Joachim Funke Which Character Traits Are Important for Good Decision-Making?
Joachim Funke is Professor of Theoretical and Cognitive Psychology at Heidelberg University. Among his main research interests are issues within the field of problem-solving and thinking, in particular, measurement aspects. He is one of the promoters of the European approach to Complex Problem Solving that uses computer-simulated micro-worlds for the assessment of problem-solving competencies. From 2010 to 2014, he was Chair of the international PISA Problem Solving Expert Group. He is also co-founder of ‘Heidelberg University Publishing’ and was editor-in-chief of Psychologische Rundschau. Moreover, he is on different editorial boards and is co-founder and co-editor of the open access Journal of Dynamic Decision Making. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from Szeged University, Hungary.
Area of Research
Theoretical and Cognitive Psychology
since 1997
Chair for Theoretical and Cognitive Psychology
Heidelberg University (Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg)
Psychological Institute
1995-1997
Assistant Professor
University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
Department of Psychology
1994-1995
Substitute Chair for Cognitive Psychology and Methods of Psychology
University of Greifswald
Department of Psychology
1991-1994
Assistant Professor
University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
Department of Psychology
1984-1991
Research Assistant
University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
Department of Psychology
1980-1984
Research Assistant
Universität Trier
Department of Psychology
2015
Honorary Doctorate (Dr. h.c.)
Szeged University, Hungary
1991
Habilitation
University of Bonn (Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn)
Philosophical Faculty
1984
PhD in Cognitive Psychology
Universität Trier
1980
Diploma in Psychology
Universität Trier
Fellowships
- Marsilius Fellowship, Heidelberg University (2008-09)
Prizes
- Goldenes Psi (Award for Special Engagement for Students and for the Department, given by the alumni 1999, 2000, 2002)
Decision-making in a complex world is a challenge. Some people are better at it than others. Why is this so? JOACHIM FUNKE focuses his research on identifying those character traits that can be trained or changed and that help people to improve their decision-making behavior. For this, Funke and his team need to identify the personality traits of their study participants and they use simulated situations to analyze their decision-making behavior. In this way, they find the conditions for success and failure. One of the results is that intelligence alone is not sufficient; participants also need emotional regulation strategies to deal with complex situations. The researchers also observed that two conditions tend to lead to failure: too narrow a focus and neglecting to follow up your decisions. These findings suggest ways to train people’s abilities to face the complex decision-making challenges of the twenty-first century.
LT Video Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.21036/LTPUB10567
Complex Problem Solving: What It Is and What It Is Not
- Dietrich Dörner and Joachim Funke
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Published in 2017
Complex Problem Solving
- Joachim Funke
- Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning
- Published in 2012
