Research Projects

Current focus

CroWiS - Gig Work in the Nursing Profession (M.Sc. Caroline Gahrmann, Dr. Bernhard Piskernik)

Cooperation: Dr. Florian Liberatore, ZHAW; Prof. Michael Simon, University of Basel

Both scholars and practitioners understand gig-work – temporary work mediated by a digital platform - as a potentially disruptive trend for the entire labour market. Yet, so far, research on gig-work has overwhelmingly focused on studying its application in contexts that require low specialization and low collaboration. In our research, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, we broaden this perspective by focusing on gig-work in the nursing profession. More specifically, we focus on how gig-work arrangements (a) affect nurses' experiences of relevant job-related demands and resources and (b) impact work in nursing teams. To achieve these objectives, we (a) survey Swiss nursing professionals in different work arrangements and (b) utilize micro-longitudinal designs to study nurses' daily experiences in different contexts.

Justice in Organizations (M.Sc. Philine Behrendt)

Cooperation: Jeroen Camps, Thomas More, Belgium

Using a range of different research methods, we aim at a better understanding of the role of fairness in work relationships. While the consequences of justice on performance and counterproductive work behavior are already well investigated, we focus on (a) justice enactment and its antecedents, (b) emerging effects of injustice enactment on the actor including their boundary conditions.

Work and Family (Dr. Cornelia Rolli)

Cooperation: Dr. Benedikt Huber, Pediatric Department of the Fribourg Cantonal Hospital

Families with small children know the problem: work calls, the child is sick. What to do now? The project FAITH (Fever Associated Illnesses and Their Handling) investigates this problem from different perspectives. Projects FAITH 1-3 follow families by phone through the winter and record how often children fall ill, how parents organize themselves and how parents feel about it. The project FAITH 4 records the same situation, but from the perspective of the child-care centers.

Other topics

  • Daily experiences at work and at home

    Utilizing micro-longitudinal designs, we investigate the daily lives of working parents. With time- and event-sampling techniques, we extend existing work-family research in four ways: (1) Instead of assessing predictors and criteria via self reports, we use a multi-method approach including physiological data, (2) we have broadened our focus from the individual to the social level, i.e., the couple, (3) we examine processes (e.g., goal pursuit), and (4) instead of focusing on paid work, we consider different roles and life-spheres and assess stress and recovery processes.

    Cooperation

    •  Prof. Dr. Christiane Hoppmann, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

    Publications

    • Klumb, P. L., Voelkle, M., & Siegler, S. (2017). How negative social interactions at work seep into the home: A prosocial and an antisocial pathway. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(5), 629-649.
    • Ditzen, B., Hoppmann, C. A., & Klumb, P. L. (2008). Positive couple interactions and daily cortisol: On the stress-protecting role of intimacy. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70, 883-889.
    • Hoppmann, C. A., & Klumb, P. L. (2006). Daily goal pursuits predict cortisol secretion and mood states in employed parents with preschool children. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 887-894.
    • Hoppmann, C. A., & Klumb, P. L. (2012). Daily management of work and family goals in employed parents. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 81, 191-198.
    • Klumb, P. L., Hoppmann, C. A., & Staats, M. (2006). Division of labor in German dual-earner families: Testing equity-theoretical hypotheses. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 68, 870-882.
    • Klumb, P. L., Hoppmann, C. A., & Staats, M. (2006). Work hours affect spouse's cortisol secretion-For better and for worse. Psychosomatic Medicine, 68, 742-746.

    Publications (methodology)

    • Klumb, P. L., & Baltes, M. M. (1999). Validity of retrospective time-use reports in old age. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 13, 527-539.
    • Klumb, P. L., Elfering, A., & Herre, C (2009). Ambulatory-assessment studies in industrial and organizational psychology. European Psychologist, 14(2), 120-131.
    • Klumb, P. L., & Perrez, M. (2004). Why time-sampling studies can enrich work-leisure research. Introduction to the Special Issue on Intensive Time Sampling of work and leisure activities. Social Indicators Research, 67, 1-10.
    • Röcke, C., Hoppmann, C., & Klumb, P. L. (2011). Correspondence between retrospective and momentary ratings of positive and negative affect in old age: Findings from a one-year measurement-burst design. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Science, 66B, 411-415.

    Master theses (selected)

    • Kusma, Bianca. Einflüsse auf die Compliance berufstätiger Paare in einer Zeitstichprobenstudie.
    • Muck, Kerstin. Persönliche Ziele und subjektives Wohlbefinden bei berufstätigen Eltern - Hat das Geschlechtsrollenselbstkonzept einen Einfluss?
    • Pürro, Corinne. Arbeitsbedingungen und langfristige Indikatoren des Wohlbefindens.
    • Siegler, Sebastian.
    • Walther, Claudia. Stressprotektion durch soziale Unterstützung.
  • Communication and learning in physicians' daily lives

    The CANMEDS flower illustrates the roles a competent physician must take on in addition to the central role as a medical expert. Some roles introduce social demands that require specific skills on top of the medical expertise acquired in the course of medical training. In our research, we investigate different social demand characteristics of two roles, namely communicator and collaborator. As collaborators, physicians have to consult with peers, supervisors, and members of other professional groups aiming at efficient exchanges of information and at creating a climate in which it is safe to admit personal limits, ask for feedback or advice, and speak up with observations. As communicators, physicians have to develop a trusting relationship with patients and families, moreover, they have to elicit and convey information to those groups.

    Cooperation

    • Prof. Dr. John Carroll, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    • Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Hänsgen, University of Fribourg
    • Prof. em. Dr. med. Daniel Scheidegger, Universitätsspital Basel
    • Prof. Dr. med. Johannes Wildhaber, Kantonsspital Fribourg

    Publications

    • Gemmiti, M., Hamed, S., Wildhaber, J., Pharisa, C., & Klumb, P. L. (in press). Physicians’ Speech Complexity and Interrupting Behavior in Pediatric Consultations. Health Communication.

    • Klumb, P. L., Rauers, A., & Wicki, Ch. (2019). Physicians’ interactions with peers: Empathic accuracy during shift-handovers on intensive-care units. Applied Psychology: Health & Well-being, 11(1), 201-125.
    • Gemmiti, M., Hamed, S., Wildhaber, J., Pharisa, C., & Klumb, P. L. (2017). Pediatric Consultations: Negative-Word Use and Parent Satisfaction. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 42(10), 1165-1174.
    • Gemmiti, M., Hamed, S., Lauber-Biason, A., Wildhaber, J., Pharisa, C., & Klumb, P. L. (2017). Pediatricians' affective communication behavior attenuates parents' stress response during the medical interview. Patient Education and Counseling, 100(3), 480-486.

    Master theses (selected)

    • Kleiss, Beate. Kommunikative Kompetenz im Krankenhaus
    • Steele, Patti. The relationship between paraverbal behaviors, perspective taking and shift-handover effectiveness among medical residents
    • Marina Brühlmann. Kommunikation von Kinderärzten
    • Steffen, Martin. Berufsspezifische Sozialkompetenzen von Ärzten.
    • Marty, Jonas. Sozialkompetenz von Ärzten in zwischenmenschlich schwierigen Situationen mit Patienten.
    • Oertli, Philippe. Explorative Studie zur Erhebung zwischenmenschlich schwieriger Situationen im Arztberuf.
  • Communication, co-regulation of emotions, and learning in teams

    As more work than ever is assigned to team structures we focus on team learning, i.e., an increase in the collective level of abilities and skills or a change in the range of the team's potential behaviors through reflection and communication. In addition to the action part, the reflective part of learning is important because it enables the transfer of knowledge and insight into causal connections from one team member to another. Without reflection it is impossible for team members to benefit from the knowledge and skills of their team colleagues. In our research, we are interested to know how teams learn, which conditions promote learning and how learning is related to performance in different task contexts. Specifically, we are interested in how leaders can create a team climate that fosters learning and innovation within teams. To achieve these objectives, we employ both experimental and field studies to gain insights into team processes and contribute to existing knowledge on how to lead teams that in which team members can be efficient and thrive, at the same time.

    Cooperation

    • Dr. Christiane Herre, Manres, Zürich

    Publications

    • Herre, Ch., Klumb, P. L., & Schaffner, J. (2019). One Best Way? Leader Behaviour and Different Aspects of Team Performance. Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, 63, 32-47.

    Master theses (selected)

    • Gemmiti, Marco. Transformational leadership and team performance: The role of team climate.
    • Dierauer, Denise. Der Einfluss von Führungsverhalten auf Gruppenprozesse.
    • Keller, Barbara. Emotionsarbeit bei Führungskräften.
    • Munz, Michael Alexander. Validierung der deutschen Übersetzung des Empowering Leadership Questionnaires.
    • Schaffner, Jana. Der Einfluss unterschiedlicher Führungsstile auf die Teameffektivität.
  • Social evaluative stress

    The origins of stress are more and more based in our social environment. Particularly social evaluations have a potential to interfere with an individual's well-being and performance and they are most prevalent within professions that require to speak or perform publicly (e.g., musicians, actors, and athletes). Some individuals are more vulnerable to this situation than others and show stronger stress reactions. Therefore, it is of theoretical and practical interest to know more about these processes that can be a threat to a person's health and career success, in the long run. With time-sampling methods, we investigate antecedents and consequences of social evaluative threat in musicians' daily lives.

    Cooperation

    • Prof. Dr. Brigitta Danuser, Dr. Patrick Gomez, Institut Universitaire Romand de Santé et Travail
    • Prof. Dr. Horst Hildebrand, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste
    • Prof. Dr. Urs Nater, Philipps-Universität Marburg

    Publications

    • Antonini Philippe, R., Kosirnik , C., Klumb, P., Guyon, A., Gomez, P., Crettaz von Roten, F. (in press). The Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory - Revised (K-MPAI-R): validation of the French version. Psychology of Music.

    • Haccoun, Y. E. Y., Hildebrandt, H., Klumb, P. L., Nater, U. M., Gomez, P. (in press). Positive and negative post performance-related thoughts predict daily cortisol output in university music students. Frontiers Psychology.

    • Studer, R. K., Nielsen, C., Klumb, P. L., Hildebrandt, H., Nater, U. M., Wild, P., Heinzer, R., Haba-Rubio, J., Danuser B., & Gomez, P. (2019) The mediating role of mood in the relationship among perseverative cognition, sleep, and subjective health complaints in music students. Psychology & Health, 34, 754-770.
    • Gomez, P., Nielsen C., Studer R. K., Hildebrandt, H., Klumb, P. L., Nater, U. M., Wild, P., & Danuser, B. (2018). Prolonged performance-related neuroendocrine activation and perseverative cognition in low- and high-anxious university music students. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 95, 18-27.

    Bachelor theses

    • Ten bachelor theses investigated antecedents and consequences of music performance anxiety in daily life