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 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
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.”ECONtribute Wirtschaftspodcast, 17.02.2025 | Host: Carolin Jackermeier
“Warum ignorieren sämtliche Parteien die Zukunft des gesetzlichen Rentensystems? Was hat die Umstellung von HartzIV zum Bürgergeld ökonomisch gebracht? Und welche Wirtschaftsreformen sind wirklich realistisch? Das diskutieren Christian Bayer (Universität Bonn) und Felix Bierbrauer (Universität zu Köln) im zweiten Teil des Schwerpunkts zu den Bundestagswahlen. Wir sprechen darüber, warum der Arbeitsanreiz im heutigen Steuer- und Transfersystem gering ist, welches Renteneintrittsalter zeitgemäß wäre und welche Wirtschaftsreformen in der kommenden Legislaturperiode wahrscheinlich sind.”
Events
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C-SEB Early Ideas Workshop // Frauke Gerster (University of Cologne)
25. April 2025 @ 12:00 - 12:45 via ZOOM
Frauke Gerster (University of Cologne) - The Impact of SES Consciousness on CognitivePerformance: An Experimental Approach
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Virtual Market Design Seminar // Lea Nagel (Stanford University)
28. April 2025 @ 16:00 - 17:00 via ZOOM
Lea Nagel (Stanford University): A Measure of Complexity for Strategy-Proof Mechanisms (with Roberto Saitto)
For more information and registration visit: https://virtual-md-seminar.com/
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Luca Henkel (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
29. April 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Luca Henkel (Erasmus University Rotterdam) - "The Role of Interpersonal Uncertainty in Prosocial Behavior"
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Matt Lowe (University of British Columbia)
30. April 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Matt Lowe (University of British Columbia) - Psychedelics and Well-Being: A Field Experiment in Brazil (with Patrick Francois and Ieda Matavelli)
More Information here
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Design & Behavior Seminar // Krishna Srinivasan (UniDistance)
6. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:00 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Krishna Srinivasan (UniDistance) - "Who Deserves a Tax Break and Why? Evidence on Preferences for Taxing Personal Characteristics" (with Julien Senn)
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ECONtribute and C-SEB Seminar // Camille Urvoy (University of Mannheim)
7. May 2025 @ 12:00 - 13:15 Room 3.206, Studierenden Service Center (SSC) (Building 102), Universitätsstraße 22a, 50923 Köln
Camille Urvoy (University of Mannheim) - tbd
More Information here
Publications
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.Gürerk, Ö., Bohné, T., & Alvarez Alonso, G. (2025).
“Productivity and Learning Effects of Augmented Reality Head-Mounted Displays.” Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 18, 100638.
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