Johannes Zimmermann is Professor of Differential and Personality Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Germany. His work integrates personality science, psychopathology research, and advanced assessment methods, with particular expertise in dimensional models of personality disorders and the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP). Education and Career Diploma in Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau (2007) Doctorate, University of Heidelberg (2011) Post-doctoral fellow, German-Chilean Graduate School, Heidelberg University (2007–2010) Research Associate, University of Kassel (2010–2015) Professor for Methodology and Psychological Diagnostics, Berlin School of Psychology (2015–2018) Professor of Differential and Personality Psychology, University of Kassel (since 2018) Research Interests Prof. Zimmermann's research centers on personality assessment , psychopathology , and psychotherapy outcomes . He develops and validates instruments for measuring personality functioning and maladaptive traits, advances the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) framework, and employs ambulatory assessment to capture dynamic processes in daily life. Key themes include: Dimensional classification of personality disorders and psychopathology Ecological momentary assessment of affect and behavior Validation of German-language assessment tools (e.g., LPFS-BF, PID-5, HiTOP-SR) Long-term effectiveness of psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapies Digital mental health and smartphone-based data collection Scientific Awards ISSPD Young Investigator Award (2019) – International Society for the Study of Personality Disorders SITAR Jerry Wiggins Student Award (2010) – Society for Interpersonal Theory and Research Advising & Collaborative Networks Prof. Zimmermann mentors doctoral and post-doctoral researchers through his roles in the German-speaking psychological community. He collaborates with international consortia including the HiTOP consortium, the PsyChange Network, and the London Personality and Mood Disorder Research Consortium, serving as principal investigator or co-investigator on projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and other bodies. Labs & Teams He leads the Differential Psychology Research Group at the University of Kassel, which focuses on measurement development, ambulatory assessment, and applied psychopathology research. The group maintains active collaborations with clinical centers across Germany and Europe for data collection and intervention studies.







