Research at the Faculty of Psychology is organized into four research focuses (RF), within which research clusters (RC) are established. Research clusters enhance the competitiveness and profiling of research by leveraging synergies across different locations. While they may be implemented for a limited time, the degree of collaboration among involved staff, goal orientation, and involvement of at least two locations or faculties are essential.

In contrast, research focuses are characterized by their long-term stability, consolidating research activities across the entire faculty and its locations, and profiling the Faculty of Psychology through unique features compared to other universities:

Psychology and History

Studies in this research focus are dedicated to

  • the history of psychology in social and political contexts, as well as
  • research on cultures of remembering, particularly in post-national socialist countries and former Soviet Union countries.

Psychology of Social, Cultural, and Organizational Dynamics

This research focus investigates the psychological conditions and consequences of social, cultural, and organizational dynamics, including the psychology of

Psychology of clinically special populations

This RF is institutionally anchored, among others, in the Psychological University Outpatient Clinic, the Child Psychology Center (Vienna), and in cooperation with the psychotherapeutic training organization Studi Cognitivi (Milan). Research on special populations is dedicated to

  • Bio-psycho-social aspects of rare medical or psychological disorders, and
  • psychology of clinically psychological or psychologically diagnostic special populations and special developmental phases.

Psychology of sustainable and responsible coexistence

This RF is dedicated to the interrelatedness of humans, animals, the overall ecological context, and (new) technologies and media, and studies the psychology of

  • human-animal relationships,
  • psychology of sustainability and climate justice, and
  • new media and digital technologies.

Interdisciplinary research cluster Covid-19 research (PDF)

Research and Teaching

Research and teaching at the Faculty of Psychology are intertwined: student instruction is guided by principles of research-led teaching; in teaching research projects, students are introduced to the research focuses represented at the faculty. All students are encouraged to engage in existing interdisciplinary and international cooperation projects and to write their theses under the supervision of project staff.