Education & Academic Positions

  • Since 2011
    Full Professor for Advertising Research, Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Austria. Offers from three other universities.
  • 2009-2011
    Assistant Professor for Political Communication/Political Behavior within the NCCR Democracy, University of Zurich; Inaugural Lecture ("Antrittsvorlesung"), March 2010: "'Freie' politische Willensbildung und Medienberichterstattung"
  • 2007
    Ph.D., University of Zurich ("summa cum laude")
  • 1998-2001
    Studies in Communication, Philosophy, and Intercultural Business Communication, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany
  • 1995-2001
    MA (Diploma) in Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany


Awards & Acknowledgements

  • 2024
    First Place Open Research Top Paper Award for the paper "Inspired by 'greenfluencers': Young peoples' exposure to greenfluencers, compensatory green beliefs, and consumption behavior", Advertising Division, AEJMC annual convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA (as a co-author of Ariadne Neureiter).
  • 2024
    Top Paper Award for the paper "All roads lead to hate? Five prediction paths for online incivility and intolerance perpetration", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, Theory Paper Competition, AEJMC annual convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA (as a co-author of Kevin Koban & Stephanie Bührer).
  • 2024
    Third Place Top Paper Award for the paper "The dark side of the rainbow: A mobile experience study on community members' exposure frequency and processing of LGBTQIA+-directed digital hostility", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, Open Call Competition, AEJMC annual convention, Philadelphia, PA, USA (as a co-author of Melanie Saumer & Kevin Koban).
  • 2024
    Top Paper Award for the paper "Four eyes, two truths: Explaining heterogeneity in perceived severity of digital hate against immigrants", Information Systems Division, ICA annual convention, Gold Coast, Australia (as a co-author of Thomas Kirchmair & Kevin Koban).
  • 2024
    Top Student-led Paper Award for the paper "Cognitive effects of political microtargeting: An eye tracking study", Political Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Gold Coast, Australia (as a co-author of Selina Noetzel & Alice Binder).
  • 2024
    Top Four Faculty Paper Award for the paper "Sexting-related privacy management: Who cares and how?", Interpersonal Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Gold Coast, Australia (as a co-author of Marina F. Thomas & Alice Binder).
  • 2024
    Recognized as Top Four Student Paper: "Digital hate from targets' perception: A scoping review of recent research", Interpersonal Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Gold Coast, Australia (as a co-author of Maryam Khaleghipour & Kevin Koban).
  • 2023
    Top Paper Award for the paper "'The good, the bad, and the ugly'. A panel study on the reciprocal effects of negative, dirty, and positive campaigning on political distrust" as the best paper published in Mass Communication and Society in 2022. AEJMC annual convention, Washington, D.C., USA (as a co-author of Franz Reiter).
  • 2023
    Second Place Faculty Paper Award for the paper "'I stand up for us'. Muslims' feelings of stigmatization in response to terrorism on social media", Religion & Media Interest Group, AEJMC annual convention, Washington, D.C., USA (as a co-author of Ruta Kaskeleviciute & Helena Knupfer).
  • 2023
    Top 4 Paper Panel Award for the paper "A tale of two concepts. Differential predictions of habitual and compulsive social media use concerning connection overload and sleep quality", Mobile Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Toronto, Canada (as a co-author of Kevin Koban & Anja Stevic).
  • 2023
    Top Poster Award for the paper "Femicides in the news: Effects of victims' and perpetrators' nationality on victim blaming and fear of victimization", Journalism Studies Division, ICA annual convention, Toronto, Canada (as a co-author of Phelia Weiß, Helena Knupfer & Ruta Kaskeleviciute).
  • 2023
    ICA Top Student Poster Award for the paper "Femicides in the news: Effects of victims' and perpetrators' nationality on victim blaming and fear of victimization", Journalism Studies Division, ICA annual convention, Toronto, Canada (as a co-author of Phelia Weiß, Helena Knupfer & Ruta Kaskeleviciute).
  • 2023
    Top Student-led Paper Award for the paper "The psychological influence of number of profiles and decision mode on dating apps: When locomotion is self-devaluing", Mobile Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Toronto, Canada (as a co-author of Marina Thomas & Alice Binder).
  • 2022
    First Place Faculty Paper Award for the paper "Silent sympathy: News attention, subtle support for far-right extremism, and negative attitudes toward Muslims", Religion & Media Interest Group, AEJMC annual convention, Detroit, USA (as a co-author of Helena Knupfer & Ruta Kaskeleviciute).
  • 2022
    Outstanding Reviewer Award of the Political Communication Division of the International Communication Association (ICA), ICA annual convention, Paris, France.
  • 2022
    Top Faculty Paper Award for the paper "The distraction effect. Political and entertainment-oriented content on social media, political participation, interest, and knowledge", Mass Communication Division, ICA annual convention, Paris, France (co-authors: Raffael Heiss, Hendrik van Scharrel).
  • 2021
    Top Method Paper Award for the paper "Perceived exposure to misinformation fuels emotional concerns about COVID-19: A cross-country, multi-method investigation", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (co-authors: Nicoleta Corbu, Soyeon Jin, Yannis Theocharis, Christian Schemer, Karolina Koc-Michalska, Peter van Aelst, Toril Aalberg, Ana Cardenal, Laia Castro, Claes de Vreese, David Hopmann, Tamir Sheafer, Sergio Splendore, James Stanyer, Agnieszka Stepinska, Jesper Strömbäck & Vaclav Stetka)
  • 2021
    First Place Open Paper Competition for the paper "Perceived exposure to misinformation fuels emotional concerns about COVID-19: A cross-country, multi-method investigation", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (co-authors: Nicoleta Corbu, Soyeon Jin, Yannis Theocharis, Christian Schemer, Karolina Koc-Michalska, Peter van Aelst, Toril Aalberg, Ana Cardenal, Laia Castro, Claes de Vreese, David Hopmann, Tamir Sheafer, Sergio Splendore, James Stanyer, Agnieszka Stepinska, Jesper Strömbäck & Vaclav Stetka)
  • 2021
    First Place Faculty Paper Award for the paper "Who says 'Muslims are not terrorists'? News differentiation, Muslim vs. non-Muslim sources, and attitudes toward Muslims", Religion & Media Interest Group, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (as a co-author of Ruta Kaskeleviciute & Helena Knupfer).
  • 2021
    First Place Paper Award for the paper "Living is easy with eyes closed: Avoidance of targeted political advertising in response to privacy concerns, perceived personalization and overload", Political Communication Division, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (as a co-author of Marlis Stubenvoll, Alice Binder, Selina Noetzel & Melanie Hirsch)
  • 2021
    Fourth Place Paper Award for the paper "Seeing political information online incidentally. Effects of first- and second-level incidental exposure on democratic outcomes", Political Communication Division, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (as a co-author of Andreas Nanz).
  • 2021
    Best Student Paper Award for the paper "The influence of issue fit and political fit of targeted political advertising on party evaluation and chilling effects", (virtual) 19th International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA) (as a co-author of Melanie Hirsch & Alice Binder).
  • 2021
    Top Faculty Paper Award for the paper "The anatomy of European political information environments: A demand-driven analysis of how they perform and inform democracy", Political Communication Division, (virtual) ICA annual convention 2021 (co-authors: Laia Castro, Jesper Strömbäck, Frank Esser, Peter Aelst, Claes de Vreese, Toril Aalberg, Ana Cardenal, ... et. al.).
  • 2020
    Top 2 Paper Award for the paper "'They are amongst us': News about terror, perceptions of sleeper terrorists, and negative stereotypes toward Muslims", Religion & Media Interest Group, (virtual) AEJMC annual convention (co-author: Ruta Kaskeleviciute).
  • 2019
    UNIVIE Teaching Award 2019 (category: "Giving and taking (peer-)feedback") for the course/lecture VERQUAN: Advanced Quantitative Methods held during the 2018 winter semester, awarded by the Rectorate of the University of Vienna, Austria (together with Helena Knupfer).
  • 2019
    Top Faculty Award for the paper "Do journalists differentiate between Muslims and Islamist terrorists? A content analysis of terrorism news coverage", Journalism Studies Division, ICA annual convention, Washington, D.C., USA (co-authors: Christian von Sikorski, Desirée Schmuck, Claudia Klobasa, Helena Knupfer, Melanie Saumer).
  • 2019
    Top Student-led Paper Award     for the paper "Again and again: Exploring the influence of disclosure repetition on children's cognitive processing of brand placements", Children, Adolescents, and Media Division, ICA annual convention, Washington, D.C., USA, as a co-author of Ines Spielvogel & Brigitte Naderer
  • 2018
    Recipient of the IGor-Award for the best and most interesting lecture (VO PSYCH) delivered to communication students in the summer semester 2018, awarded by the students of the Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
  • 2018
    Top Faculty Paper Award for the paper "We drink so we are: Effects of perceived similarity with a drinker on observational learning", Communicating Science, Health, Environment and Risk Division, AEJMC annual convention, Washington D.C., USA.
  • 2018
    Recipient of the IGor-Award for the best and most interesting lecture (VO WERB) delivered to communication students in the winter semester 2017/18, awarded by the students of the Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
  • 2017
    Top Faculty Paper Award     for the paper "Young Muslims' responses to anti-Islamic right-wing populist campaigns: Discrimination, social identity threats, and hostility", Political Communication Interest Group, AEJMC annual convention, Chicago, USA.
  • 2016
    Hillier Krieghbaum Under 40 Award by the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication (AEJMC), awarded to scholars under 40 years of age who have shown outstanding achievement and effort in all three AEJMC areas: teaching, research and public service. AEJMC annual convention, Minneapolis, USA.
  • 2016
    Second Place Faculty Research Paper Award for the paper "Nudity of male and female characters in television advertising across the globe", Advertising Division, AEJMC annual convention, Minneapolis, USA.
  • 2015
    Top Three Faculty Paper, for the paper "Questionable Research Practices in Experimental Communication Research: A Systematic Analysis from 1980 to 2013", Mass Communication Division, ICA annual convention, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
  • 2015
    Best Research Paper Award of the Year 2014 for the paper "Usefulness of online consumer reviews of experience and search goods", granted by the journal Werbeforschung & Praxis. Zeitschrift für Kommunikation und Markenführung (jointly published by the German and Austrian Advertising Academies).
  • 2015
    IGor-Award for the best and most interesting lecture (VO SPEZI on advertising effects) delivered to communication students in the winter semester 2014/15, awarded by the students of the Department of Communication, University of Vienna.
  • 2014
    Sir Robert M. Worcester Award by the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR) for the article "Do hostile opinion environments harm political participation? The moderating role of generalized social trust." (published in International Journal of Public Opinion Research).
  • 2014
    Young Scholar Award by the International Communication Association (ICA), awarded to the scholar with the most outstanding research career worldwide seven years past the PhD, ICA annual convention, Seattle, WA.
  • 2013
    Top Three Faculty Paper, for the paper "Taking a closer look at green ads. Consumers' green involvement and the persuasive effects of emotional versus functional advertising appeals", Advertising Division, AEJMC annual convention, Washington, DC.
  • 2013
    Top Theory Paper, also for the paper "Toward a cognitive-affective process model of hostile media perceptions: A multi-country structural equation modeling approach", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, AEJMC annual convention, Washington, DC.
  • 2013
    Top Faculty Paper Award (1st prize) for the paper "Toward a cognitive-affective process model of hostile media perceptions: A multi-country structural equation modeling approach", Communication Theory and Methodology Division, AEJMC annual convention, Washington, DC.
  • 2013
    Top Faculty Paper Nomination for the paper "Why Do Green Consumers Tend to Trust Green Ads? Testing the Mediating Roles of Informational Utility and Emotional Appeal" at the International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA), Zagreb.
  • 2012
    Best Paper Award (3rd prize) for the best media psychological paper published in 2010 and 2011, Media Psychology division, German Psychological Society, for "Affective Priming in Political Campaigns: How Campaign-Induced Emotions Prime Political Opinions" published in International Journal of Public Opinion Research, as a co-author of Rinaldo Kühne.
  • 2012
    Top Faculty Paper Award (1st prize) for the paper "Child Exposure to Food and Beverage Placements in Movies: Toward an Implicit Persuasion Model", Advertising division, AEJMC annual convention, Chicago.
  • 2012
    Top Three Faculty Paper Award for the paper "Who learns from Cross-Cutting Exposure? Motivated Reasoning, Counterattitudinal News Coverage and Awareness of Oppositional Views", Mass Communication division, ICA annual convention, Phoenix, AZ.
  • 2012
    Top Ten nominee for the 2012 Credit Suisse Award for Best Teaching at the University of Zurich. The focus of the 2012 award was "Passion for Science".
  • 2011
    As anounced in a press release by the International Communication Association, the article "The Content Analysis of Media Frames: Toward Improving Reliability and Validity" was ranked as Journal of Communication's top-cited article of 2010.
  • 2009
    Top Three Faculty Paper Award for the paper "A Primer for Communication Researchers on Probing Single-Degree-of-Freedom Interactions in Linear Regression Models, with SPSS and SAS Implementations", Information Systems division, ICA annual convention, Chicago.
  • 2009
    Best Paper Award (1st prize) for the best media psychological paper published in 2007 and 2008, Media Psychology division, German Psychological Society, for "Does 'Passing the Courvoisier' Always Pay Off? Positive and Negative Evaluative Conditioning Effects of Brand Placements." published in Psychology & Marketing, as a co-author of Christian Schemer.  
  • 2008
    Top Faculty Paper Award (1st prize), for the paper “Tiptoe or Tackle? How Product Placement Prominence and Exposure Frequency Moderate the Mere Exposure Effect”, Advertising division, AEJMC annual convention, Chicago.
  • 2008
    Dissertation Sponsorship Award by the Swiss Communication Association (SGKM) including a grant of 2500 Swiss Francs for the book publication of the dissertation.
  • 2008
    Top Dissertation Award (1st prize) by the Swiss Association for Market and Social Research honoring the best dissertation in 2006 and 2007 for advances in research methodology and progress in fundamental research, Lucerne.
  • 2008
    Top Dissertation Award (1st prize) by the German Communication Association (DGPuK) honoring the best dissertation in 2006 and 2007 for an outstanding contribution to the field, Lugano.
  • 2008
    Top Dissertation Award (1st prize) by the President of the University of Zurich for the best dissertation at the Faculty of Arts in 2007, Zurich.
  • 2007
    Best Paper Award (1st prize) for the best media psychological paper published in 2005 and 2006, Media Psychology division, German Psychological Society, for "The Need for Orientation Towards News Media. Revising and Validating a Classic Concept" published in IJPOR.
  • 2007
    Naomi C. Turner Prize for top student paper, "Media Frames and Public Opinion. Testing an On-line and Memory-based Model of Framing Effects in a Two-Wave Panel Study", 60th WAPOR annual convention, Berlin.
  • 2006
    Top Three Faculty Paper Award for the paper "The Content Analysis of Media Frames: Toward Improving Reliability and Validity", Communication Theory & Methodology division, AEJMC annual convention, San Francisco.
  • 2005
    Top Three Faculty Paper Award for the paper "Trust in News Media. Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Scale", Journalism Studies division, ICA annual convention, New York.
  • 2004
    Top Paper Award (1st prize) by the German Communication Association (DGPuK) for 2004's best paper published in national communication journals, Erfurt.