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About us Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences

Short Reads on Social Science

The Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at the University of Groningen conducts sound research in the area of behaviour, thinking, learning and coexistence. In honour of the 55th anniversaty of the faculty we published 'Bie Mekoar". In this publication, we have collected 55 examples of that research. Together, these stories paint a multifaceted picture of what our Faculty has to offer. They demonstrate how we have been working on solutions to societal challenges and problems that people experience in their daily lives – for 55 years. Didn't receive the book? You can read the contributions on this page or read the PDF edition.

Andreas Flache: can polarization happen even if nobody actually wants it to?

Andreas Flache: can polarization happen even if nobody actually wants it to?

Anneke Timmermans: what influence does an individual teacher have on a pupil’s chances?

Anneke Timmermans: what influence does an individual teacher have on a pupil’s chances?

Annita Kobes: What is the best way to prevent childhood obesity?

Annita Kobes: What is the best way to prevent childhood obesity?

Arie Dijkstra: why is it that so many people engage in unhealthy behaviour when they could know better?

Arie Dijkstra: why is it that so many people engage in unhealthy behaviour when they could know better?

Bertus Jeronimus: are chronically ill people more likely to be unhappy?

Bertus Jeronimus: are chronically ill people more likely to be unhappy?

Brian Ostafin: can life meaning help to manage unhealthy thoughts and emotions?

Brian Ostafin: can life meaning help to manage unhealthy thoughts and emotions?

Casper Albers: what is the replication crisis and how can it be solved?

Casper Albers: what is the replication crisis and how can it be solved?

Dick de Waard: how do people with visual impairment cycle?

Dick de Waard: how do people with visual impairment cycle?

Don van Ravenzwaaij: why is it that some non-working drugs are introduced to the market?

Don van Ravenzwaaij: why is it that some non-working drugs are introduced to the market?

Douwe Draaisma: how skilled are people at estimating time?

Douwe Draaisma: how skilled are people at estimating time?

Elianne Zijlstra: do refugee children in the Netherlands have the same rights as other children?

Elianne Zijlstra: do refugee children in the Netherlands have the same rights as other children?

Elisa Kupers: how can teachers stimulate children’s creativity?

Elisa Kupers: how can teachers stimulate children’s creativity?

Elkan Akyürek: do not forget! But how?

Elkan Akyürek: do not forget! But how?

Ellen Jansen: which educational factors play a role in the success of students in higher education?

Ellen Jansen: which educational factors play a role in the success of students in higher education?

Environmental Psychology Expertise group: what motivates people to display sustainable behaviour?

Environmental Psychology Expertise group: what motivates people to display sustainable behaviour?

Eric Rietzschel: what is the future of creativity research?

Eric Rietzschel: what is the future of creativity research?

Francesca Giardini: how do reputation and gossip bring about and sustain cooperative relationships?

Francesca Giardini: how do reputation and gossip bring about and sustain cooperative relationships?

Gert Stulp: is the desire for children influenced by the personal network?

Gert Stulp: is the desire for children influenced by the personal network?

Hans Grietens: how can we help foster families take care of foster children with a history of sexual abuse?

Hans Grietens: how can we help foster families take care of foster children with a history of sexual abuse?

Hedderik van Rijn: how can we learn faster, better, and with more fun?

Hedderik van Rijn: how can we learn faster, better, and with more fun?

Hilda T. A. Amsing: what can educational history teach us about educational reform?

Hilda T. A. Amsing: what can educational history teach us about educational reform?

Ineke Wessel: how well do you remember the first years of your life?

Ineke Wessel: how well do you remember the first years of your life?

Kees Aarts: does anyone still have confidence in politics?

Kees Aarts: does anyone still have confidence in politics?

Klaas van Veen: what can you do as a lecturer to improve your own lectures?

Klaas van Veen: what can you do as a lecturer to improve your own lectures?

Klaske Glashouwer: how can you become more satisfied with your own body by looking at yourself in the mirror?

Klaske Glashouwer: how can you become more satisfied with your own body by looking at yourself in the mirror?

Laura Baams: LGBTQIA+ Are all those letters really necessary?

Laura Baams: LGBTQIA+ Are all those letters really necessary?

Laura Batstra: is a psychiatric approach the best way to help overactive children?

Laura Batstra: is a psychiatric approach the best way to help overactive children?

Liesbet Heyse: what can be done to help integrate newcomers on the Dutch labour market?

Liesbet Heyse: what can be done to help integrate newcomers on the Dutch labour market?

Maarten Eisma: what happens when people “get stuck” in grief?

Maarten Eisma: what happens when people “get stuck” in grief?

Marieke Pijnenborg: are people with psychosis more likely to be perpetrators or victims of violence?

Marieke Pijnenborg: are people with psychosis more likely to be perpetrators or victims of violence?

Mariëlle Osinga: is father absence a problem for every child?

Mariëlle Osinga: is father absence a problem for every child?

Marijke Mullender - Wijnsma: why should children move more during class?

Marijke Mullender - Wijnsma: why should children move more during class?

Marleen Janssen: how does communication develop in children who cannot hear and see (properly)?

Marleen Janssen: how does communication develop in children who cannot hear and see (properly)?

Martijn van Zomeren: does it help to hope for a better world?

Martijn van Zomeren: does it help to hope for a better world?

Mayra Mascareño Lara: why do conversations with children matter for their learning?

Mayra Mascareño Lara: why do conversations with children matter for their learning?

Michelle Helms-Lorenz: what kind of support do beginning teachers need to thrive in the teaching profession?

Michelle Helms-Lorenz: what kind of support do beginning teachers need to thrive in the teaching profession?

Monicque Lorist: what does it mean if someone cannot concentrate?

Monicque Lorist: what does it mean if someone cannot concentrate?

Muirne Paap: how does clinical psychology benefit from developments in information technology?

Muirne Paap: how does clinical psychology benefit from developments in information technology?

Namkje Koudenburg: how do you express your disapproval without using words?

Namkje Koudenburg: how do you express your disapproval without using words?

Nardi Steverink: Are good genes and a healthy lifestyle sufficient for healthy ageing?

Nardi Steverink: Are good genes and a healthy lifestyle sufficient for healthy ageing?

Nico W. van Yperen: what can you do as an athlete to win more often?

Nico W. van Yperen: what can you do as an athlete to win more often?

Nina Hansen: can development collaboration projects also trigger unintended consequences?

Nina Hansen: can development collaboration projects also trigger unintended consequences?

Peter de Jong: how can we prevent the recurrence of anxiety disorders and depression?

Peter de Jong: how can we prevent the recurrence of anxiety disorders and depression?

Peter de Jonge: what is ‘nuts’?

Peter de Jonge: what is ‘nuts’?

Rafael Wittek: what is the key to successful, sustainable cooperation?

Rafael Wittek: what is the key to successful, sustainable cooperation?

René Veenstra: why is an effective anti-bullying programme not good news for all pupils?

René Veenstra: why is an effective anti-bullying programme not good news for all pupils?

Ridwan Maulana: why is it a bad idea to blame teachers for underperforming students?

Ridwan Maulana: why is it a bad idea to blame teachers for underperforming students?

Roel Bosker: is there anything we can do about the persistent problem of educational disadvantage?

Roel Bosker: is there anything we can do about the persistent problem of educational disadvantage?

Ruud den Hartigh: will you run faster when someone passes you?

Ruud den Hartigh: will you run faster when someone passes you?

Sebastiaan Mathot: do you see better with large pupils?

Sebastiaan Mathot: do you see better with large pupils?

Steffie van der Steen: how useful is animal therapy?

Steffie van der Steen: how useful is animal therapy?

Susanne Scheibe: what are the advantages of employing ageing workers?

Susanne Scheibe: what are the advantages of employing ageing workers?

Tim Huijgen: how do you teach 21st-century students to look at the past with understanding?

Tim Huijgen: how do you teach 21st-century students to look at the past with understanding?

Tina Kretschmer: do your genes influence your parenting style?

Tina Kretschmer: do your genes influence your parenting style?

Tom Postmes: can living in an earthquake zone make you sick?

Tom Postmes: can living in an earthquake zone make you sick?

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