Christian Unkelbach

Professor Christian Unkelbach serves as Chair of General Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Cologne, a position he has held since 2011. He additionally serves as spokesperson for the DFG Research Group 2150 'The Relativity of Social Cognition: Antecedents and Consequences of Comparative Thinking' at the University of Cologne since 2016. His significant contributions to social psychology were recognized with an ISCON Best Paper Award in 2020, and he is scheduled to receive an honorary doctorate from Université Catholique de Louvain in April 2025.

Professor Unkelbach's research primarily focuses on social cognition phenomena including the truth-by-repetition effect, evaluative conditioning, and halo effects. His cognitive-ecological approach examines how cognitive processes operate within real-world social contexts, investigating how people form attitudes, process information, and make judgments in social environments. His work has important implications for understanding belief formation, cognitive biases, and social judgment processes.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a consistent research trajectory examining how repetition influences truth judgments across various contexts, including cross-linguistic settings and factual information related to current events like the COVID-19 pandemic. His work also explores the cognitive mechanisms behind social phenomena such as the halo effect and evaluative conditioning, with applications to understanding social biases and decision-making processes.

• ISCON Best Paper Award 2020 for 'Negativity bias, positivity bias, and valence asymmetries'
• Honorary Doctorate from UCLouvain (scheduled for April 2025)
• Extensive publication record in top journals including Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Cognition, and Trends in Cognitive Sciences
• Leadership of DFG Research Group 2150 since 2016

Professor Unkelbach maintains an active research program with numerous ongoing collaborations, as evidenced by his continuous publication output through 2025. His work bridges theoretical social cognition with practical implications for understanding everyday social judgment and decision-making processes. His media appearances demonstrate his commitment to translating complex psychological phenomena for public understanding, particularly regarding cognitive biases that affect daily life.