PhD Life
Family dinner. “You know, we should really cut back on meat.” Your dad rolls his eyes. Your sister changes the subject. You’re stuck at the table. That awkward moment? It’s exactly what I study.
I’m working with passion and enthusiasm on my PhD project to help us understand the world and make it more sustainable. My research explores why sustainable behavior change often feels so challenging and even meets resistance and frustration – and how we can create more effective pathways for meaningful green action. It’s fascinating work that weaves together psychology, communication, and sustainability, and I absolutely love diving into these complex questions every day.
PhD Project
My research specifically dives into sustainable eating behavior, focusing on the resistance and social norms that surround meat reduction. Why does suggesting “maybe we should eat less meat” at a dinner table often lead to eye rolls or awkward silence? I’m exploring the psychological and social forces that can make changing our diets feel so challenging. Through this work, I aim to understand the complex dynamics that keep us stuck in unsustainable eating patterns and discover pathways that can help us all move toward more sustainable food choices with less friction and frustration.
In the upcoming years, I will explore how resistance is embedded in the socio-ecological environment, how resistance takes shape over time, and how to minimize this resistance effectively, promoting pro-environmental action. Below, you can find a visualization of the research plan. Stay tuned… I’m excited!
Master's Thesis
My interest for pro-environmental communication, and specifically backlash effects, started here. Wrapping up my bachelor’s Psychology and Master’s communication science, I applied the knowledge of both fiels to the protein transition. The main question: How can we minimize backlash to meat reduction messages? This study provides valuable insights into reactance-preventing communication strategies that set the tone for the PhD journey that had yet to come.
