Welmer E. Molenmaker

Welmer E. Molenmaker is an Assistant Professor at the Social, Economic and Organisational Psychology unit within Leiden University's Social and Behavioural Sciences school. Bridging social psychology and behavioral economics, his research investigates mechanisms of cooperation, trust, and sanctioning behaviors in social dilemmas.

• University of Amsterdam - Research MSc in Psychology (2011)
• Leiden University - PhD in Psychology (2015)

Key research foci include:

• Psychological drivers of cooperation vs. free-riding in collective action problems
• Conditions affecting willingness to reward cooperation/punish non-cooperation
• Impact of group diversity on sanction effectiveness

His experimental work reveals critical limitations in peer punishment mechanisms within diverse groups, showing how socio-demographic differences reduce punishment's cooperative efficacy. Publications span top journals like Science Advances and Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.