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Innovative study format with short-term treatment against fear of heights

In subproject A 13 of the SFB 1280 Extinction Learning, study leader M.Sc. Beray Macit has started an innovative study to investigate fear of heights. The special feature: The unconventional research design makes it possible to combine psychotherapy research and short-term treatments within one study.

The research and short-term treatment will be conducted in close regional partnership with Deutsches Bergbau-Museum in Bochum.

Beray Macit is a psychotherapist and doctoral student in subproject A13 (led by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Margraf, Prof. Dr. Armin Zlomuzica and Jun.-Prof. Dr. Marcella Woud), which conducts basic research on the further development of exposure therapies for anxiety disorders. Subproject A13 focuses on the importance of extinction learning for better, more accurate, and more durable treatment of anxiety and phobias.

Based on this research, the study now launched offers a short-term treatment with four face-to-face appointments in Bochum within a period of only 6 weeks. It is aimed at people between the ages of 18 and 65 who suffer from a fear of heights and would like to do something about it in a scientifically and therapeutically supervised setting. The participation in the study is remunerated with 100 €.

Interested persons can contact:

M.Sc. Beray Macit
Study managementMail: hoehenangst-bewaeltigen@rub.de
Phone: 0151/15 53 72 81

New Year, New Me: The Facts

As the calendar turns to a new year, millions of people around the world commit to New Year’s resolutions, making promises to use the new year as a fresh beginning and an opportunity for transformation. In 2024, almost three-quarters of the British population set themselves New Year’s resolutions — that’s around 40 million people (or the entire population of Canada). This tradition was particularly strong among younger generations, with 96% of Generation Z (aged 18-27) planning resolutions, compared to just 35% of the Silent Generation (aged 79+).

Most common new years resolutions:

  1. Saving more money (52%)
  2. Eat healthier (50%)
  3. Exercise more (48%)
  4. Lose weight (37%)
  5. Spend more time with family/friends (35%)

How long do most resolutions normally last before being broken?

  • Data from America (2016) shows that 75% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first week. 
  • 64% of individuals maintain their resolutions through the first month. 
  • 46% of individuals in America keep their resolutions past the 6-month mark.

What makes resolutions stick?

Oscarsson et al. (2020) conducted research into what makes New Year’s resolutions stick. Biggest success rates depended on how people phrased their goals. Participants who set approach-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) than those with avoidance-oriented goals (trying to move toward or maintain a desirable outcome or state) were significantly more successful (58.9% vs. 47.1%) at sticking to their goals.

The study also investigates the effects of outside support. These participants received monthly follow-ups and emails with information and exercises for coping with hurdles when striving toward personal goals, and were also encouraged to set goals using the SMART technique and to set interim goals. The group that received some support was exclusively and significantly more successful compared to the groups who received a lot of support or no support at all. 

Additionally, you might feel more successful if you set goals that are measurable in numbers. While success for a person striving to quit smoking or lose weight could easily be measured in the number of cigarettes smoked or body mass index, the success for a person striving to “take better care of themselves” could be highly subjective and possibly impossible to measure.

So as we enter 2026, let’s remember to work with our brain’s natural learning system: Frame your goals positively, break them into manageable steps, and celebrate small wins along the way.