Dr. phil. Philipp Schmid

• Psychology and health decision making
• Science denialism
• Risk perception and communication

My work aims at analyzing the impact of messages of science denialism on individual's health decision-making as well as designing interventions to reduce its influence. Science denialism is an approach that has the ultimate goal of rejecting a proposition on which a scientific consensus exists. In the age of mass media science denialism has multiplied its reach and availability, which threatens the acceptance and lifesaving use of health-treatments and prevention behavior - e.g. HIV-treatments or vaccines. Deniers use different techniques, such as conspiracy theories or false logic, to promote their messages of science denial. In order to understand the influence of these messages on individuals' health decision-making I apply an empirical judgment and decision-making perspective. Furthermore, I use literature from the areas of psychology of persuasion and debunking to design and test promising interventions. I aim at generating basic research results, which are applicable for recommendations and guidelines for health authorities. My research in this area mainly focuses on vaccine decision-making and will contribute to the question of how to respond to vaccine deniers

The influence of science denialism on health decision making. How should health authorities respond?

I am committed to Open Science and a member of the Erfurt Open Science Initiative. I embrace the values of openness and transparency in science by applying Open Science practices in my research, teaching, support of young researchers and interactions with my institution.

• Since 2015 member of the Center of Empirical Research in Economics and Behavioral Sciences CEREB
• Since 2015 member of the University of Erfurt network GENIA
• Since 2016 doctoral student in the project  Impfen 60+
• Since 2020 Member of the COSMO group

• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2018). How to respond to persuasive messages of vaccine deniers in public debates. The Risk and Uncertainty Conference (RUC), Amsterdam (Netherlands).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2018). How to respond to persuasive messages of vaccine deniers - Experimental verification of a two-dimensional debunking strategy. International Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Amsterdam (Netherlands).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2018). Debunking of persuasive messages of vaccine denial; An empirical verification of a two dimensional debunking strategy [Persuasive Botschaften von Impfgegnern entkräften; Experimentelle Überprüfung einer zweidimensionalen Debunking Strategie] Update 2. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPS), Frankfurt (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2018). Fake news und Mythen im Gesundheitsbereich entkräften. Was funktioniert? Ein psychologischer Blick. Herbstsymposium Institut für Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen. (IQWiG), Köln (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2018). How to respond to vocal vaccine deniers in public. Fondation Merieux: Strategies to Increase Vaccine Acceptance and Uptake, Annecy (France).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2017). Debunking of persuasive messages of vaccine denial; An empirical verification of a two dimensional debunking strategy [Persuasive Botschaften von Impfgegnern entkräften; Experimentelle Überprüfung einer zweidimensionalen Debunking Strategie] Update 1. 2.Jahrestagung der DGPuK - Fachgruppe Gesundheitskommunikation, Erfurt (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2017). Debunking of persuasive messages of vaccine denial; An empirical verification of a two dimensional debunking strategy [Persuasive Botschaften von Impfgegnern entkräften; Experimentelle Überprüfung einer zweidimensionalen Debunking Strategie]. Kongress für Gesundheitspsychologie (DGPS), Siegen (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2017). Impfcompliance – Psychologische Erklärungs- und Interventionsansätze. 31. Freiburger Symposium Arbeitsmedizin im Gesundheitsdienst, Freiburg (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2017). Vaccination; A social decision. [Impfen als soziale Entscheidung]. 25. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Infektiologie e. V. (DGPI), Dresden (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2016). Vaccine Scepticism, Vaccine Criticism, Vaccine Hesitancy, [Impfskepsis, Impfkritik, Impfmüdigkeit]. Workshop des ÄKBV Ärztlicher Kreis- und Bezirksverband München, München (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2016). The Four Reasons of Vaccine Refusal – Development of a Measurement Tool. [Die 4 Gründe von Impfverweigerung – Entwicklung und Validierung eines Messinstruments]. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPS), Leipzig (Germany).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2016). Hesitancy Issues for Influenza Vaccination: A Literature Review. Third WHO Consultation on Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines (GAP III). Geneva (Switzerland).
• Schmid, P., Betsch, C., (2016). Psychology of Vaccine Decision Making [Die Psychologie der Impfentscheidung] in Vaccination in Austria – Status Quo and Quo Vadis. Forum Alpbach, Alpbach (Austria).

• 08/2015 Master (M.Sc.) - Thesis: The influence of social norms on vaccine intentions.
• 08/2013 Bachelor (B.A.) - Thesis: On culturally sensitive health communication and the influence of collectivism on vaccine intentions.
• 2008 Abitur (German university entrance diploma), Graf-Anton-Günther Gymnasium Oldenburg

• 10/2016 - current University of Erfurt: research fellow until 2019
• 12/2015 - current World Health Organization Europe consultant
• 11/2015 - 2016 - University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf: research fellow
• 02/2011- 2015 - University of Erfurt: research assistant