Department of Psychology

Research & publications

Research Interests
  • Inequality based on gender and sexual orientation in the workplace
  • Stereotypes and discrimination in recruitment
  • Competence and warmth in application procedures
  • Intersectionality
  • Attitudes towards lesbians and gays
  • Attitudes towards quotas for women
  • Sexualized violence

 

Publications

Ball, E., Niedlich, C., & Steffens, M. C. (2024). Whose misbehavior is inexcusable—And which one? Job‐related discrimination against ethnic minority and majority women. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 54(11), 708–725. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.13070

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C., & Dieckmann, J. (2022). Reactions and feelings to a close relative’s coming out in a heterosexual relationship. Frontiers in Psychology. 13: 836428. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.836428

Ball, E., Steffens, M. C., & Niedlich, C. (2022). Racism in Europe: Characteristics and intersections with other social categories. Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 789661. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.789661

Niedlich, C., Kachel, S. & Steffens, M. C. (2022). Sexual orientation information and hiring: Can individualizing information lead to negative stereotyping of sexual minority group members?. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 00, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12859

Niedlich C. & Steffens M. C.  (2019). Gleiche Chancen für alle? Wie Stereotype den Erfolg von BewerberInnen beeinflussen. Das In-Mind Magazin. Special Issue: Gender, 10(1). 

Steffens, M. C., Niedlich, C., Beschorner, R., & Köhler, M. (2019). Do positive and negative stereotypes of gay and heterosexual men affect job-related impressions? Sex Roles, 80 (9), 548-564. doi: 10.1007/s11199-018-0963-z

Yalcinkaya, N. S., Branscombe, N. R., Gebauer, F., Niedlich, C., & Hakim, N. H. (2018). Can they ever be one of us? Perceived cultural malleability of refugees and policy support in host nations. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 78, 125-133. doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2018.03.018

Steffens, M. C., Niedlich, C., Kachel, S. M., & Methner, N. (2016). Impression formation of applicants differing in sexual orientation: An attempt to integrate theoretical models and a review of the empirical evidence. In F. Earley (Ed.), Sexual orientation: Perceptions, discrimination and acceptance (pp. 51-80).  New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Kachel, S., Steffens, M.C., & Niedlich, C. (2016). Traditional masculinity and femininity: Validation of a new scale assessing gender roles. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 956. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00956

Steffens, M. C., Niedlich, C., & Ehrke, F. (2016). Discrimination at work on the basis of sexual orientation: Subjective experience, experimental evidence, and interventions In T. Köllen (Ed.), Sexual orientation and transgender issues in organizations – global perspectives on LGBT workforce diversity (pp. 367-388). Heidelberg: Springer.

Niedlich, C. & Steffens, M. C. (2015). On the interplay of (positive) stereotypes and prejudice: Impressions of lesbian and gay applicants for leadership positions. Sensoria: A Journal of Mind, Brain & Culture,11(1), 70-80. doi: 10.7790/sa.v11i1.408.

Steffens, M. & Niedlich, C. (2015). Homosexualität zwischen Akzeptanz und Diskriminierung: Eine sozialwissenschaftliche Perspektive. In S. Goertz (Ed.), „Wer bin ich, ihn zu verurteilen?“ Homosexualität und katholische Kirche. (Vol. 3, pp. 128-155). Freiburg: Herder.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C., Krause, J., Settke, E., & Ebert, I. D. (2015). Ironic effects of sexual minority group membership: Are lesbians less susceptible to invoking negative female stereotypes than heterosexual women? Archives of Sexual Behavior, 44(5), 1439-1447. doi: 10.1007/s10508-014-0412-1.

 

Book Chapters

Steffens, M. C., & Niedlich, C. (2024). From beauty standards to sexualised violence: Prejudice and discrimination in relation to gender and sexual orientation. In C. Cohrs, N. Knab, & G. Sommer (Eds.), Handbook of Peace Psychology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17192/es2022.0031

Steffens, M. & Niedlich, C., (2023). Vorurteile und Diskriminierung in Bezug auf Geschlecht und sexuelle Orientierung: von Schönheitsnormen bis zu sexualisierter Gewalt. In C. Cohrs, N. Knab, & Gerd Sommer (Hrsg.), Handbuch der Friedenspsychologie.

 

Conference Contributions

Dörr, L., Ball, E., Vogel, P., Niedlich, C. , & Steffens, M. C. (2024) Please call be by my name: Are non-binary job applicants discriminated against?. G-Versity Conference, 12.-14.06.2024, Bern. Switzerland.

Niedlich, C., Weßler, J., & Steffens, M. C. (2024) Negotiating Queer Identities: The Influence of Sexual Orientation and Gender on Salary Proposals in Virtual Application Interactions. G-Versity Conference, 12.-14.06.2024, Bern. Switzerland.

Ball, E., Niedlich, C., & Steffens, M. C. (2024) Whose Mistake is Inexcusable? Discrimination of Prototypical and Non-prototypical Women in the Job Context. G-Versity Conference, 12.-14.06.2024, Bern. Switzerland.

Kachel, S., Gaisbauer, N., Niedlich C., Gruber, R., & Steffens, M. C. (2023). The intersecting impact of sexual orientation and gender on leadership perception: Investigating the differences between person-related signals. 19. General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, 30.06.-04.07.2023, Krakau, Polen.

Steffens, M. C., Ball, E., Pylypiw, P., Kachel, S., & Niedlich, C. (2023). Applicants’ sexual orientation and hiring discrimination: The role of additional lack-of-fit information. 19. General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, 30.06.-04.07.2023, Krakau, Polen.

Kachel, S., Gaisbauer, N., Niedlich C., Gruber, R., & Steffens, M. C. (2023). Impact of sexual orientation and Gender on leadership-perception – Investigating the differences between personal-related signals. Erster Gender- und Diversity-Forschungstag der RPTU, 08.02. 2023, Landau.

Ball, E., Steffens, M. C., & Niedlich C. (2023). An inexcusable mistake: When are non-prototypical applicants discriminated against? Posterpräsentation auf der SPSP Convention, 23.-25.02.2023, Atlanta, USA.

Ball, E., Niedlich, C. & Steffens M. C. (2022). An inexcusable mistake: When are non-prototypical applicants discriminated against? 64. Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psycholog:innen. 20.-23.03.2022, Köln.

Niedlich, C., & Steffens, M. C., & Kachel, S. (2021). LGBT identity intersections: Experimental findings on impression formation in hiring scenarios. 19. General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, 30.06.-04.07.2021, Krakau, Polen.

Niedlich, C., & Steffens, M. C. (2021). Can stigmatized identities lead to advantages in application processes? – Intersections of sexual orientation and motherhood. 32. International Congress of Psychology, 18.-23.06.2021, Prag, Tschechien.

Kachel, S., Lessel, V., Niedlich, C., & Preuss, S. (2019). Auf der Stirn geschrieben? – Erkennung der sexuellen Orientierung anhand von Handschriften. Posterpräsentation auf der 17. Tagung der Fachgruppe Sozialpsychologie, 16.-18.09.2019, Köln.

Niedlich C., & Steffens, M.C. (2019). Interactions of polyamory and sexual orientation in stereotype application and hiring decisions. 17. Tagung der Fachgruppe Sozialpsychologie, 16.-18.09.2019, Köln.

Steffens, M.C., Hansen, K.., Scheifele, C., & Niedlich, C. (2019). Stereotypes and individuating information in impression formation: An attempt to integrate theoretical models. 17. Tagung der Fachgruppe Sozialpsychologie, 16.-18.09.2019, Köln.

Niedlich, C., & Steffens, M.C. (2017, Jul.). Identity Intersections in work-life: Biases against prototypical applicants. Posterpräsentation auf dem 18th General Meeting of The European Association of Social Psychology, Granada, Spanien.

Steffens, M.C., Niedlich, C., Kachel, S., & Methner, N. (2017, Jul.). Identity intersections: An attempt to integrate theoretical models of impression formation. Posterpräsentation auf dem 18th General Meeting of The European Association of Social Psychology, Granada, Spanien.

Niedlich, C., Rölz, C., & Steffens, M.C. (2017). Depending on the family status? A field experiment on discrimination of gay applicants in the labor market. 16. Tagung der Fachgruppe Sozialpsychologie, 04.-06.09. 2017, Ulm.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C. (2016, Sept.). “Who is Hit Hardest by Gender Stereotypes?” Hiring Biases on the Basis of Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Ethnicity in Different Job Contexts. Vortrag auf dem 50. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie, Leipzig, Deutschland.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C. (2016, Jul.). “Do Chances depend on Social Category?” Hiring Biases in Work-Life, 29. Vortrag auf der Tagung des Forums Friedenspsychologie, Landau, Deutschland.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C. (2016, Jun.). Diskriminierung aufgrund der sexuellen Orientierung – Eine sozialpsychologische Perspektive. Vortrag auf der Fachtagung des Schwulen Netzwerks NRW, Schwule Identitäten – Queere Perspektiven, Dortmund, Deutschland.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C. (2016, Feb.). Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Ethnicity in Application Processes. Vortrag im Proseminar des Social Psychology Program der University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C., Cattarius M., Michel, C. (2016, Jan.). „Benefiting From Stigmatized Identities?“ Disrimination on the Basis of Interactions Regarding Sexual Orientation, Gender and Ethnicity in Hiring Decisions. Posterpräsentation auf der Konferenz Society for Personality and Social Psychology, San Diego, Kalifornien.

Steffens, M. C. & Niedlich, C. (2015, Jun.). Discrimination at work based in sexual orientation: A review of experimental evidence. Vortrag auf der European Academy of Management, Warschau, Polen.

Niedlich, C. & Steffens M. C. (2015, Jun.). Still Discriminated: Competence, Social Skills, and Hireability of Lesbian and Gay Applicants for Leadership Positions. Vortrag auf der European Academy of Management,Warschau, Polen.

Niedlich, C. & Steffens, M.(2015, Sept.). Ain’t I a competent police officer? − Intersections of social identities based on gender, sexual orientation and nationality in work life. Forschungsreferat auf der 15. Fachgruppentagung Sozialpsychologie, Potsdam, Deutschland.

Niedlich, C., Beschorner, R., Cattarius M., Michel C. & Steffens, M. C. (2015, Dez.). Diversity in Uniform – Diskriminierung aufgrund von sexueller Orientierung, Geschlecht und Ethnie in Bewerbungsverfahren.Poster auf dem Gender and Diversity Forschungstag der Universität Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Deutschland.

Steffens M. C., Niedlich, C., Ebert & I. D. (2014, Jun.). Ironic Effects of Sexual Minority Group Membership: Are Lesbians Less Susceptible to Invoking Negative Female Stereotypes than Heterosexual Women?. Vortrag auf der European Academy of Management, Valencia, Spanien.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C., Krause, J., Settke, E., & Ebert, I. D. (2014, März/Apr.. Ironic effects of sexual minority group membership: Are lesbians less susceptible to invoking negative female stereotypes than heterosexual women?. Posterpräsentation auf der Tagung experimentell arbeitender Psychologen, Gießen, Deutschland.

Niedlich, C., Steffens, M. C., Krause, J., Settke, E., & Ebert, I. D. (2013, Dez.). Ironic effects of sexual minority group membership: Are lesbians less susceptible to invoking negative female stereotypes than heterosexual women?. Posterpräsentation auf dem Gender- und Diversity Forschungstag der Universität Koblenz-Landau,  Landau, Deutschland.

Projects

Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation in Work-Life

Summary of the research project:

Hiring decisions do not always depend on the applicants’ qualification level – they are also determined by their sexual orientation, gender, and ethnicity. Discrimination based on social identity categories – focusing sexual orientation mainly in this project – is forbidden in Germany by the General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz) (2006). From an individual’s perspective, discrimination can be a hurtful experience, including mental health issues and a lower level of life and job satisfaction. From an economic perspective, companies should be interested in hiring the most qualified applicants.

In our research project we aim to explain processes that can influence discrimination based on sexual orientation in the labor market. Specifically, we are interested whether heterosexual and lesbian/gay receive equal chances in hiring decisions, when they have identical qualifications. We use an experimental approach to answer this research question. For instance, participants read the application material of a fictitious applicant and are asked to rate him/her on task competence, social skills, and chances of employment. Because the applicants only differ in their sexual orientation and have identical qualifications, we know that raters’ stereotypes about the sexual orientation influenced the decisions.

These ratings are related to participants’ beliefs about traditional masculinity and femininity and influence impression formation processes. Because these beliefs underlie a permanent social change, we investigate attitudes towards lesbians and gay men.

Further, we are interested how discrimination based on sexual orientation interacts with other social identity categories: With an intersectional focus, we are interested about impression formation processes when a person has more than one stigmatized social identities. This research approach assumes that experiences of discrimination do not add up. Instead, it assumes a complex interaction between them. In several experiments, we additionally manipulated the ethnicity to investigate whether applicants with a name of German or Turkish origin are perceived differently.

 

Researcher:

Claudia Niedlich

Project Management:

Melanie Steffens

Teaching

since winter term 2023
  • seminar (M. Sc. Psychology) "Discrimination in the Workplace" (RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau)
 
since winter term 2019
  • teaching in the psychology programm (University of Koblenz-Landau)
    • lecture „Introduction to Economic Psychology“
    • lecture „Practice of Economic Psychology“
    • seminar „Selected Topics of Economic Psychology“
    • seminar „Selected Applications of Economic Psychology“
 
winter term 2015 - winter term 2016
  • seminar“Practical Training in Empirical Research” (University of Koblenz-Landau)
  • seminar“Introduction to Social Psychology” (University of Koblenz-Landau)
  • seminar“Introduction to Social Psychology” (University of Koblenz-Landau)
 
summer term 2013 - summer term 2015
  • seminar “Grounded Theory – Strategies in Qualitative Research” (FSU Jena, Institute of Sociology)
  • seminar “Practical Training in Empirical Research” (University of Koblenz-Landau)
  • seminar “Identity” (FSU Jena, Institute of Sociology)
  • seminar “Intersectionality and Family” (FSU Jena, Institute of Sociology)
  • seminar “Practical Training in Empirical Research” (University of Koblenz-Landau)
  • seminar “Identity and Birth” (FSU Jena, Institute of Sociology)
  • seminar “Specific Issues in Psychology” (FSU Jena, Institute of Sociology)