Niels van Doesum

Dr. Niels van Doesum is an Assistant Professor at the Social and Organizational Psychology unit of Leiden University's Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. His research focuses on human cooperation, prosociality, and social decision-making, particularly exploring the construct of social mindfulness in contexts like social class, intergroup relations, and cross-cultural comparisons. He also investigates obedience to authority and broader social influence mechanisms.

• Degree in Arts and Sciences (Maastricht University)
• Research Master in Social Psychology cum laude (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
• PhD (VU Amsterdam, 2016)
• Performing arts background (opera singer at Maastricht Conservatory, Temple University)

His work spans interdisciplinary areas including:

• Social psychology
• Organizational psychology
• Decision theory
• Intergroup dynamics
• Cultural variation in prosocial behavior
• Individual differences in social mindfulness

He received two notable awards: the APS Rising Star distinction (2017) and the Gratama/LUF grant (2018) for his collaborative project on musical performance as peace-building. He teaches courses on intergroup relations, media psychology, and cultural diversity in workplace contexts.