Staff profile

I am a social psychologist whose work focusses on topics related to intergroup relations. I am very interested in what factors and processes shape how we respond to people we feel do not belong to "us".

I joined Durham in October 2020. Before joining Durham, I studied Intercultural Relations and Behaviour at Jacobs University, Germany (BA, 2013), Applied Social Psychology at Sussex University (MSc, 2014), completed a PhD in Social Psychology at the University of Marburg, Germany (PhD, 2019), and worked as a postdoc at the University of Osnabrück.

My current work focusses on social perception (i.e., how we perceive others, why we perceive them as such, and what consequences these perceptions have). I also study how we can change these perceptions. One factor that I tend to focus on in this context is intergroup contact (i.e., contact between members of different social groups).

Connect with me via

• homepage
• researchgate
• GoogleScholar

• Discrimination
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Prejudice
• Stereotypes
• Intergroup Contact

Chapter in book

• Intergroup conflict escalation and resolution
  
  Wagner, U., Friehs, M., & Kotzur, P. (2026). Intergroup conflict escalation and resolution. In V. M. Esses, J. F. Dovidio, J. Jetten, D. Sekaquaptewa, & K. West (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Psychological Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Sage.
• Intergroup contact research at the intersection of individual experience and desired social realities
  
  Paolini, S., Graf, S., & Kotzur, P. (2025). Intergroup contact research at the intersection of individual experience and desired social realities. In S. M. Laham (Ed.), Handbook of Ethics and Social Psychology (pp. 324-334). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035311804.00033
• Anti-immigrant prejudice and discrimination in Europe
  
  Wagner, U., Kotzur, P., & Friehs, M. (2021). Anti-immigrant prejudice and discrimination in Europe. In C. Tileaga, M. Augoustinos, & K. Durrheim (Eds.), Routledge handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429274558

Journal Article

• Towards a habit-rupture model of intergroup contact in everyday settings
  
  Paolini, S., Dixon, J., Kotzur, P. F., Friehs, M., Bracegirdle, C., Lauterbach, A., Köbrich, J., Graf, S., Kauff, M., Stefaniak, A., Wright, S. C., Barlow, F. K., Luebbering, K., & Harwood, J. (2026). Towards a habit-rupture model of intergroup contact in everyday settings. Nature Reviews Psychology, 5, 136-151. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-025-00523-0
• Intergroup Contact With Refugees Shapes Levels of Social Fear of Crime
  
  Kotzur, P. F., Bruns, A., Wagner, U., & Van Zalk, M. H. W. (2025). Intergroup Contact With Refugees Shapes Levels of Social Fear of Crime. European Journal of Social Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.70036
• What shapes the social perception of immigrant groups in Kazakhstan? The role of ethnic-and language-based identities and underlying threat and benefit perceptions
  
  Samekin, A., Bolatov, A., & Kotzur, P. F. (2025). What shapes the social perception of immigrant groups in Kazakhstan? The role of ethnic-and language-based identities and underlying threat and benefit perceptions. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 109, Article 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2025.102274
• Contact ruptures: How ecological shifts reshape intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes.
  
  Meleady, R., Shulman, D., Kotzur, P. F., Hodson, G., & Crisp, R. J. (2025). Contact ruptures: How ecological shifts reshape intergroup contact and outgroup attitudes. American Psychologist. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001624
• Remorse for discrimination: The role of group dominance in judging hate crimes against subordinate group members
  
  Gvirtz, A., Kotzur, P. F., Stewart, A. L., & Pratto, F. (2025). Remorse for discrimination: The role of group dominance in judging hate crimes against subordinate group members. British Journal of Social Psychology, 64(4), Article e70008. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.70008
• Stable profiles of contact and prejudice: Few people report co-occurring increases in intergroup contact and decreases in prejudice over time.
  
  O’Donnell, A. W., Friehs, M., Kotzur, P. F., Nitschinsk, L., Lizzio-Wilson, M., Sibley, C. G., & Barlow, F. K. (2025). Stable profiles of contact and prejudice: Few people report co-occurring increases in intergroup contact and decreases in prejudice over time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000500
• Prejudice towards refugees predicts social fear of crime
  
  Kotzur, P. F., Eckerle, F., Khosrowtaj, Z., Rothers, A., Maaser, J., Wagner, U., & van Zalk, M. H. W. (2025). Prejudice towards refugees predicts social fear of crime. British Journal of Social Psychology, 64(2), Article e12875. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12875
• Honor Values as Identity Content: Evidence From a Three-Wave Longitudinal Study
  
  Travaglino, G. A., Friehs, M., Kotzur, P. F., & Abrams, D. (2024). Honor Values as Identity Content: Evidence From a Three-Wave Longitudinal Study. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 55(3), 278-291. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221241230959
• Psychological well-being in Europe after the outbreak of war in Ukraine
  
  Scharbert, J., Humberg, S., Kroencke, L., Reiter, T., Sakel, S., ter Horst, J., Utesch, K., Gosling, S. D., Harari, G., Matz, S. C., Schoedel, R., Stachl, C., Aguilar, N. M. A., Amante, D., Aquino, S. D., Bastias, F., Bornamanesh, A., Bracegirdle, C., Campos, L. A. M., … Back, M. D. (2024). Psychological well-being in Europe after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Nature Communications, 15(1), Article 1202. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-44693-6
• Comparing social perceptions of culturally emic protagonists using the Stereotype Content Model: A scale development and adaption process across four languages and eight countries
  
  Schemmerling, M., Friehs, M., Kotzur, P. F., Bastias, F., De Keersmaecker, J., Macedo, F. G., Neto, F., Neto, J., Pietraszkiewicz, A., Schmid, K., Sczesny, S., Torres, C., & Boehnke, K. (2023). Comparing social perceptions of culturally emic protagonists using the Stereotype Content Model: A scale development and adaption process across four languages and eight countries. Psychological Test Adaptation and Development, 4(1), 350-362. https://doi.org/10.1027/2698-1866/a000067
• A longitudinal test of secondary transfer effects of negative intergroup contact and mediating processes
  
  Kauff, M., Kotzur, P., Van Assche, J., Schäfer, S., van Zalk, M., & Wagner, U. (2023). A longitudinal test of secondary transfer effects of negative intergroup contact and mediating processes. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53(6), 1172-1190. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2966
• Investigating the social embeddedness of criminal groups: Longitudinal associations between masculine honour and legitimizing attitudes towards the Camorra
  
  Travaglino, G., Friehs, M., Kotzur, P., & Abrams, D. (2023). Investigating the social embeddedness of criminal groups: Longitudinal associations between masculine honour and legitimizing attitudes towards the Camorra. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53(4), 612-622. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2926
• Attitudes towards refugees: Introducing a short three‐dimensional scale
  
  Kotzur, P., Friehs, M., Schmidt, P., Wagner, U., Pötzschke, S., & Weiß, B. (2022). Attitudes towards refugees: Introducing a short three‐dimensional scale. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(4), 1305-1331. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12538
• Unobserved heterogeneity between individuals in Group-Focused Enmity
  
  Friehs, M., Masselmann, J., Trautner, M., Kotzur, P., & Schmidt, P. (2022). Unobserved heterogeneity between individuals in Group-Focused Enmity. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 16, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.11576/ijcv-5266
• How does team diversity relate to the willingness to collaborate with asylum seekers? It depends on the diversity dimensions investigated and boundary conditions
  
  Kotzur, P., Stricker, J., Fricke, R., McPhetres, J., & Meyer, B. (2022). How does team diversity relate to the willingness to collaborate with asylum seekers? It depends on the diversity dimensions investigated and boundary conditions. PLoS ONE, 17(3), Article e0266166. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266166
• Editorial: Group-Focused Enmity – conceptual, longitudinal, and cross-national perspectives based on pre-registered studies
  
  Friehs, M., Kotzur, P., Ramos, A., & Wagner, U. (2022). Editorial: Group-Focused Enmity – conceptual, longitudinal, and cross-national perspectives based on pre-registered studies. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 16, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.11576/ijcv-5361
• Social evaluation at a distance – facets of stereotype content about student groups in higher distance education
  
  Bick, N., Froehlich, L., Friehs, M., Kotzur, P., & Landmann, H. (2022). Social evaluation at a distance – facets of stereotype content about student groups in higher distance education. International Review of Social Psychology, 35(1), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.686
• Examining the structural validity of stereotype content scales – a preregistered re-analysis of published data and discussion of possible future directions
  
  Friehs, M., Kotzur, P., Böttcher, J., Zöller, A., Lüttmer, T., Wagner, U., Asbrock, F., & van Zalk, M. (2022). Examining the structural validity of stereotype content scales – a preregistered re-analysis of published data and discussion of possible future directions. International Review of Social Psychology, 35(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.613
• Warmth and competence perceptions of key protagonists are associated with containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from 35 countries
  
  Friehs, M., Kotzur, P., Kraus, C., Schemmerling, M., Herzig, J., Stanciu, A., Dilly, S., Hellert, L., Hübner, D., Rückwardt, A., Ulizcay, V., Christ, O., Brambilla, M., De keersmaecker, J., Durante, F., Gale, J., Grigoryev, D., Igou, E., Javakhishvili, N., … Yzerbyt, V. (2022). Warmth and competence perceptions of key protagonists are associated with containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from 35 countries. Scientific Reports, 12(1), Article 21277. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25228-9
• Adolescent development of interethnic attitudes following a social intervention to increase intergroup contact: The moderating role of affective forecasting
  
  van Zalk, M., Kotzur, P., Schmid, K., Al Ramiah, A., & Hewstone, M. (2021). Adolescent development of interethnic attitudes following a social intervention to increase intergroup contact: The moderating role of affective forecasting. Developmental Psychology, 57(6), 1000-1017. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001194
• How do we get people into contact? Predictors of intergroup contact and drivers of contact seeking
  
  Kauff, M., Beneda, M., Paolini, S., Bilewicz, M., Kotzur, P., O’Donnell, A., Stevenson, C., Wagner, U., & Christ, O. (2021). How do we get people into contact? Predictors of intergroup contact and drivers of contact seeking. Journal of Social Issues, 77(1), 38-63. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12398
• The dynamic relationship between contact opportunities, positive and negative intergroup contact, and prejudice: A longitudinal investigation.
  
  Kotzur, P., & Wagner, U. (2021). The dynamic relationship between contact opportunities, positive and negative intergroup contact, and prejudice: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 120(2), 418-442. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000258
• ‘Society thinks they are cold and/or incompetent, but I do not’: Stereotype content ratings depend on instructions and the social group's location in the stereotype content space
  
  Kotzur, P., Veit, S., Namyslo, A., Holthausen, M., Wagner, U., & Yemane, R. (2020). ‘Society thinks they are cold and/or incompetent, but I do not’: Stereotype content ratings depend on instructions and the social group’s location in the stereotype content space. British Journal of Social Psychology, 59(4), 1018-1042. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12375
• Proportion of foreigners negatively predicts the prevalence of xenophobic hate crimes within German districts
  
  Wagner, U., Tachtsoglou, S., Kotzur, P., Friehs, M., & Kemmesies, U. (2020). Proportion of foreigners negatively predicts the prevalence of xenophobic hate crimes within German districts. Social Psychology Quarterly, 83(2), 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1177/0190272519887719
• Stereotype content of refugee subgroups in Germany
  
  Kotzur, P., Friehs, M., Asbrock, F., & Zalk, M. (2019). Stereotype content of refugee subgroups in Germany. European Journal of Social Psychology, 49(7), 1344-1358. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2585
• Meeting a nice asylum seeker: Intergroup contact changes stereotype content perceptions and associated emotional prejudices, and encourages solidarity‐based collective action intentions
  
  Kotzur, P., Schäfer, S., & Wagner, U. (2019). Meeting a nice asylum seeker: Intergroup contact changes stereotype content perceptions and associated emotional prejudices, and encourages solidarity‐based collective action intentions. British Journal of Social Psychology, 58(3), 668-690. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12304
• Welcoming the unwelcome: How contact shapes contexts of reception for new immigrants in Germany and the United States
  
  Kotzur, P., Tropp, L., & Wagner, U. (2018). Welcoming the unwelcome: How contact shapes contexts of reception for new immigrants in Germany and the United States. Journal of Social Issues, 74(4), 812-832. https://doi.org/10.1111/josi.12300
• Choose your words wisely: Stereotypes, emotions, and action tendencies toward fled people as a function of the group label
  
  Kotzur, P., Forsbach, N., & Wagner, U. (2017). Choose your words wisely: Stereotypes, emotions, and action tendencies toward fled people as a function of the group label. Zeitschrift Für Sozialpsychologie, 48(4), 226-241. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000312
• Political consumer behaviour among university students in Brazil and Germany: The role of contextual features and core political values
  
  Kotzur, P., Torres, C., Kedzior, K., & Boehnke, K. (2017). Political consumer behaviour among university students in Brazil and Germany: The role of contextual features and core political values. International Journal of Psychology, 52(2), 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12204