Sonja Bieg

Sonja Bieg is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Augsburg. She also serves as Dean of Faculty I and holds visiting professorships at the University of Erfurt and Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt, Austria. Her research focuses on educational psychology, particularly teacher humor, student motivation, and emotional regulation in learning environments.

• Current roles: Senior Lecturer (University of Augsburg), Dean of Faculty I
• Visiting professorships: University of Erfurt, Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt
• Education: Diploma in educational science (Schwäbisch Gmünd University of Education), Doctorate in educational psychology, Habilitation at University of Augsburg

Bieg’s research explores how teacher humor impacts student emotions, motivation, and perceived instructional quality, often using longitudinal and experimental methodologies. She applies Self-Determination Theory to analyze motivation dynamics in educational settings, including during the pandemic-induced shift to distance learning.

Her scientific awards include the WERA Most Innovative Poster Award (2021). She has published extensively on topics such as motivational regulation, psychological needs satisfaction, and the interplay between teacher behavior and classroom environment.