The Global Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Patricia's work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
About Patricia
Research Summary
Broadly speaking, I am interested in human behaviour and social institutions focusing on social norms, cooperation, and cultural learning from a developmental and cross-cultural perspective. Increasingly, I apply these insights to broader societal questions such as sustainability, the climate emergency, and behaviour in complex, interdependent systems. In the past, I have also conducted behavioural (non-invasiv) research with non-human great apes and maintain an interest in comparative psychology. My work draws on insights from a range of disciplines including behavioural sciences, biology, anthropology, and philosophy and often takes place in multiple countries through a network of international research collaborations. Methodologically, I rely primarily on experimental measures inside and outside the lab, but also use observational and qualitative measures.
Professional Experience
- Associate Professor in Psychology, University of Plymouth (UK) 2020-date
- Interim-Professor (W3), Early Child Development and Culture, Universität Leipzig (DE), 2019-2020
- Research Group Leader, Cross-Cultural Developmental Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin (DE), 2016-2020
- Research Scientist/Marie Curie Fellow/PostDoc, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig (DE), 2012-2015
- Visiting Researcher, Kyoto University (JP), 10/2011-12/2011
- Research Fellow, Harvard University (US), 05/2011-09/2011
- Student Research Assistant, Wolfgang Köhler Primate Research Center, Leipzig (DE), 2007-2008
Education
- PhD in Psychology, University of Bristol (UK)
- Diploma (Master) in Neuroscience, Universität Magdeburg (DE)
- Undergraduate Studies in Biochemistry, Life Sciences, and Philosophy; Goethe Universität Frankfurt (DE) and University of Toronto (CA)
Field Research/International Research
I have conducted field work in Kenya, Namibia, Argentina, Bolivia and India and participated in large-scale cross-cultural projects that have involved populations from all continents apart from Antarctica.
PhD student supervision
- Sayyeda Rubab, University of Plymouth (UK)
- Süheyla Yilmaz, Leipzig University (DE)
- Spencer Talbot, second supervisor, University of Plymouth (UK)
PhD advisory committee
- Noemi Thiede, Leipzig University
- Louisa Schmidt, Leipzig University
Completed PhD supervision
- Dr Lina Alhaddad, now a PostDoc at University Halle
Grants awarded
- Freigeist Fellowship for an independent research group, Navigating the social world—A cross-cultural and developmental perspective on social norms, PI, VolkswagenFoundation, 1,063,700€, 2016-2020
- Marie Curie Intra-European Career Development Grant, The cross-cultural development of resource allocation behaviour (XCULTDEVRESALL), PI, European Commission 7th Framework Programme, 162,000€, 2013-2015
Links
personal homepage: http://patriciakanngiesser.com/
google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EfOHbrkAAAAJ&hl=en
Teaching
- Culture, development, and human behaviour
- Social cognition and behaviour
- Social norms
- Interdisciplinary approaches to human behaviour
- Research ethics
Currently teaching on the following modules: PSYC603: social norms; PSYC514: developmental psychology; PSYC760: Advanced Research Design and Data Fluency for Psychology
