René Proyer

René Proyer is a Professor of Psychological Diagnostics and Differential Psychology at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, affiliated with the Faculty of Philosophy I. His research spans positive psychology, playfulness across the lifespan, dispositions toward ridicule and laughter, and vocational interests in youth.

• Education: Diploma in Psychology (University of Vienna, 2002); Dr. phil. (University of Zurich, 2006); Habilitation (University of Zurich, 2014).
• Academic Roles: Acting Professor (2015), Professor (2018–present), Vice Dean of the Faculty of Humanities I (2020–present).

Proyer's work focuses on playfulness in adults, its measurement invariance, and implications for well-being, romantic relationships, and workplace dynamics. He explores humor's role in mental health, stress coping, and cultural differences in responses to ridicule.

His recent publications analyze playfulness in romantic and professional contexts, humor's impact on relationship satisfaction, and tools like the PhoPhiKat-45 for assessing dispositions toward laughter. He has contributed to encyclopedias on sexual psychology and animal cognition.

Proyer serves on editorial boards of journals including European Journal of Psychological Assessment and Scientific Reports. He led special issues on playfulness and well-being, and held leadership roles in the European Association of Psychological Assessment (EAPA).