Jeronimus, Dr Bertus

Bertus Jeronimus is an associate professor of psychology at the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at the University of Groningen. He is chair of the Department of Developmental Psychology. Jeronimus studied Dutch Law and Clinical and Developmental Psychology at the University of Groningen. In 2015, he obtained his PhD at the same university with a dissertation on how environmental factors, such as stressful life events, influence neuroticism: a personality trait associated with emotional instability and vulnerability to stress.

His current research focuses on personality development, happiness and well-being across the lifespan. He studies how people differ in what they feel, think, want and do, and how these patterns are shaped by daily-life circumstances such as work, social contact, stress, major life events and everyday activities.

Jeronimus received a Veni grant from the Dutch Research Council, NWO. He is also a member of the executive board of Stress in Action, a national Gravitation project running from 2023 to 2032. This project investigates stress processes in daily life, their effects on health, and opportunities for prevention and intervention.

Expertise for media

Journalists can contact Jeronimus for expert commentary on:

• happiness, subjective well-being and life satisfaction;
• personality development across the lifespan;
• emotions, stress, anxiety and depression;
• daily-life stress, recovery and stress accumulation;
• the psychological effects of major life events, disasters and childhood adversity;
• children, adolescents, education and technology use;
• the social and psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

Jeronimus regularly appears in the media to explain psychological and behavioural aspects of current events. During and after the pandemic, he was frequently asked to interpret the long-term consequences of reduced social contact, including possible effects on openness, tolerance, well-being and mental health.

His public lectures and media contributions often address happiness, personality, stress, emotional development, adolescence, anxiety, depression, self-harm and the psychological impact of social change.

Previously in the news

• “Hopelijk maakt de coronacrisis ons minder egocentrisch’ (article in Dutch)
• “Argwaan en angst voor corona zullen lang blijven.” (podcast, in Dutch)
• Wat maakt dat mensen tijdens deze crisis zelfs beter gedijen dan normaal? (article in Dutch)
• Bij de een werkt het, bij de ander niet: de loterij in de psychiatrie (article in Dutch)
• ‘The healthcare system should pay more attention to happiness’
• ‘Of je je karakter kunt veranderen? Nou, in elk geval een beetje’ (article in Dutch)

Contact and more information

• See profile page

Publications