Astrid Carolus

Astrid Carolus serves as Senior Academic Councillor and Privatdozentin at the Human-Computer-Media Institute within the Faculty of Human Sciences at Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg. She leads three major research initiatives: AI MINDSET (examining psychological facets of teachers' AI competencies), AIL AT WORK (focusing on AI skills in workplace contexts), and CHAT (Comprehending Human-AI Interaction). Her office is located in Hubland Nord, Building 82, Room 2.016.

Dr. Carolus completed her psychology studies at Saarland University with specializations in media and organizational psychology, psychological diagnostics, evaluation, clinical psychology, and social psychology (with business administration minor). She earned her doctorate with distinction in 2012 from Würzburg University, was appointed Academic Councillor in 2016, promoted to Senior Academic Councillor in 2022, and received her venia legendi (teaching authorization) in psychology in 2025. She maintains active consultancy work alongside her academic position and holds international certification in Facial Action Coding System (FACS) for facial expression analysis.

Her research examines human thought, emotion, and behavior in media interactions through the fundamental questions: 'What do people do with media and technologies?' and 'What do technologies do to people?' She conceptualizes human-AI interactions as social encounters, emphasizing both technical competencies and psychological dimensions. Her work develops frameworks for competent, self-determined, and reflective technology use, with current focus on measuring AI literacy, understanding voice assistant interactions, and developing training interventions for teachers and professionals.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications reveals three dominant research trajectories: (1) development and validation of measurement tools for AI literacy (including the MAILS scale), (2) psychological effects of smartphone separation and digital detox interventions, and (3) training methods to improve functional understanding of AI systems. Her work spans educational contexts (particularly teacher training), workplace applications, and consumer technology use, with increasing emphasis on practical interventions to enhance human-AI collaboration.

• Gleichstellungspreis der Julius-Maximilians-Universität (2023)
• Forschungsförderpreis der Vogel-Stiftung Dr. Eckernkamp (2018)

Dr. Carolus serves as External Student Advisor for MK Bachelor programs and has secured multiple research grants including projects funded by the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (projects MOTIV, DIGITALKOMPETENZ ALS MINDSET), Dr.-Herbert-Brause Foundation (projects on Mixed Reality Technologies, mobile/stationary Smart Hubs), and the Human Dynamics Centre. Her research often involves interdisciplinary collaborations across psychology, computer science, and education fields.

She works within the Media Psychology research group that maintains specialized laboratory facilities including mobile and stationary Smart Hubs for testing AI systems in simulated environments. Her team collaborates with educational institutions and workplace settings to translate research findings into practical applications, particularly through the development of modular teacher training programs that address both technical skills and psychological factors like technology acceptance, self-efficacy, and change readiness.