Welcome: Prof. Dr. Janina Bühler, Professor of Diagnostics and Differential Psychology
Freiburg, 18/08/2025
On 15 July 2025, Prof. Dr. Janina Bühler was appointed Professor of Diagnostics and Differential Psychology. In this interview, she provides insights into her research on personality development and partnerships, explains what she enjoys about working with students, and reveals where her Sunday morning jogging routes take her.
What excites you about your research?
My research focuses primarily on personality development and the development of partnerships. What fascinates me about this is, on the one hand, the complexity involved: people bring a certain personality with them that shapes partnerships. At the same time, experiences in partnerships can change one’s own personality. In research, we refer to this as a transaction between personality and partnership, which is incredibly fascinating. On the other hand, I am inspired by the everyday relevance of my research.
What solutions can you find in your research for present and future challenges?
As social beings, we humans need social relationships, whether in the form of partnerships, friendships or family relationships. With my research, I want to better understand how such relationships can be consolidated and strengthened, especially in the face of life-changing events or societal challenges.
In our AMOR study, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), we are specifically investigating the role of life events. We are currently looking for couples of all ages who have been together for a maximum of 10 years. We will accompany the couples over a period of four years, conducting short daily surveys, among other things. Our goal is to gain a better understanding of how personality and partnerships develop in the context of life events.
What would you like to pass on to your students, and what would you like to gain from teaching?
I want to encourage my students to engage with the course content independently and critically. I also want to encourage them to find content that inspires them. Especially when it comes to final theses, I love seeing how students grow and develop once they have found a topic that they are passionate about. I also learn a great deal from teaching, especially from the questions that students bring to class. Particularly when it comes to topics such as personality and social relationships, I encounter a great deal of interest and a lively willingness to engage in discussion on the part of the students, which provides me with valuable input.
What topics are you personally most concerned with at the moment, outside of your research?
To be honest, I don’t know if I can clearly define what ‘outside of research’ means, as my research is very much part of my everyday life. I also think about it outside of my desk and take impressions with me. However, if I had to name something that lies outside my everyday university life, it would be the world of my two-year-old son. With him, I get to discover his universe of snails, diggers and puddles with curiosity and childlike devotion.
What do you like most about Freiburg?
As a native of Freiburg, I am very lucky to be able to revisit old favourite places and rediscover the city. I am particularly looking forward to my Sunday morning jogging routes up the Rosskopf.