Lars-Eric Petersen

Prof. Dr. Lars-Eric Petersen is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany, affiliated with the Faculty of Philosophy and working within the Department of Work, Organizational and Social Psychology. He maintains office hours on Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. in Room 2.22 at the Institute of Psychology located at Emil-Abderhaldenstr. 26a in Halle (Saale).

His academic journey began with psychology studies at Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel (1985-1992), followed by doctoral research on "Self-concept and information processing" which he completed in 1994. After postdoctoral work, he earned his habilitation in 2000 with the thesis "Social Discrimination" at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. He served as a Visiting Professor at Technical University Dresden (2000-2002) and as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Western Ontario (2003-2004) before being appointed as an außerplanmäßiger Professor (non-tenured professor) in 2009.

Dr. Petersen's research primarily focuses on social psychology, organizational psychology, and work psychology, with particular emphasis on self-compassion, stereotypes, prejudice, social discrimination, self-concept, and ethical/unethical behavior in organizations. His work bridges theoretical social psychology with practical applications in educational and organizational settings. Over his career, he has developed expertise in both experimental methodologies and applied interventions, particularly in understanding how self-compassion influences relationship dynamics, workplace behavior, and educational contexts.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trajectory toward understanding the role of self-compassion in various psychological domains. His research has evolved from foundational work on social discrimination and self-concept to more nuanced investigations of how self-compassion affects romantic relationships, teacher burnout, and conflict resolution. He frequently collaborates with researchers like Nina Tandler and Roland Körner, suggesting established research teams focused on interpersonal dynamics and organizational behavior.

Dr. Petersen has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• "Saroj Parasuraman Best Paper Award" from the Academy of Management (2008) for his work on employment discrimination
• "Best Paper Award" from the Center of Creative Leadership and European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology (2007)
• "Best Paper Award" from the Institute of Work Psychology Conference in Sheffield (2014)

As an educator, Dr. Petersen has taught extensively across multiple domains of psychology. His teaching portfolio includes foundational courses in social psychology for bachelor's students, specialized seminars on group processes and social cognition, and applied courses focusing on health psychology, forensic psychology, and business psychology. He has developed particular expertise in teaching social psychology within educational contexts for teacher training programs, addressing topics like aggression in schools, self-concept development, and social perception in classrooms. His methodological teaching includes experimental psychology fundamentals and empirical research methods.

Dr. Petersen's research activities appear to be centered around collaborative teams investigating self-compassion and its applications. His recent work with Tandler and Körner suggests an active research group focused on interpersonal dynamics, while his earlier collaborations with Dietz indicate longstanding partnerships in organizational psychology. His editorial work for numerous prestigious journals demonstrates his standing in the field and his commitment to advancing psychological science.