Research Summary

Broadly speaking, I am interested in human behaviour and social institutions focusing on social norms, cooperation, and cultural learning from a developmental and cross-cultural perspective. Increasingly, I apply these insights to broader societal questions such as sustainability, the climate emergency, and behaviour in complex, interdependent systems. In the past, I have also conducted behavioural (non-invasiv) research with non-human great apes and maintain an interest in comparative psychology. My work draws on insights from a range of disciplines including behavioural sciences, biology, anthropology, and philosophy and often takes place in multiple countries through a network of international research collaborations. Methodologically, I rely primarily on experimental measures inside and outside the lab, but also use observational and qualitative measures. 

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor in Psychology, University of Plymouth (UK) 2020-date
• Interim-Professor (W3), Early Child Development and Culture, Universität Leipzig (DE), 2019-2020
• Research Group Leader, Cross-Cultural Developmental Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin (DE), 2016-2020
• Research Scientist/Marie Curie Fellow/PostDoc, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig (DE), 2012-2015
• Visiting Researcher, Kyoto University (JP), 10/2011-12/2011 
• Research Fellow, Harvard University (US), 05/2011-09/2011
• Student Research Assistant, Wolfgang Köhler Primate Research Center, Leipzig (DE), 2007-2008 

Education

• PhD in Psychology, University of Bristol (UK)
• Diploma (Master) in Neuroscience, Universität Magdeburg (DE)
• Undergraduate Studies in Biochemistry, Life Sciences, and Philosophy; Goethe Universität Frankfurt (DE) and University of Toronto (CA) 

Field Research/International Research

I have conducted field work in Kenya, Namibia, Argentina, Bolivia and India and participated in large-scale cross-cultural projects that have involved populations from all continents apart from Antarctica.

PhD student supervision

• Sayyeda Rubab, University of Plymouth (UK)
• Süheyla Yilmaz, Leipzig University (DE)
• Spencer Talbot, second supervisor, University of Plymouth (UK)

PhD advisory committee

•  Noemi Thiede, Leipzig University
• Louisa Schmidt, Leipzig University

Completed PhD supervision

• Dr Lina Alhaddad, now a PostDoc at University Halle

Grants awarded

• Freigeist Fellowship for an independent research group, Navigating the social world—A cross-cultural and developmental perspective on social norms, PI, VolkswagenFoundation, 1,063,700€, 2016-2020
•  Marie Curie Intra-European Career Development Grant, The cross-cultural development of resource allocation behaviour (XCULTDEVRESALL), PI, European Commission 7th Framework Programme, 162,000€, 2013-2015 

Links
personal homepage: http://patriciakanngiesser.com/

google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EfOHbrkAAAAJ&hl=en

• Culture, development, and human behaviour
• Social cognition and behaviour
• Social norms
• Interdisciplinary approaches to human behaviour
• Research ethics

Currently teaching on the following modules: PSYC603: social norms; PSYC514: developmental psychology; PSYC760: Advanced Research Design and Data Fluency for Psychology