Staff profile

Short biography

I am a social psychologist with a passion for social change and music. I joined Durham in September 2020. Before moving to UK, I lived and worked in the Netherlands and Germany.

• 2020-present: Assistant professor in Quantitative Social Psychology, Durham University
• 2017-2020: Postdoctoral fellow in Social Psychology, Osnabrück University, Germany
• 2011-2016: PhD student and teaching fellow in Social Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• 2009-2011: Research master, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
• 2001-2009: Bachelor degree in Psychology and Bachelor Degree in Music Theory, University of Belgrade, Serbia

• Allyship
• Collective action
• Ideology
• Morality
• Polarization
• Prejudice
• Social change

Journal Article

• Moral disagreements: Unearthing pathways to constructive and destructive behavioral responses
  
  Khati, B., Kutlaca, M., McPhetres, J., & Paolini, S. (2025). Moral disagreements: Unearthing pathways to constructive and destructive behavioral responses. Political Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.13077
• Your needs or mine? The role of allies' needs and their perceptions of disadvantaged groups' needs in motivating solidarity‐based actions
  
  Sağlamöz, A. F., Kutlaca, M., & Leite, A. C. (2025). Your needs or mine? The role of allies’ needs and their perceptions of disadvantaged groups’ needs in motivating solidarity‐based actions. British Journal of Social Psychology, 64(1), Article e12855. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12855
• Psychology should move from selective allyship to empowered actions to tackle global crises
  
  Kutlaca, M., Radke, H. R. M., & Uluğ, Özden M. (2025). Psychology should move from selective allyship to empowered actions to tackle global crises. Communications Psychology, 3(1), Article 133. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00316-4
• Identifying important individual‐ and country‐level predictors of conspiracy theorizing: A machine learning analysis
  
  Douglas, K. M., Sutton, R. M., Van Lissa, C. J., Stroebe, W., Kreienkamp, J., Agostini, M., Bélanger, J. J., Gützkow, B., Abakoumkin, G., Khaiyom, J. H. A., Ahmedi, V., Akkas, H., Almenara, C. A., Atta, M., Bagci, S. C., Basel, S., Berisha Kida, E., Bernardo, A. B. I., Buttrick, N. R., … Leander, N. P. (2024). Identifying important individual‐ and country‐level predictors of conspiracy theorizing: A machine learning analysis. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53(6), 1191-1203. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2968
• Predicting vaccination hesitancy: The role of basic needs satisfaction and institutional trust.
  
  Marinthe, G., Brown, G., Cristea, M., & Kutlaca, M. (2024). Predicting vaccination hesitancy: The role of basic needs satisfaction and institutional trust. Vaccine, 42(16), 3592-3600. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.068
• The experience and emergence of attitudinal consensus in conversations
  
  Koudenburg, N., Kutlaca, M., & Kuppens, T. (2024). The experience and emergence of attitudinal consensus in conversations. European Journal of Social Psychology, 54(1), 66-80. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2992
• Conceptual replication and extension of health behavior theories' predictions in the context of COVID‐19: Evidence across countries and over time
  
  Abakoumkin, G., Tseliou, E., McCabe, K. O., Lemay, E. P., Stroebe, W., Agostini, M., Bélanger, J. J., Gützkow, B., Kreienkamp, J., Kutlaca, M., VanDellen, M. R., Abdul Khaiyom, J. H., Ahmedi, V., Akkas, H., Almenara, C. A., Atta, M., Bagci, S. C., Basel, S., Berisha Kida, E., … Leander, N. P. (2024). Conceptual replication and extension of health behavior theories’ predictions in the context of COVID‐19: Evidence across countries and over time. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 18(2), Article e12909. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12909
• Tolerance of political intolerance: The impact of context and partisanship on public approval of politicians’ uncivil behavior
  
  Walter, L., & Kutlaca, M. (2024). Tolerance of political intolerance: The impact of context and partisanship on public approval of politicians’ uncivil behavior. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 27(1), 158-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302231156719
• (Not so) powerful allies? Decision makers’ reactions to advantaged group allies in collective action
  
  Hartwich, L., Kutlaca, M., Ksenofontov, I., Jetten, J., & Becker, J. C. (2023). (Not so) powerful allies? Decision makers’ reactions to advantaged group allies in collective action. European Journal of Social Psychology, 53(7), 1576-1592. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2997
• Impact of National Pandemic Lockdowns on Perceived Threat of Immigrants: A Natural Quasi-Experiment Across 23 Countries
  
  Han, Q., Zheng, B., Leander, N. P., Agostini, M., Gützkow, B., Kreienkamp, J., Kutlaca, M., Lemay, E. P., Stroebe, W., vanDellen, M. R., & Bélanger, J. J. (2023). Impact of National Pandemic Lockdowns on Perceived Threat of Immigrants: A Natural Quasi-Experiment Across 23 Countries. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 14(7), 796-807. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506221127487
• The Injustice–Efficacy Tradeoff: Counteracting Indirect Effects of Goal Proximity on Collective Action
  
  Hartwich, L., Radke, H. R., Kutlaca, M., & Becker, J. C. (2023). The Injustice–Efficacy Tradeoff: Counteracting Indirect Effects of Goal Proximity on Collective Action. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 14(2), 173-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506221093108
• Towards an understanding of performative allyship: Definition, antecedents and consequences
  
  Kutlaca, M., & Radke, H. R. (2023). Towards an understanding of performative allyship: Definition, antecedents and consequences. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 17(2), Article 12724. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12724
• Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and wellbeing among UK students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Clarifying underlying mechanisms
  
  Dougall, I., Vasiljevic, M., Kutlaca, M., & Weick, M. (2023). Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health and wellbeing among UK students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Clarifying underlying mechanisms. PLOS ONE, 18(11), Article e0292842. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292842
• Lockdown Lives: A Longitudinal Study of Inter-Relationships Among Feelings of Loneliness, Social Contacts, and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Early 2020
  
  van Breen, J. A., Kutlaca, M., Koç, Y., Jeronimus, B. F., Reitsema, A. M., Jovanović, V., Agostini, M., Bélanger, J. J., Gützkow, B., Kreienkamp, J., Abakoumkin, G., Khaiyom, J. H. A., Ahmedi, V., Akkas, H., Almenara, C. A., Atta, M., Bagci, S. C., Basel, S., Berisha Kida, E., … Leander, N. P. (2022). Lockdown Lives: A Longitudinal Study of Inter-Relationships Among Feelings of Loneliness, Social Contacts, and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Lockdown in Early 2020. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 48(9), Article 014616722110366. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672211036602
• Disadvantaged group members’ evaluations and support for allies: Investigating the role of communication style and group membership
  
  Radke, H. R., Kutlaca, M., & Becker, J. C. (2022). Disadvantaged group members’ evaluations and support for allies: Investigating the role of communication style and group membership. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 25(6), 1437-1456. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302211010932
• The Impact of Including Advantaged Groups in Collective Action Against Social Inequality on Politicized Identification of Observers From Disadvantaged and Advantaged Groups
  
  Kutlaca, M., Radke, H. R., & Becker, J. C. (2022). The Impact of Including Advantaged Groups in Collective Action Against Social Inequality on Politicized Identification of Observers From Disadvantaged and Advantaged Groups. Political Psychology, 43(2), 297-315. https://doi.org/10.1111/pops.12755
• Applying the Dynamic Dual Pathway Model of Approach Coping to Collective Action Among Advantaged Group Allies and Disadvantaged Group Members
  
  Radke, H. R., Kutlaca, M., & Becker, J. C. (2022). Applying the Dynamic Dual Pathway Model of Approach Coping to Collective Action Among Advantaged Group Allies and Disadvantaged Group Members. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 875848. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.875848
• Allies against sexism: the impact of men’s egalitarian versus paternalistic confrontation on women’s empowerment and well-being
  
  Estevan-Reina, L., de Lemus, S., Megías, J., Kutlaca, M., Belmonte-García, M., & Becker, J. (2021). Allies against sexism: the impact of men’s egalitarian versus paternalistic confrontation on women’s empowerment and well-being. Sex Roles, 84, 536-553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01184-4
• Beyond Allyship: Motivations for Advantaged Group Members to Engage in Action for Disadvantaged Groups
  
  Radke, H. R., Kutlaca, M., Siem, B., Wright, S. C., & Becker, J. C. (2020). Beyond Allyship: Motivations for Advantaged Group Members to Engage in Action for Disadvantaged Groups. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 24(4), 291-315. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868320918698
• Understanding allies’ participation in social change: A multiple perspectives approach
  
  Kutlaca, M., Radke, H. R., Iyer, A., & Becker, J. C. (2020). Understanding allies’ participation in social change: A multiple perspectives approach. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(6), 1248-1258. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2720
• A hero for the outgroup, a black sheep for the ingroup: Societal perceptions of those who confront discrimination
  
  Kutlaca, M., Becker, J., & Radke, H. (2020). A hero for the outgroup, a black sheep for the ingroup: Societal perceptions of those who confront discrimination. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2019.103832
• Friends or foes? How activists and non-activists perceive and evaluate each other
  
  Kutlaca, M., van Zomeren, M., & Epstude, K. (2020). Friends or foes? How activists and non-activists perceive and evaluate each other. PLoS ONE, 15(4), Article e0230918. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230918
• Stopping wolves in the wild and legitimizing meat consumption: Effects of right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance on animal-related behaviors
  
  Becker, J. C., Radke, H. R., & Kutlaca, M. (2019). Stopping wolves in the wild and legitimizing meat consumption: Effects of right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance on animal-related behaviors. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 22(6), 804-817. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430218824409
• What do we want? Examining the motivating role of goals in social movement mobilization
  
  van Bezouw, M. J., & Kutlaca, M. (2019). What do we want? Examining the motivating role of goals in social movement mobilization. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v7i1.796
• Integrating who “we” are with what “we” (will not) stand for: A further extension of the Social Identity Model of Collective Action
  
  van Zomeren, M., Kutlaca, M., & Turner-Zwinkels, F. (2018). Integrating who “we” are with what “we” (will not) stand for: A further extension of the Social Identity Model of Collective Action. European Review of Social Psychology, 29(1), 122-160. https://doi.org/10.1080/10463283.2018.1479347
• Recycling Alone or Protesting Together? Values as a Basis for Pro-environmental Social Change Actions
  
  Sloot, D., Kutlaca, M., Medugorac, V., & Carman, P. (2018). Recycling Alone or Protesting Together? Values as a Basis for Pro-environmental Social Change Actions. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01229
• Our Right to a Steady Ground: Perceived Rights Violations Motivate Collective Action Against Human-Caused Earthquakes
  
  Kutlaca, M., van Zomeren, M., & Epstude, K. (2017). Our Right to a Steady Ground: Perceived Rights Violations Motivate Collective Action Against Human-Caused Earthquakes. Environment and Behavior, 51(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916517747658
• Preaching to, or Beyond, the Choir
  
  Kutlaca, M., Van Zomeren, M., & Epstude, K. (2016). Preaching to, or Beyond, the Choir. Zeitschrift für Sozialpsychologie, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000254
• Should the moral core of climate issues be emphasized or downplayed in public discourse? Three ways to successfully manage the double-edged sword of moral communication
  
  Täuber, S., van Zomeren, M., & Kutlaca, M. (2015). Should the moral core of climate issues be emphasized or downplayed in public discourse? Three ways to successfully manage the double-edged sword of moral communication. Climatic Change, 130(3), 453-464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-014-1200-6
• The Janus-Faced Self
  
  van Zomeren, M., Täuber, S., Kutlaca, M., & Wermser, F. L. (2015). The Janus-Faced Self. European Journal of Social Psychology, 29(3), 326-362. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2006