Zukunft noch staatliche Absicherung? Unterschiedliche Varianten werden diskutiert. Schon jetzt kommen manche Windparks und Solaranlagen ganz ohne Förderung aus. […] Auch Axel Ockenfels und Peter Cramton, zwei führende Marktdesign-Forscher, forderten gegenüber der F.A.Z. die Politik dazu auf, “die Fallstricke der Kapazitätsmechanismen der letzten 20 Jahre zu vermeiden. Die Umsetzung des derzeit bevorzugten Plans wird die Stromkosten erhöhen, aber wahrscheinlich nicht die erwünschte Widerstandsfähigkeit bieten.””FAZ, 16. Juli 2024 | Axel Ockenfels
“Den persönlichen oder nationalen CO2-Fußabdruck zu senken fühlt sich gut an. Aber nicht immer verbessert dies die globale Klimabilanz. Andere Maßnahmen erreichen mehr. Woran das liegt und wie es gelingt, Gutes besser zu tun.”Personalmagazin, 10. Juli 2024 | Interview mit Bernd Irlenbusch
“Künstliche Intelligenz bietet dem Personalbereich viele Erleichterungen, bringt aber auch zahlreiche Gefahren mit sich […]. Aus meiner Sicht lassen sich die Chancen des Einsatzes von KI grob in zwei Kategorien einordnen: Bessere Entscheidungen sowie Kostenreduktion.”
Events
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Kenza Elass (Bocconi University)
8. October 2024 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Kenza Elass (Bocconi University) - "What Do Women Want in a Job? Household Constraints, Gender-Biased Decisions and the Reservation Wage Gap"
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Meng-Jhang Fong (Amazon Science)
9. October 2024 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Meng-Jhang Fong (Amazon Science) - tbd
More Information here
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Ben Grodeck (University of Exeter)
15. October 2024 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Sonja Kovacevic (University of Cologne)
16. October 2024 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Sonja Kovacevic (University of Cologne) - tbd
More Information here
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Pedro Teles (Universidade Católica Portuguesa)
23. October 2024 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Pedro Teles (Universidade Católica Portuguesa) - tbd
More Information here
Publications
Schulte, A., & Lammers, J. (2024).
“The Cognitive-Motivational Roots of Conservatives’ Desire for the Past.” Social Cognition, 42(3), 233–259.Schulte, A., Baldwin, M., & Lammers, J. (2024).
“Highlighting the Old in the “New Normal”: Appealing to Conservatives’ Focus on the Past Decreases Opposition to COVID-19 Measures.” Social Psychology, 55(2), 88–100.García Ferrés, E. A., Van Berkel, L., Baldwin, M., & Lammers, J. (2024).
“Temporal Comparisons Shape System Justification Processes.” Political Psychology, pops.13030. Advance online publication.Eckmann, L., Landwehr, J. R., Högden, F., & Unkelbach, C. (2024).
“The Relative Effectiveness of Conditioning One or Two Attributes to a Brand.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. Advance online publication.De keersmaecker, J., Unkelbach, C., & Roets, A. (2024).
“Truth-by-Repetition Across Languages.” Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. Advance online publication.Alves, H., Yzerbyt, V., & Unkelbach, C. (2024).
“Attitude Formation in More- and Less-Complex Social Environments.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 01461672241235387. Advance online publication.Ram, H., Liberman, N., & Unkelbach, C. (2024).
“Psychological Distance Increases Conceptual Generalization.” Social Psychological and Personality Science, 15(2), 204–214.Saxler, F. M., Dorrough, A. R., Froehlich, L., Block, K., Croft, A., … Martiny, S. E. (2024).
“Did Descriptive and Prescriptive Norms About Gender Equality at Home Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross-National Investigation.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 01461672231219719. Advance online publication.Glöckner, A. (2024).
“Big Data und Quick Data: Konsequenz für eine effiziente Wissenschaft.” In M. Wendland, R. Niemann, & J. Zollner (Eds.), Smart Regulation: Quick Data or Big Data? (pp. 3–12). Mohr Siebeck.Andrighetto, G., Szekely, A., Guido, A., … Dorrough, A.R., … Glöckner, A., … Eriksson, K. (2024).
“Changes in Social Norms During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic Across 43 Countries.” Nature Communications, 15(1), 1436.
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