Oliver Genschow

Oliver Genschow is Professor of Cognitive, Social and Economic Psychology at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, where he holds the Chair of Psychology. He leads the research on human interaction patterns, with a strong focus on perception-action coupling, belief systems, and science communication. Previously, he served as Junior Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Cologne from 2017-2022.

Dr. Genschow's research centers on automatic imitation, mimicry, anticipated action, belief in free will, social norms, and implicit attitude measurements. His work explores the cognitive and social mechanisms underlying imitation behavior, with significant contributions to online measurement tools. He maintains the research website automatic-imitation.com and has edited a book on automatic imitation that synthesizes current knowledge in this field.

Genschow serves as one of four editors-in-chief of In-Mind Magazine, advancing science communication among academic psychologists. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trend toward large-scale, cross-national research, particularly through the Trust in Science Project (TISP) examining trust in scientists across 68 countries, and the International Climate Psychology Collaboration spanning 63 countries. These projects reveal his commitment to understanding how cultural contexts shape psychological phenomena.

His laboratory work includes developing and validating the online imitation-inhibition task, which has made imitation research more accessible globally. Genschow's research on conspiracy beliefs, victimhood, and cultural tightness has generated significant scholarly interest, reflecting his ability to connect fundamental social processes with contemporary societal concerns.