In her doctoral thesis, Nadine Knab focused primarily on the topic of asylum. "The topic of asylum divides society and confronts politics, civil society and science with the question of how willingness to compromise, cooperation and targeted support can be achieved in this context. The success of this challenge is a task for society as a whole, so I asked myself how psychological research can contribute to this on very different interpersonal levels," says Knab, explaining the approach of her research. She has adapted interventions such as the "paradoxical intervention" in eight different study designs. The results of the paradoxical intervention research line show that people who tend to have entrenched opinions in particular are more open and willing to compromise after the intervention. What is special about the intervention is that people's fears are not denied, but presented in an extreme form so that they themselves start a process of reflecting on their own opinions. "For example, I asked why the interviewees believe that we will soon no longer be celebrating Christmas because of the large number of refugees," explains Knab.

In addition to the paradoxical intervention, the social psychologist has tested other interventions and integrated a variety of perspectives that enable her to make recommendations for the implementation of social psychological interventions for different target groups. "For example, I also conducted training with prospective diplomatic staff to promote their willingness to cooperate on human rights-related issues, including support for refugees." Knab has thus developed and applied theory-based interventions for a real-world context. However, the underlying methods can also be applied to other social contexts in which entrenched opinions, offers of help or cooperation are relevant. Knab is currently a scholarship holder of the Minerva Foundation of the Max Planck Society and is conducting research at the Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges at Tel Aviv University, Israel, on related questions and other peace psychology topics.

Every year, the German Academic Award honors outstanding young academics from all areas of study. The Körber Foundation awards prizes with a total value of over 100,000 euros for excellent dissertations of particular social significance. "The German Academic Award is one of the most highly endowed prizes for young academics in Germany," explains Professor Dr. Melanie Steffens, Vice Dean for Research at the Landau Department of Psychology. "Such a prestigious doctoral prize is of course a great reward for Nadine Knab's tireless efforts. It also gives Landau's research in the field of peace psychology high visibility: Nadine Knab was supported during her doctorate by the Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate and by my social psychology working group," continued Steffens. In addition to three first prizes of 25,000 euros each in the social sciences, natural and technical sciences and humanities and cultural studies sections, the Körber Foundation also awards six second prizes of 5,000 euros each.

Photo of the prizewinner: www.koerber-stiftung.de/deutscher-studienpreis/preistraeger/2021

In her doctoral thesis, Nadine Knab focused primarily on the topic of asylum. "The topic of asylum divides society and confronts politics, civil society and science with the question of how willingness to compromise, cooperation and targeted support can be achieved in this context. The success of this challenge is a task for society as a whole, so I asked myself how psychological research can contribute to this on very different interpersonal levels," says Knab, explaining the approach of her research. She has adapted interventions such as the "paradoxical intervention" in eight different study designs. The results of the paradoxical intervention research line show that people who tend to have entrenched opinions in particular are more open and willing to compromise after the intervention. What is special about the intervention is that people's fears are not denied, but presented in an extreme form so that they themselves start a process of reflecting on their own opinions. "For example, I asked why the interviewees believe that we will soon no longer be celebrating Christmas because of the large number of refugees," explains Knab.

In addition to the paradoxical intervention, the social psychologist has tested other interventions and integrated a variety of perspectives that enable her to make recommendations for the implementation of social psychological interventions for different target groups. "For example, I also conducted training with prospective diplomatic staff to promote their willingness to cooperate on human rights-related issues, including support for refugees." Knab has thus developed and applied theory-based interventions for a real-world context. However, the underlying methods can also be applied to other social contexts in which entrenched opinions, offers of help or cooperation are relevant. Knab is currently a scholarship holder of the Minerva Foundation of the Max Planck Society and is conducting research at the Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges at Tel Aviv University, Israel, on related questions and other peace psychology topics.

Every year, the German Academic Award honors outstanding young academics from all areas of study. The Körber Foundation awards prizes with a total value of over 100,000 euros for excellent dissertations of particular social significance. "The German Academic Award is one of the most highly endowed prizes for young academics in Germany," explains Professor Dr. Melanie Steffens, Vice Dean for Research at the Landau Department of Psychology. "Such a prestigious doctoral prize is of course a great reward for Nadine Knab's tireless efforts. It also gives Landau's research in the field of peace psychology high visibility: Nadine Knab was supported during her doctorate by the Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate and by my social psychology working group," continued Steffens. In addition to three first prizes of 25,000 euros each in the social sciences, natural and technical sciences and humanities and cultural studies sections, the Körber Foundation also awards six second prizes of 5,000 euros each.

Photo of the prizewinner: www.koerber-stiftung.de/deutscher-studienpreis/preistraeger/2021