Department of Psychology

Research & Publications

Research Interests

  • Intergroup processes and intergroup relations
  • Developement and evaluation of anti-prejudice interventions
  • Diversity management and diversity training
  • Attitudes towards disadvantaged social group (e.g,, LGBTQ attitudes, attitudes towards women, immigrants ...)
  • Effects of social diversity on attitudes, threat and political trust
  • Media interventions & indirect contact

 

Publications

Articles in Peer-review Journals

Louvet, E., Ehrke, F., Gaubert, C., & Tran, H. L. (2023). The Role of Legitimizing the Social Hierarchy in the Impact of Status on Perceived Assertiveness and Competence. British Journal of Social Psychology.

Ehrke, F., Grommisch, G., Busch, E. P., & Kaczmarek, M. C. (2023). Populist attitudes predict compliance-related attitudes and behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic via trust in institutions. Social Psychology, 54, 78–94. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000500

Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., Bertlich, T. & Dupont, J. C. (accepted). Maintenance or Change? Examining the Reinforcing Spiral Between Social Media News Use and Populist Attitudes. Information, Communication, & Society. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2021.1907435 (Preprint: https://osf.io/b2yt9/).

Scheifele, C., Ehrke, F., Viladot, M. A., Van Laar, C. & Steffens, M. C. (in press). Testing the basic socio-structural assumptions of social identity theory in the gender context: Evidence from correlational studies on women’s leadership. European Journal of Social Psychology (Special Section of Registered Reports on the topic „Revisiting basic tenets of and new directions for Social Identity Theory“). https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2746 (Stage 1 of registered report can be found at: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2678)

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M. (2020). A double-edged sword: How social diversity affects trust in representatives via perceived competence and warmth. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(7), 1540–1554. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2709

Ehrke, F., Ashoee, A., Steffens, M. C., & Louvet, E. (2020). A brief diversity training: Raising awareness of ingroup privilege to improve attitudes towards disadvantaged outgroups. International Journal of Psychology (Special issue on Cultural Diversity, Migration, and Education), 55(5), 732–742. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12665

Steffens, M.C., Reese, G., Ehrke, F., & Jonas, K.J. (2017). When does activating diversity alleviate, when does it increase intergroup bias? An ingroup projection perspective. PLoS ONE, 12(6): e0178738. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178738

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M. (2016). Weniger kompetent, aber dafür wärmer? Zum Einfluss sozialer Vielfalt von Parteien auf politisches Vertrauen. Politische Psychologie, 2016-1, 28-45.

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M.C. (2014). How diversity training can change attitudes: Increasing perceived complexity of superordinate groups to improve intergroup relations. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 53, 193-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2014.03.013

 

Book Chapters

Steffens, M. C., Niedlich, C., & Ehrke, F. (2016). Discrimination at work on the basis of sexual orientation: Subjective experience, experimental evidence, and interventions In T. Köllen (Ed.), Sexual orientation and transgender issues in organizations – global perspectives on LGBT workforce diversity. Heidelberg: Springer. Doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-29623-4_22

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2015). Diversity-Training: Theoretische Grundlagen und empirische Befunde [Diversity training: Theoretical background and empirical evidence]. In Hanappi-Egger, E. & Bendl, R. (Hrsg.). Diversität, Diversifizierung und (Ent)Solidarisierung: Eine Standortbestimmung der Diversitätsforschung im deutschen Sprachraum [Diversity, Diversification, and (De)Solidarization: Localization of divesity research in the German-speaking area]. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2014). Diversity Training - Einstellungen zwischen Gruppen sozialpsychologisch fundiert verbessern [Diversity training – Improving intergroup attitudes based on social-psychoogical theory]. In Sauerland, M. & Braun, O.L. (Ed.), Aktuelle Trends in der Personal- und Organisationsentwicklung [Current Trends in Personnel and Organizational Development] (pp. 127-196). Hamburg: Windmühle.

 

Conference Contributions and Talks

2021

Ehrke, F. (2021, May 26–27). Vicarious contact with gay men: The role of ingroup perspective-taking and outgroup empathy for outgroup attitudes. Paper presented at the 2021 APS Virtual Convention of the Association for Psychological Science (APS), Washington, DC, United States. 

 

2020

Steffens, M.C., Ehrke, F., & Loths, L. (2020, June 30 – July 4). Underestimating sexism: The role of awareness of benevolent sexism. Paper presented at the 19th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Krakow, Poland (Conference postponed).

Ehrke, F. (2020, June 30 – July 4). Taking my ingroup’s perspective: A media intervention using vicarious contact improves explicit and implicit attitudes towards gay men. Paper presented at the 19th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Krakow, Poland (Conference postponed).

Ehrke, F. & Murrar, S. (Chairs) (2020, June 30 – July 4). New directions for anti-prejudice interventions in modern times: Indirect contact and the power of social and entertainment media. Symposium conducted at the 19th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Krakow, Poland (Conference postponed).

Kachel, S., Ehrke, F., & Preuß, S. (2020, June 21-22). The influence of control beliefs on masculinity threat and homonegative attitudes [Poster presentation]. European Association of Social Psychology RKTS Workshop “Building An LGBT European Social Psychology”, Lisbon, Portugal.

Ehrke, F. (2020, March 22 – 25). A media intervention using vicarious contact improves explicit and implicit outgroup attitudes. Paper presented at the 62th Meeting of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP 2020), Jena, Germany (Conference postponed).

 

2019

Ehrke, F., & Steffens, M.C. (2019, September). Reducing self-typicality to improve majority members’ reactions to diversity and attitudes towards minorities. Paper presented at the 17th Meeting of the German Social Psychology Section (FGSP 2019), Köln, Germany.

Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., & Dupont, J. (2019, September). Social Media Use and Populist Attitudes: Taking a Reinforcing Spiral Approach. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA, Political Communication Section), Poznań, PL.

Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., & Dupont, J.(2019, June). Intergroup Contact and the Rise of Populist Attitudes. Paper presented at the meeting on intergroup contact of the European Association for Social Psychology (EASP), Bologna, IT.

Ehrke, F. (2019, July). A double-edged sword: How social diversity of political parties affect citizens' trust in them. Paper presented at the International Convention of Psychological Science, Paris, France.

Ehrke, F. (2019, March). Taking my ingroup’s perspective: A media intervention using vicarious contact improves explicit and implicit outgroup attitudes. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Society of Political Psychology, Lisbon, Portugal. 

 

2018

Ehrke, F. (2018, November). A double-edged sword: How social diversity of political parties affect citizens' trust in them. Poster session presented at the EASP Meeting “Polarization, Populism, Political Alienation: Causes and Consequences of Social Diversity and Inequality?", Landau, Germany.

Ehrke, F. (2018, September). Taking my ingroup’s perspective: A media intervention using vicarious contact improves explicit and implicit outgroup attitudes. Paper presented at the 51th Conference of the German Society for Psychology, Frankfurt, Germany.

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M.C. (2018, February). How does the social diversity of political parties affect citizens' trust in them? Poster session presented at the 5th Gender and Diversity Research Day of the University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Deutschland.

Ehrke, F. (2018, February). Evaluating an Internet-campaign video against sexual prejudice. Poster session presented at the 5th Gender and Diversity Research Day of the University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Deutschland.

Ehrke, F. (2018, January). Unterhaltungsbasierte Medieninterventionen: Evaluation einer Videokampagne zur Verbesserung von Einstellungen gegenüber schwulen Männern [Evaluating an internet-campaign video to improve attitudes towards gay men]. Invited Talk at the Department of Social Psychology, University Erlangen, Germany.

 

2017

Ehrke, F. (2017, September). A street, a couple, and a simple question: Evaluating an Internet-campaign video against sexual prejudice. Poster session presented at the 10th Conference of the Media Psychology Section, Landau, Germany.

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2017, August). Not so typical after all: Self-typicality moderates majority members' reactions to diversity and attitudes towards minorities. Paper presented at the 19th ESCON Transfer of Knowledge Conference,Gdansk, Poland.

Ehrke, F. (Chair). (2017, July). From the lab to practice: Using anti-prejudice interventions to prevent negative effects of social diversity. Symposium conducted at the at the 16th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Granada, Spain.

Ehrke, F., Ashoee, A., Steffens, M.C., & Louvet, E. (2017, July). What works? Evaluating various strategies to improve attitudes towards minorities with diversity training. In Ehrke, F. (Chair), From the lab to practice: Using anti-prejudice interventions to prevent negative effects of social diversity. Paper presented at the at the 16th General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Granada, Spain.

Ehrke, F. & Preuß, S. (2017, March). Ask your peers: Sharing issues, challenges, and expertise of cross-cultural research. Moderated discussion at the Cross-Cultural Psychology Conference, Bonn, Germany.

 

2016

Ehrke, F., & Methner, N. (Chairs). (2016, September). Politics and Trust: Determinants and Correlates of Trust in Political Actors. Symposium conducted at the 50th Conference of the German Society for Psychology, Leipzig, Germany.

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M.C. (2016, September). Diverse like me? Examining how diversity affects political trust and exploring moderating variables. In F. Ehrke & N. Methner (Chairs), Politics and Trust: Determinants and Correlates of Trust in Political Actors. Paper presented at the 50th Conference of the German Society for Psychology, Leipzig, Germany.

Ehrke, F. (2016, August). Improving intergroup attitudes with diversity training. Poster session presented at the Summer School 2016 of the European Association of Social Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M.C. (2016, June). Diverse like me? Examining how diversity affects political trust and exploring moderating variables. In N. Methner & F. Ehrke (Chairs), Political Trust (Part 2): Determinants of Political (Dis-) Trust and Cynicism. Paper presented at the 29th Conference of the German Peace Psychology Association, Landau, Germany.

Methner, N., & Ehrke, F. (Chairs). (2016, June). Political Trust (Part 2): Determinants of Political (Dis-) Trust and Cynicism. Symposium conducted at the 29th Conference of the German Peace Psychology Association, Landau, Germany.

 

2015

Ehrke, F., Bruckmüller, S., & Steffens, M.C. (2015, September). Less competent, but warmer? How social diversity affects political trust. Poster session presented at the 15th Meeting of the German Social Psychology Section (FGSP 2015), Potsdam, Germany.

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2015, July). Not so typical after all: Self-typicality moderates majority members' reactions to diversity and attitudes towards minorities. Paper presented at the 16th doctoral workshop of the German Social Psychology Section (SoDoc 2015), Münster, Germany.

 

2014

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2014, November). Diversity-Training: Theoretische Grundlagen und empirische Befunde [Diversity training: Theoretical Background and empirical evidences]. Paper presented at the Vernetzungstreffen - Vielfalt, Diversifizierung, (Ent)Solidarisierung in der organisationalen Diversitätsforschung: eine Standortbestimmung im deutschen Sprachraum [Network meeting - Diversity, Diversification, (De)Solidarization organizational diversity research: Location determination in the German-speaking area], Vienna, Austria.

Ehrke, F. & Steffens, M.C. (2014, July). After all, are YOU that typical? Altering self-typicality to reduce backlash against perceived superordinate-group diversity. Paper presented at the 17th General Meeting of European Association of Social Psychology (EASP), Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Ehrke, F. & Steffens M.C. (2014, June). Not so typical after all? Improving outgroup attitudes among privileged group members under superordinate-group diversity. Paper presented at the 5th Annual Tajfel Seminar - Social Identities in Conflict, Warsaw, Poland.

 

2013

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M.C. (2013, December). Improving intergroup attitudes with diversity training. Poster session presented at the 1st Gender and Diversity Research Day of the University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany.

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M.C. (2013, October). Can diversity training improve attitudes? Paper presented at the Symposium „Advancing Intercultural Competence Development: Initiating the dialog between researchers and practitioners" of the Department of Cross-Cultural Psychology of the Tilburg University and the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR), Tilburg, Netherlands.

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M. C. (2013, September). Improving intergoup attitudes with diversity training. Poster session presented at the 14th Meeting of the German Educational Psychology Section (PAEPS 2013), Hildesheim, Germany.

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M. C. (2013, September). Can diversity training improve attitudes? Paper presented at the 14th Meeting of the German Social Psychology Section (FGSP 2013), Hagen, Germany.

 

2012

Ehrke, F., Berthold, A., & Steffens, M. C. (2012, April). How diversity training can change attitudes: Increasing perceived complexity of superordinate groups to improve intergroup relations. Poster session presented at the 54th Meeting of Experimental Psychologists (TeaP 2012), Mannheim, Germany.