معرفی
Toivo Aavik is Associate Professor of Personality and Social Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Estonia, a position he has held since 2023. He also served as Academic Director of the Doctoral School of Behavioural, Social and Health Sciences (2018–2022) and is a member of the Athens Institute for Education and Research Academic Council since 2020. His career spans multiple roles at the University of Tartu since 1998, including senior researcher, lecturer, and project leader.
Education
- 2006 – PhD in Psychology (University of Tartu)
- 1999 – MSc in Psychology (University of Tartu)
- 1997 – BSc in Psychology (University of Tartu)
- 1996–1998 – BSc studies in Marketing and Management, Faculty of Economics (University of Tartu)
Research Interests
Dr Aavik’s research lies at the intersection of personality, social, and health psychology. He investigates:
- The structure and measurement of personal values across cultures.
- Sexual behaviour, desire, and the influence of social norms.
- Health-related decision-making, especially prostate-cancer screening and chronic pelvic pain.
- Cross-cultural replication of psychological instruments (e.g., Triangular Love Scale, Body Appreciation Scale).
- Psychological predictors of creativity, attractiveness enhancement, and environmentally relevant attitudes.
Publication Trends
His publications (2021–2024) demonstrate a strong emphasis on large-scale, multi-country collaborative studies. Recent outputs validate psychological scales in dozens of languages, explore global patterns in love, mate preferences, and body image, and integrate evolutionary and cultural perspectives to understand human sexuality and values.
Scientific Awards & Recognition
- 2003 – Ministry of Education and Research Diploma for Research Work
- Standing representative for Estonia on the Nordic Association for Clinical Sexology (NACS) Science & Education Accreditation Committee
- Board member and Ethics Committee member, Academic Society of Sexology
- Member, Association for Psychological Science (since 2019)
- Expert panel member, Estonian Research Council (2015–2019)
Projects & Funding
Dr Aavik has secured over €2 million in competitive grants. Highlights include:
- Centre of Excellence in Well-Being Sciences (2024–2030, €717,899 as co-investigator) – coordinating studies on personality and well-being.
- Predicting, Understanding and Enhancing Well-Being (2024–2028, €540,000) – leveraging large-scale data for mental-health insights.
- PUT78 “Location of Health in a Refined Values Model” (2013–2015, €154,800, PI) – examining how health is situated within Schwartz’s value circumplex.
- IUT2-13 “Psychological Mechanisms of Cognition and Personality” (2013–2018, €1.8 million, senior member) – investigating personality processes across cultures.
Lab & Team
At the University of Tartu Institute of Psychology, Dr Aavik leads a research group that integrates quantitative cross-cultural methodology with health and social psychology. The team frequently collaborates with the Centre of Excellence in Well-Being Sciences and maintains active partnerships with scholars in more than 90 countries.