Mag. Dr. Christina Mühlberger (formerly Steindl)
Postdoctoral Researcher
Department of Psychology, Division of Social Psychology
Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Tel.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044 – 5108
Fax.: +43 (0) 662 / 8044 – 5126
E-Mail:
Web: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-m%C3%BChlberger-33b14b148/
Education:
- 2010-2016 PhD at the Department of Psychology at the University of Salzburg (PhD programme DK+ „Imaging the Mind“)
- 2004-2009 Psychology studies at the University of Salzburg
Academc positions:
- Since 2017 Postdoc, Department of Social Psychology, University of Salzburg
- 10/2016-02/2017 Postdoc, FWF-Project „From anxiety to approach“, Department of Social Psychology, University of Salzburg
- 10/2014-01/2015 Research stay at University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- 10/2012-09/2016 Research assistant, Department of Social Psychology, University of Salzburg
Research:
Using different experimental methods (laboratory experiments, surveys, neuroscientific measurements), I study how people cope with different types of discrepancies. I focus on those that arise when individuals face threats to their psychological needs (e.g., a threat to one’s freedom). Currently, my main focus is on examining consultations such as coaching, training, and mentoring, which are used when people experience discrepancies between their current state and a desired future state, and which help them meet important psychological needs. By considering self-regulatory and motivational processes (e.g., regulatory focus, approach and avoidance motivation), I aim to gain insights into how counseling sessions can be designed to be effective for different clients in different situations.
Key publications:
- Jonas, E., Braumandl, I., Mühlberger, C., & Zerle, G. (2025). Selbstführung durch Coaching. Ein psychologisches Konzept zur Unterstützung von Coaching-Prozessen. Wiesbaden: Springer.
- Mühlberger, C., Zerle, G., Möller, J., Diller, S. J., Greif, N., Kinder, N., Jonas, E. (2025). Zooming in on the self in workplace coaching: Self-regulation and its connection to coaching success. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 12543.
- Mühlberger C., Böhm, A. M., Hansen, J., Behrendt, P., Wastian, M., & Jonas, E. (2023). Coaching as a growth- or security-oriented process – How regulatory fit increases coaching success. Plos One, 18(10):e0286059
- Behrendt, P.*, Mühlberger, C.*, Göritz, A. S., & Jonas, E. (2021). Relationship, purpose, and change – An integrative model of coach behavior. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 73(2), 103-121. (*shared first-authorship)
- Mühlberger, C., Böhm, A., & Jonas, E. (2021). Motivationale Passung im Coaching. In C. Rauen (Hrsg.), Handbuch Coaching (4. Aufl., S.327-346). Göttingen: Hogrefe.
- Mühlberger, C., Klackl, J., Sittenthaler, S., & Jonas, E. (2020). The approach-motivational nature of reactance – Evidence from asymmetrical frontal cortical activation. Motivation Science, 6(3), 203-220.
- Mühlberger, C., Angus, D., Jonas, E., Harmon-Jones, C., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2017). Perceived control increases the reward positivity and stimulus preceding negativity. Psychophysiology, 54, 310-322.
- Steindl, C., Jonas, E., Sittenthaler, S., Traut-Mattausch, E., & Greenberg, J. (2015). Understanding psychological reactance: New developments and findings. Zeitschrift für Psychologie, 223, 205-214.
