Social Psychology Network

Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

Bernhard Leidner

Bernhard Leidner

  • Media Contact
  • SPN Mentor

My research focuses on processes of social identification and intergroup relations, primarily in the context of large social categories such as nations and ethnic groups. Specifically, my research is at the crossroad of the social psychological areas of norms and morality (e.g., moral disengagement in response to ingroup wrongdoings), intergroup threat (e.g., threat-induced shifting of moral principles such as fairness or loyalty), and social justice (e.g., reparations after ingroup wrongdoings; conflict resolution). Some of the topics I have investigated include: reactions to ingroup-committed torture (supported by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation); American justice appraisals after atrocities committed in Iraq and Afghanistan; and reconciliation strategies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I am currently interested in the search and need for meaning as motives for human "warlikeness" and peacefulness.

Primary Interests:

  • Aggression, Conflict, Peace
  • Applied Social Psychology
  • Ethics and Morality
  • Group Processes
  • Helping, Prosocial Behavior
  • Intergroup Relations
  • Political Psychology
  • Self and Identity

Journal Articles:

  • Braun, E., Gusy, B., Leidner, B., & Hannover, B. (2008). Competence-oriented academic course evaluation. The Berlin Evaluation Instrument for Self-reported Student Competencies (BEvaKomp). Diagnostica, 54(1), 30-43.
  • Braun, E., & Leidner, B. (2009). Theoretical and empirical distinctions between self-rated competences and satisfaction with teaching behaviour within academic course evaluation. European Psychologist, 14(4), 297-306.
  • Castano, E., Leidner, B., Bonacossa, A., Nikkah, J., Perrulli, R., Spencer, B., & Humphrey, N. (2011). Ideology, fear of death and death anxiety. Political Psychology, 32(4), 601-621.
  • Castano, E., Leidner, B., & Slawuta, P. (2008). Social identification processes, group dynamics and the behaviour of combatants. International Red Cross Review, 90(2), 1-13.
  • Leidner, B., & Castano, E. (2012). Morality shifting in the context of intergroup violence. European Journal of Social Psychology, 42(1), 82-91.
  • Leidner, B., Castano, E., Zaiser, E., & Giner-Sorolla, R. (2010). Ingroup glorification, moral disengagement, and justice in the context of collective violence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36(8), 1115-1129.
  • Loughnan, S., Kuppens, P., Allik, J., Balasz, K., de Lemus, S., Dumont, K., Gargurevich, R., Hidegkuti, I., Leidner, B., Matos, L., Park, J., Realo, A., Shi, J., Sojo, V., Tong, Y.- Y., Vaes, J., Verduyn, P., Yeung, V., & Haslam, N. (in press). Social inequality is linked to biased self-perception. Psychological Science.
  • Loughnan, S., Leidner, B., Doron, G., Haslam, N., Kashima, Y., Tong, J., & Yeung, V. (2010). Universal biases in self-perception: Better and more human than average. British Journal of Social Psychology, 49(3), 627-636.

Other Publications:

  • Giner-Sorolla, R., Leidner, B., & Castano, E. (in press). Dehumanization, demonization, and morality shifting: Paths to moral certainty in extremist violence. In M. A. Hogg & D. L. Blaylock (Eds.), Extremism and the Psychology of Uncertainty. Boston, MA: Wiley- Blackwell.
  • Leidner, B., & Braun, E. (2007). Academic course evaluation: Competencies versus satisfaction. In S. Preiser, M. Kraemer, & K. Brusdeylins (Eds.), Psychology didactics and evaluation VI (pp. 309-316). Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.

Courses Taught:

Bernhard Leidner
Department of Psychology
University of Massachusetts Amherst
135 Hicks Way, Tobin Hall, Room 639
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
United States of America

  • Work: (413) 545-0887
  • Mobile: (646) 207-3513
  • Fax: (413) 545-0996
  • Skype Name: bernhard_leidner

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