Barbara Mackinger

Barbara Mackinger is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, within the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences. Her roles include leading the 'Mentoring as a Springboard' initiative, focusing on educational psychology and social interactions. She holds a diploma in psychology from the University of Salzburg and the University of Maine (2007), completed clinical and health psychology training (2008), and earned her doctorate in psychology at the University of Salzburg (2012). Her research emphasizes practical applications of social interaction theories, particularly mentoring programs for structurally disadvantaged children and teacher trainees.

Key research areas include identity development, advisory dynamics in financial contexts, and the role of mentoring in fostering educational equity. She contributes to the PLUSTRACK project and collaborates with the Department of Social Psychology. Her work bridges theory and practice, aiming to enhance educational outcomes through tailored support systems.

Publications highlight her work on mentoring strategies, client-advisor interactions under uncertainty, and innovative teacher training methods. She actively participates in academic conferences and serves on journal review boards, contributing to the advancement of social and educational psychology.