A01 A02 A04 A05 A07 A09 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A18 A19 A21 F01 F02 INF Ö

Online workshop on Meta-Analyses in bio-psycho-medical research in SFB 289 Treatment Expectation

16. February 2026

We are happy to invite you to an upcoming online workshop on Meta-Analyses in bio-psycho-medical research (behavioral data), organized by our fellow CRC SFB/TRR 289 Treatment Expectation.

When: Thu March 26, 9:00–17:00 + Fri March 27, 9:00–14:00
Where: Zoom
Instructor: Dr. Julian Packheiser

The workshop will be taught by Julian Packheiser, who has extensive hands-on experience with meta-analytic methods and will share both methodological insights and practical guidance.

This workshop provides an advanced, practice-oriented introduction to meta-analyses as a core tool of meta-science. Targeted for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from Psychology, Medicine and Neuroscience, the workshop focuses on the key methodological decisions that shape the meta-analytic process, namely study planning, study and variable extraction, and statistical analysis. Participants will work hands-on with real examples to explore common sources of uncertainty, researcher degrees of freedom, and reproducibility challenges in meta-analytic research. Statistical analysis will be conducted in R. The goal is to enable participants to design, conduct, and critically evaluate meta-analyses within their respective fields.

Although participation is targeted to PhD students and postdocs, everybody is welcome. Participation is limited to 25 people. If demand is higher, we are planning to offer the workshop again in autumn. We are currently in the process of preparing an add-on course for neuroimaging data, so stay tuned for that.

If you would like to participate, simply write an email to Katharina.Schmidt@uk-essen.de.

SFB 1280 Extinktionslernen	Kontakt	Universitäten
Im Forschungsverbund SFB 1280 untersuchen wir die Grundlagen des Extinktionslernens. Unsere 19 Teilprojekte kombinieren hierfür an vier Standorten neueste neurowissenschaftliche, psychologische und medizinische Methoden.	Ruhr-Universität Bochum Universitätsstr. 150 44801 Bochum Tel. 0234 3224634 sfb1280-sekretariat@rub.de	Ruhr-Universität Bochum Klinikum der Universität Duisburg-Essen Leibniz-Institut für Arbeitsforschung an der TU Dortmund Philipps-Universität Marburg Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
DFG-Förderlinie Moodle Intern	Impressum Datenschutz	Karte

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:

Saving more money (52%)
Eat healthier (50%)
Exercise more (48%)
Lose weight (37%)
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.