GRK 2988:  Flexibility and Balance as Characteristics of Adaptive Self-Regulation

• Subject Area: Psychology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 516951610

Self-regulation is a key factor for attaining a broad range of desirable life outcomes. The proposed RTG will investigate two concepts hypothesized to notably contribute to the significance of self-regulation: regulatory flexibility and balance. Specifically, the RTG will investigate the roles that (a) flexibility (in the context-dependent application of self-regulatory competencies) and (b) balance (vs. imbalance in different considerations relevant to self-regulatory behavior) play in self-regulatory performance and well-being. In essence, flexibility implies that there are no inherently adaptive or maladaptive means for dealing with demands, but that the most adaptive responses vary across contexts. Regarding balance, the general observation is that, in many contexts, different considerations may conflict with each other, but each may be important for goal attainment and well-being in the long run. The implication is that these considerations need to be balanced in an adaptive way. While the importance of flexibility and balance is widely acknowledged, how people manage to regulate accordingly is not well understood. The dissertation projects in this RTG will address a broad range of innovative research questions ranging from the genetic roots of regulatory flexibility to the role of balance in basic attentional processes. Moreover, the projects aim to investigate the roles that flexibility and balance play in various everyday life contexts and in how people cope with traumatic experiences in different cultures. We will investigate these questions (a) in several different contexts (scrutinizing the broad relevance of flexibility and balance), (b) by drawing on different populations (testing the generalizability across populations), and (c) by employing a broad range of methods. Despite diversity in research questions, several projects have similar theoretical foundations, thus opening up abundant opportunities for cross-project collaboration and theoretical integration. To this end, the RTG will provide a tailored organizational structure and will bring together researchers with different theoretical backgrounds and methodological expertise, including an international Mercator Fellow. To ensure that the whole will be more than the sum of its parts, we will foster communication and cross-project collaboration within the RTG. The qualification program consists of a collection of activities in three broad modules: (a) The General Research Skills module is conducive to academic but also nonacademic careers, (b) the Research Topics and Advanced Methodology module is specifically tailored to the needs of the RTG’s research program, and (c) the Exchange and Networking module will foster communication and collaboration, which will facilitate the scientific exchange and the establishment of an international network for our PhD students. The PhD students will have opportunities to actively contribute to and improve the qualification program.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität des Saarlandes
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Malte Friese
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Gisa Aschersleben; Dr. Anselm Crombach; Dr. Laura Dörrenbächer-Ulrich; Dr. Elisabeth Hahn; Professorin Dr. Jutta Kray; Professor Dr. Cornelius König; Professor Dr. Axel Mecklinger; Professorin Dr. Tanja Michael; Professorin Dr. Franziska Dorothea Perels; Privatdozentin Dr. Dorota Reis; Dr. Roxanne Sopp; Professor Dr. Frank M. Spinath; Professor Dr. Dirk Wentura