Bachelor theses

Bachelor thesis in the work and organizational psychology

In the following, some information with regard to the supervision of bachelor theses within the field of work and organizational psychology can be found. It provides assistance that should alleviate the collaboration by way of clear regulations and agreements and, in particular, ensure that apart from the students writing excellent theses, they do the latter with as much fun as possible and less(er) stress. But of course: Writing a Bachelor thesis is usually accompanied by changing emotions (even towards the supervisor) - but this is part of it.

Subject

Own fields of interest from the field of work and organizational psychology as well as topics from the department´s thematic priorities are possible as topic of a Bachelor thesis (see "research"). For clarifying the topic and the concrete issue one or two preliminary talks should take place with the supervisor. Moreover, the supervisors try to arrange for a common appointment with the students supervised.

Premises

In any case, an empirical study should not be started until the supervisor has agreed to the procedure and the methods and instruments used. A good result in the teaching sessions of the work and organizational psychology is required (at least 2.0).

Prior to the actual work, an exposé of approx. five pages with the following content shall be submitted:

  • Planned title of the thesis
  • Presentation of the problem or leading question
  • Ideas with regard to any theoretical approaches to be included
  • Ideas with regard to the empirical approach
  • Preliminary references
  • Planned structure
  • Rough time schedule

This exposé must usually be revised (if need be, even for several times).

Consultation

Any concrete questions about other chapters or the analysis procedure can be discussed during the consultation hours. It is frequently recommended to hand in the relevant questions or text passages well in advance by email. Submitted texts should always include the date, name of the student and page numbers.

A consultation by telephone or email is basically not possible.

Master theses

Master thesis

"The second part of the Master´s examination is the thesis. It is an examination paper that completes the scientific education. It shall show that the candidate is able to independently work on a problem within a fixed period of time using scientific methods and to appropriately present the results." (§20 (2) of the examination regulations; emphasis M.R.) The Master thesis should normally be an empirical work.

Subject

Any issue that can be worked on within the industrial-organizational psychology is deemed to be suitable as topic of the Master thesis (see "research"). In principle, we assume that the student independently develops a topic which will then finally be fixed in consultation with us.

It is to be expected that we do not supervise certain topics because they do not fall within our fields of work, so that these could not be supervised adequately or only with extraordinary effort. Areas in which the department is interested in research work ca be found under the item "Research".

Premises

The supervision of a Master thesis within the field of industrial-organizational psychology requires following premises:

  • the student has completed a degree course with the major field of study in industrial-organizational psychology
  • A good result in the teaching sessions of the industrial-organizational psychology is required (at least 2.0).
  • Moreover, it is essential that basic psychological knowledge - and, in partiuclar, even methodological and statistical knowledge, data processing skills (e.g. SPSS) as well as principles of scientific work - have already been acquired prior to the beginning of the Master thesis.
  • Candidates should regularly attend the research colloquium offered by us and present the progress of their Master thesis there. In addition, this is an excellent opportunity to share the experiences of any other students and to make use of their comments for the own work.
  • The participation of the writing workshop (Textlab!), where courses are offered in academic writing, is recommended.
  • The students themselves have generally to care about the formal requirements for writing a Master thesis (e.g. deadlines, registration).

Duration

Pursuant to the examination regulations the Master thesis shall be completed within five months (in duly substantiated exceptional cases nine months).

Scope

With respect to the page count there is no clear criterion. At any rate, in our subject area, the scope of the thesis is no criterion for its quality. The following principles should apply:  "Brevity is the soul of wit" (however, please no brevity without wit) and "Economy of explanation".

Consultation

For clarification of the topic, the focus and the research question the student should have one or two preliminary talks with the supervisor. Any concrete question in regard to the content or the approach arising at a later point of time can be clarified during the consultation hours. It is essential for the consultation, however, that a (written) text with respect to the concern is submitted beforhand (even if it merely contains questions directed at us), which should - in the case of more extensive concerns - be handed in at least three days in advance. 

A consultation by telephone or email is possible.

For this preliminary talk or after the first appointment at the latest, a written exposé (=statement) of approx. five pages has to be submitted. This exposé must contain the presentation of the problem and the arising leading question, first ideas of any theoretical approaches to be included as well as the research design and methods and a time schedule at least differentiated by months. Please note that no further supervision is made without such exposé!

Prior to the actual work, a synopsis of approx. five pages with the following content shall be submitted (you will also find extensive information about the synopsis in the respective moodle course):

  • Planned title of the thesis
  • Presentation of the problem and the leading research question
  • Ideas in regard to any theoretical approaches to be included
  • Ideas in regard to the empirical approach
  • List of literature
  • Planned structure
  • Rough time schedule.

This synopsis usually has to be revised after the preliminary talks by specifying the issues mentioned in more detail. This paper finally forms the basis of the further supervision.

Every text and thus also the synopsis, should display numbers, a date and the student´s name.

Prior to the empirical phase of the master's thesis, the theoretical part of the master's thesis must be prepared and presented for discussion (in the bacholor's and master's colloquium).

It is indispensable that current literature of the relevant journals is acknowledged and reviewed in the context of a master's thesis. It is also important that literature cited in other texts is checked in order to ensure that it has been cited appropriately.

In any case, an empirical study should only be started if the supervisor has agreed with the approach as well as the methods and tools used (this includes an intern "preregistration").

Experience shows that usually too little time is allocated for the empirical phase, especially for the preparation, analyses, presentation and interpretation of the data.

In our opinion, the feedback of research results to the persons investigated is mandatory for studies in work and organizational psychology and thus also for master's theses. Therefore, this shoud be integrated into the scheduling. Even if this feedback of results is often not part of the text, an assessment and evaluation of the thesis will depend on the feedback of results to the persons examined.

Grading

An excellent thesis involves that the requirements and conditions mentioned are complied with by the students.

For an excellent thesis it is not essential whether the hypotheses have been confirmed, but how well and transparently the topic has been penetrated and presented in writing, whether the hypotheses have plausibly been explained and how far the empirical study has properly been planned and carried out. This also includes that the statistical methods are used in an adequate manner. We do not necessarily expect any multivariate procedures, nevertheless, the procedures applied must be used in a correct way!

Moreover, for an excellent Master thesis it is not sufficient to only list any existing approaches and studies. It is essential that the latter are understood as well as presented and discussed in relation to the selected leading question.

Degree Theses

Here you will find a selection of 'very good' to 'good' bachelor theses (grade: 1,0 - 1,7) written in the department of Work and Organizational Psychology.

Year 2023

  • The relationship between emotional work strategies and recreation among employees working in the hospitality industry. (Emma Marie Thomsen)

Year 2022

  • The relationship between servant leadership and recreational experience among office employees - a quantitative study. (Malin Horst)
  • The relationship between personality and recreational experiences: A quantitative analysis according to the DRAMMA model. (Larissa Sabadill)
  • Emotional work in nursing - A quantitative analysis of the relationship between strategies of emotional regulation and mental health of nursing staff during the Corona pandemic. (Dagmara Ciesielska)
  • Working Out Loud: A quantitative analysis of the relationship between the quality of collaboration and psychological empowerment. (Sarah Wittenberg)

Year 2021

  • Stress and recovery of educators: An occupational psychology study. (Annabell Schmidt)
  • The relationship between sporting activity and employee irritation, taking into account recreational experiences - a quantitative stydy. (Katharina Sophie Jürgens)
  • The Home Office: The relationship between work intensification and physical discomfort and irritation, taking into account personal resources and social support. (Kayonzo Pommerenke)
  • Online study during the Covid-19 pandemic. (Sophie Kuhlmann)

Year 2019

  • Transformational leadership and readiness for change. (Carlos Westerbecke Romero)
  • Agile teams at 'Hochbahn': An empirical study of the role of leaders in agile working methods.
    (Birk Schmidt-Bonde)

Year 2018

  • Work and Health (Hannah-Pia Johannsen)
  • Mental stress at the workplace - a quantative survey of family businesses in the Kiel-region (Caterina Hein)
  • Transitional justice in Colombia. On the peace agreement between the Colombian government and the
    FARC. (Lisa Anna Pregla)
  • Mindful leadership - the positive impact of mindfulness training during times of transformational change in organizations. (Annabell Curtius)

Year 2017

  • Motives for voluntary work among students. (Verena Chemnitz)
  • Burnout among healthcare workers - effects of illness-related absenteeism of Hospital Nursing Staff on patients, collegues and employers. (Friederike v. Tetzlaff)
  • Insufficient recovery in a world of work without boundaries. (Frida Osbahr)

Year 2016

  • Priming effects of food advertising on eating behaviour. (Clemens Jacker)
  • Burnout risk among educators (Sabrina Kristin Petersen) 
  • Advancement / promotion competences of women in leadership positions through coaching
    (Luisa Simonsen)

Year 2015

  • Impression management in the recruitment interview - The influence of 'integration' and 'selfpromotion' on the interviewer and his/her assessment. (Hanna Marie-Lena Kreutzer)
  • Intragenerational differences within generation Y? An empirical comparative study between students and trainees on work-related motivational factors. (Isabelle Roshop)
  • An investigation of gender-specific socialization and work motivation - A survey of students at comprenensive schools. (Christine Kaehler)

Year 2014

  • Performance evaluation in leadership at a distance. (Ronny Döring)
  • Alternating telework as an ideal form of work for working mothers? An empirical study with the AVAH method. (Hanna Sellner)
  • Experiential knowledge in the conflict field of Family and work - prerequisite for supprtive leadership behaviour? (Katharina Schlierkamp)
  • Stressors at the workplace - A qualitative study on stressors perceived by employees of e pediatric and adolescent medical practice. (Friederike Netzow)

Here you will find a selection of 'very good' to 'good' master theses (grade: 1,0 - 1,7) written in the department of Work and Organizational Psychology.

Year 2022

  • Employee retention in the public health service: The influence of motivation and job satisfaction on the intention to dismiss. (Avelina Petri)
  • The relationship between working time and recreation while working in Homeoffice. (Finja Lück)
  • Experienced stigmatization and selfassessment of the skills of the unemployed. (Enya Katharina Jensen)
  • The Body of the Subject in the Accelerated Dating Market - Exploratory Bodymapping Studies on the Emotional Physical Effects of Online and Offline Dating." (Annabel Richter)
  • Working Out Loud: A quantitative analysis of the impact of network activities and contact ability of participants on their network size. (Sabine Bieritz)

Year 2021

  • Emotional work - a quantitative analysis of the relationship between emotional dissonance and stress in students. (Laura Schlichting)

Year 2020

  • Relationship between Technostress and the health of employees considering organizational ressources.
    (Violetta Kowtun)
  • Employees' attitudes towards fun at work - What is the role of work volume and managerial support for
    fun? (Anna Nicola Holdt)
  • Evaluation of humor training - effects on humor styles and self-compassion. (Laura Korock)
  • The relationship between (in-service) training and knowledge performance in professional service films:
    The role of error culture. (Kia Sabine Nicolas)

Year 2019

  • Relationship between empowering leadership and stress receptions in the workplace - a quantitative analisys. (Alicia Reinekehr)
  • Cultural intelligence as a  a driver of team performance? An empirical investigation. (Aliza Dansch)
  • Investigation under the consideration of emotional exhaustion and irritation as well as social support by colleagues. (Julia Montag)

Year 2018

  • Impression management (Sabrina Kristin Petersen)
  • Self-control life domain (Hannah Maria-Lena Kreutzer)
  • Interested self-endangerment in science (Nergihan Usta)

Year 2017

  • Work-life balance - evaluation of work-life balance measures using the example of an IT company.
    (Finn Stiemert)
  • A quantitative study on the relationsship between regulatory obstacles and psychosomatic complaints.
    (Lee Alena Tamm)
  • Corporate culture in start-ups. (Rosemary Koch)
  • Effects of a video-supported patient education on adherence - a survey in the endoprosthetics center of the
    DIAKO Flensburg. (Svea Kohly)
  • Career success of repatriates - a quantitative study on expectation fulfillment. (Jan Ole Huß)
  • Changes in concentration through physical activity trainings at the office. (Nicolas Gille)
  • Meaningful work and job satisfaction. (Caroline Riemschneider)

Year 2016

  • Personnel selection & priming: An experimental investigation of the influence of priming effects in the context of personnel selction. (Jana Gisdepski)
  • Personnel selection & priming: An experimental investigation of the influence of priming effects in the context of personnel selection. (Lisa Ude)
  • Between independence, conformity and obedience: An experiment on the influence of authority on the confirmaty behaviour of individuals in groups. (Lena Heikebrügge)
  • The importance of perceived person-organization fit for applications in the application process.
    (Sophie Höfer)
  • Identification and selection of internal talents - creation of a requirement profile for management positions using the example of EDEKA Handelsgesellschaft Nord GmbH. (Svenja Albrechtsen)
  • Successful follow-up processes of employee surveys - analisys and conceptional design of a framework model using the example of the cable network operator Unitymedia. (Franziska Helmig)
  • Mental stress in ambulatory care: A risk assessment using the example of 'Ambulanten Pflege Angeln Diakonisches Sozialzentrum GmbH'. (Verena Luy)
  • Dialect speakers in the German labor market: How language varieties influence hiring decisions - An experimental field study. (Sarah Zanirato)

Year 2015

  • The repatriation of executives - measures for a successful reintegration. (Valeska Spindler)
  • Inpatriation processes in German companies. (Elisabeth Baumgartner)
  • Trust in the design of efficient virtual teamwork. (Maike Sättler)
  • Expatriates' professional expectations of their return. (Till Hoffmann)
  • Implementation of mobile work - Conceptual design of a handout for medium-sized companies.
    (Birte Ohm)

Year 2014

  • The contribution of organizational knowledge management to sucessful expatriate repatriation.
    (Jennifer Grebe)
  • Lifelong Learning: Intellectual and social activity in seniority -  An empirical study on the influence of formal education level and social environment on the activities of people in retirement age. (Véronique Slomski)
  • Development of a trainee concept for 'Dänische Bettenlager GmbH & Co. KG' - Recruiting, Traning and attractively employing junior staff. (Corinna Dernehl)
  • An examination of overconfidence on the basis of U.S. College Students’ financial literacy (Camillo Weinz)
  • Further training in the temporary employment industry - An analysis of the qualification needs of temporary workers. (Tatjana Stieben)
  • The importance of intercultural differences in intracompany cooperation in the foreign assignment of german managers in Spain - A comparative analysis of Hofstede's theory and practice. (Andreas Rathgeb)
  • Teaching intercultural compencies in internationally operating companies by means of repatriates.
    (Merle Busch)
  • Müller, F. (2019). Decision-making margins of university management in university decision-making processes.
  • Wortmann, D. (2018). Job characteristics and attractiveness of work: The moderating role of social value attitudes, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Slomski, V. J. A. (2018). Personality development of expatriates, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Hebel, B. (2014). Identity and identity changes of female academics in social change. A comparative study of female academics born in the 1950s with those born in the 1970s, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Schulz, A. (2013). Task interdependencies and affective experiences in office work.  An empirical-explorative study based on Affective Events Theory, Dissertation, University of Lüneburg.
  • Lorenzana Flores, R. I. (2012).  From teaching-centered assessment to competency-based assessment of learning, Dissertation, University Flensburg.
  • Molnár, M. (2011). Validity of assessment centers, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Hermsdorf, E. (2010). Integration consulting in corporate mergers under consideration of the psychological contract, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Fenzl, C. (2008). Mental stress in everyday activities: the coordinability of individual activity systems, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Padilla Sabillón, Z. S. (2008). An Integrated Model for University Professional Development, Dissertation, Universität Flensburg.
  • Moncada Godoy, G. E. (2008). Psychosocial determinants of educational change: An explanatory model of classroom teaching behavior from the perspective of the Theory of Planned Action and Self-Complexity, Dissertation, Universität Flensburg.
  • Tripathi, S. K. (2008). Interface complexity of personal digital assistant. An empirical study of linear and non-linear menu, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Beuck, K. Å. (2005). Employee resistance to organizational change in credit institutions, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Pleiss, C. (2003). Knowledge divergence in cooperative work, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Mühlfelder, M. (2003). The collective action field. A concept for modeling interpersonal coordinated action, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Krause, A. (2002). Psychological stress in teaching - A task-based research approach. Analysis of teachers' activities, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Leitner, K. (1998). Mental stress in office work, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.
  • Beddies, A. (1998) Consultation within the organization between communicative and strategic action- Theoretical considerations on action and communication for advising workplace representatives on changing working conditions, Dissertation, University of Flensburg.