• Since 2021 Member of the doctoral committee (department of psychology), RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
• Since 2021 Research assistant at the IKM (post-Doc), RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
• 2019 - 2021 Doctoral scholarship of the „Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes“
• 2018 - 2019 Speaker of the young researchers of the research cluster "Communication, Media, and Politics" (KoMePol) at the University of Koblenz-Landau
• 2016 - 2021 Research assistant at the IKM (pre-doc), University of Koblenz-Landau
• 2014 - 2016 Student research assistant at the University of Koblenz-Landau
• 2014 - 2016 Master of arts social and communication sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau
• 2011 - 2014 Bachelor of arts social sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau

Research stays

• 2022 [~4 w] Research stay at the University of Gothenburg, Department of Journalism, Media and Communication
• 2019 [~2 w] Research stay at the University of Gothenburg, Department of Journalism, Media and Communication
• 2019 [~5 w] Research stay at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam School of Communication Research
• 2018 [~5 m] Research stay at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Awards

• 2019 Top-paper award of the International Communication Association (ICA), political communication division (“Measuring Reciprocal Relationships Between Media Exposure and Media Selection In Distinct Growth Sequences”, Thomas, Otto, Ottenstein, & Maier)
• 2018 Award for best master thesis 2017 by the “Freundeskreis” of the University of Landau („Reinforcing Spirals: Political cynicism and media use – analyzing everyday dynamics in political cynicism“)

Journal articles (peer-review)

• Shehata, A., Thomas, F., Glogger, I., & Andersen, K. (2024). Belief maintenance as a media effect: A conceptualization and empirical approach. Human Communication Research, 50(1), 1-13.
• Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., Bertlich, T., & Dupont, J. C. (2022). Maintenance or change? Examining the reinforcing spiral between social media news use and populist attitudes. Information, Communication & Society, 25(13), 1934-1951.
• Thomas, F. (2022). A methodological framework for analyzing the appearance and duration of media effects. Journal of Communication, 72(3), 401-428.
• Otto, L. P., Thomas, F., Glogger, I., & De Vreese, C. H. (2022). Linking Media Content and Survey Data in a Dynamic and Digital Media Environment – Mobile Longitudinal Linkage Analysis. Digital Journalism, 10(1), 200-215.
• Gorski, L. C., & Thomas, F. (2021). Staying Tuned or Tuning Out? A Longitudinal Analysis of News-Avoiders on the Micro and Macro-Level. Communication Research, 00(00), 1-24.
• Thomas, F., Shehata, A., Otto, L. P., Möller, J., & Prestele, E. (2021). How to Capture Reciprocal Communication Dynamics: Comparing Longitudinal Statistical Approaches in Order to Analyze Within- and Between-Person Effects. Journal of Communication, 71(2), 187-219.
• Thomas, F., Otto, L. P., Ottenstein, C., & Maier, M. (2021). Measuring Reciprocal Dynamics between Communication Processes and Effects in Distinct Growth Sequences. Communication Methods and Measures, 15(1), 17-42.
• Otto, L. P., Thomas, F., Maier, M., & Ottenstein, C. (2020). Only one moment in time? Investigating the dynamic relationship of emotions and attention towards political information with mobile experience sampling. Communication Research, 47(8), 1131-1154.

Book chapters

• Thomas, F., Maier, M., Otto, L. P., Schmidt, F., Stier, S., & Gorski, L. C. (2024). Die Rezeption politischer Informationen während des Bundestagswahlkampfes 2021. In H. Schoen & B. Weßels (Eds.), Wahlen und Wähler. Analysen zur Bundestagswahl 2021. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
• Leidecker-Sandmann, M. & Thomas, F. (2023). „Never was there more to do.” Use of vaguely formulated statements in the 2021 German national election campaign and their potential effects. In C. Holtz-Bacha (Eds.), Die (Massen-)Medien im Wahlkampf. Die Bundestagswahl 2021. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.
• Otto, L. & Thomas F. (2019). Experience sampling und multivariate Wachstumsmodelle zur Erfassung kurzfristiger selbstverstärkender Dynamiken in der Kommunikationswissenschaft. In P. Müller, S. Geiß, C. Schemer, Teresa K., Naab, & C. Peter (Eds.), Dynamische Prozesse der öffentlichen Kommunikation. Methodische Herausforderungen. Köln: Herbert von Halem Verlag.
• Otto, L., Thomas F., & Maier, M. (2018). Everyday dynamics of media skepticism and credibility: An ambulatory assessment study. In K. Otto & A. Köhler (Eds.), Trust in Media and Journalism. Empirical Perspectives on Ethics, Norms, Impacts and Populism in Europe. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

Books/Dissertation

• Thomas F. (2021). How to model the reinforcing spirals model. A methodological approach to analyze reciprocal relations between attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors [doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau].

(if (co-)presenter, name is underlined)

• Thomas, F., Otto L., & Maier, M. (2023). How do media effects develop over time? Analyzing media effect patterns from negative political information on emotions using experience sampling data. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Toronto, CA
• Thomas, F., Otto L., & Maier, M. (2023). The appearance and duration of media effects on citizens‘ emotional states during the German federal elections 2021. Paper presented at the conference for Advanced Techniques for Longitudinal Data Analysis in Social Science (ATLASS), Bielefeld, Germany.
• Otto, L. P., Thomas, F., Maier, M., & Stier, S. (2022). Angry and alerted, happy and informed? Investigating the (dynamic) relationship between perceived negativity, emotion, and attention towards campaign communication. Paper presented at annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris, FRA.
• Otto, L. P., Maier, M., Thomas, F., Schmidt, F., & Stier, S. (2022). Capturing campaign communication in multiple media environments: A combination of screenshot data donations, mobile surveys, and web tracking approaches. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris, FRA.
• Shehata, A., Thomas, F., Glogger, I., & Andersen, K. (2022). The maintenance effect: Conceptualizing and operationalizing a critical media effect. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris, FRA.
• Schmidt, F., Maier, M., Otto, L., Stier, S., & Thomas, F. (2022). Erfassung von Wahlkampfkommunikation in multiplen Kommunikationskanälen: Eine Verknüpfung von Befragungen, Mobile Experience Sampling und Web Tracking. Paper präsentiert auf der Frühjahrestagung der Sektion "Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung" der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie (DGS), (virtual conference).
• Shehata, A., Thomas, F., Glogger, I., Andersen, K., & Oleskog Tryggvasson, P. (2021). Belief Maintenance: Conceptualizing and operationalizing a fundamental media effect. Paper presented at the Nordic Political Science Association (NoPSA), Reykjavik, ISL, (virtual conference).
• Thomas, F. (2021). A conceptual framework on analyzing the appearance and duration of media effects. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), (virtual conference).
• Thomas, F., Shehata, A., Otto, L. P., Möller, J., & Prestele, E. (2021). How to model the reinfocring spirals model? Paper presented at the meeting of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), Braga, PT, (virtual conference).
• Leidecker-Sandmann, M., & Thomas, F. (2021). What I don’t know (concretely) won’t hurt me. On the effects of vaguely formulated political statements. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), Braga, PT, (virtual conference).Otto, L. P., Thomas, F., Glogger, I., & de Vreese, C. (2020). An update for the gold standard of news media effects – Mobile Intensive Longitudinal Linkage Analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, AUS, (virtual conference).
• Gorski, L. C., Thomas, F. (2019). Dynamics of Citizens' News Consumption during Pre-Campaign and Campaign Phases in three German Federal Elections. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA, Political Communication Section), Poznań, PL.
• Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., & Dupont, J. (2019). Social Media Use and Populist Attitudes: Taking a Reinforcing Spiral Approach. Paper presented at the meeting of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA, Political Communication Section), Poznań, PL.
• Schumann, S., Thomas, F., Ehrke, F., & Dupont, J. (2019). Intergroup Contact and the Rise of Populist Attitudes. Paper presented at the meeting on intergroup contact of the European Association for Social Psychology (EASP), Bologna, IT.
• Thomas, F., Otto, L., Ottenstein C., & Maier, M. (2019). Measuring reciprocal relationships between media exposure and media selection in distinct growth sequences. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Washington, D.C., USA.
• Gorski, L.C. & Thomas, F. (2019). Dynamics of Citizens’ News Consumption during Pre-Campaign and Campaign Phases in the German Federal Election 2017. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR), Toronto, CAN.
• Gorski, L.C. & Thomas, F. (2018). Analyzing changes in news use and political interest on news use in two phases: A macro-analysis in 12 EU countries throughout 1989 and 2014. Paper presented at ECREA’s 7th European Communication Conference, Lugano, CHE.
• Thomas, F., Otto, L., Maier, M., & Tsfati, Y. (2018). Individualized and generalized political trust. Analyzing everyday dynamics in political trust. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR), Marrakesh, MA.
• Otto, L. & Thomas, F. (2018). Short-term reinforcing spirals? Investigating the dynamic relationship between emotional reactions and attention towards political news. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), Prague, CZ.
• Otto, L., Thomas, F., & Maier, M. (2017). Kurzfristige selbstverstärkende Prozesse bei der täglichen Rezeption politischer Nachrichten – eine ambulatory assessment Studie zur Untersuchung von emotionalen Prozessen und Aufmerksamkeit. Paper präsentiert auf der Jahrestagung der Fachgruppe Methoden der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), Mainz, Germany.
• Thomas, F. & Otto, L. (2017). Spirals of political trust. Analyzing everyday dynamics of individual trust in politicians and political cynicism. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Political Psychology (ISPP), Edinburgh, GB.
• Otto, L., Maier, M., & Thomas, F. (2017). Short-term reinforcing spirals: An ambulatory assessment study of emotions and political news attention. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association (ICA), San Diego, CA, USA.