Dr. W. (Wouter) van den Bos
Associate Professor
Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Programme group Developmental Psychology
Area of expertise: Teenagers, Adolescence, Social media, Reinforcement learning, Social learning, Social networks, Brain development, Decision-making, Neuro-economics
Visiting address
- Nieuwe Achtergracht 129
Postal address
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Postbus 15916
1001 NK Amsterdam
Contact details
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Profile
I have a broad background in both neuroscience and developmental psychology and my research broadly investigates the relation between the developing brain and changes in behavior. More specifically, my research is focused on how changes in brain function and structure relate to typical and atypical development of learning and decision-making. To approach these questions, I use computational models, social network analyses, and methods form experimental economics. Computational models are used to quantify behavior and the complex processes underlying learning and decision-making. The parameters from these models support spanning the bridge between developmental theories and neurobiology, and enable to identify more specific processes that underlie developmental change. Using these techniques I have investigated the neurocognitive development of risky & intertemporal choice , basic learning mechanisms , social decision-making, and social learning.
Expertise and research fields
- Teenagers
- Adolescence
- Social media
- Reinforcement learning
- Social learning
- Social networks
- Brain development
- Decision-making
- Neuro-economics
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Research
Research methods
- Computational modeling
- Social network analyses
- Neuroimaging
- Experimental psychology
- Game theory
- On-line research
Current research projects
I am specifically interested in the interaction between the social environment and developmental processes. For instance, I study social influence on decision-making and information search in social networks. In addition, I am interested in how the social environment is represented in the brain, and how this impacts behavior. For this I rely on social network analyses to quantify social relations and use multi voxel pattern analyses (MVPA) to link these to neural representations. In my current research supported by the NWO (Vidi) and ERC (StG) I focus on social networks in schools in order to understand the reciprocal influence of environment and behavior in the context of risk taking and prosocial behavior (visit the social smart project website for more information). More recently we are also expanding this research the digital environment focusing on big data from social media (e.g. from Instagram or twitter) within the context of the H2020 framework (DIGYMATIX). This project also focusses on the impact of social media use on development of brain and cognition and self-regulation.
Research grants & honours
- 2020 H2020 DIGYMATEX
- 2019 Jacobs Foundation Pilot Grant
- 2018 ERC Starting grant
- 2018 NWO VIDI
- 2018 YIELD PhD grant
- 2018 IDA PhD grant
- 2018 ABC Project Grant
- 2018 Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship
- 2019 NSF GROW
- 2016 ORA research grant – Development of Social Learning
- 2013 Stanford Center on Advancing Decision Making in Aging
- 2012 NIH/NIMH RO1 (co-investigator)
- 2012 NIA R13 AG043207 (Co-investigator)
- 2012 NWO Rubicon Grant (PI)
Honours (selection)
- 2022 Member Young Academy Europe
- 2016 APA Rising Star
RPA
- Youth Digitality
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Teaching & PhD supervision
I teach multiple courses in Psychology and Brain and Cognition Research Master, and the Artificial Intelligence Bachelor (Growing a Mind, Cognitive Modeling, Current Directions in Child and Adolescent Development, Computational Cognitive Neuroscience). In addition, I supervise Bachelor's and Master's students from Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Brain and Cognition and Psychobiology.
Current PhD Students
- 2020-2023 Federica Ninsi (co-promotor)
- 2019-2024 Ana Phino (Promotor)
- 2019-2024 Scarlett Slagter (Promotor)
- 2018-2023 Andrea Gradassi (Promotor)
- 2018-2022 Damien Fleur (Promotor)
- 2018-2022 Maud Hensums (Co-supervisor)
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Publications
2024
Hensums, M., van den Bos, W., Overbeek, G., & Larsen, H. (2024). YouTube vloggers set the stage: How public (non)compliance with COVID-19 regulations affects adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 96(3), 429-442. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12207 [details]- Uniacke, B., Van Den Bos, W., Wonderlich, J., Ojeda, J., Posner, J., Steinglass, J. E., & Foerde, K. (2024). Altered learning from positive feedback in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 30(7), 651-659. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617724000237
2023
- Fleur, D. S., Marshall, M., Pieters, M., Brouwer, N., Oomens, G., Konstantinidis, A., Winnips, K., Moes, S., van den Bos, W., Bredeweg, B., & van Vliet, E. A. (2023). IguideME: Supporting Self-Regulated Learning and Academic Achievement with Personalized Peer-Comparison Feedback in Higher Education. Journal of Learning Analytics, 10(2), 100-114. https://doi.org/10.18608/jla.2023.7853 [details]
- Fleur, D. S., van den Bos, W., & Bredeweg, B. (2023). Social comparison in learning analytics dashboard supporting motivation and academic achievement. Computers and Education Open, 4, Article 100130. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2023.100130 [details]
- Giron, A. P., Ciranka, S., Schulz, E., van den Bos, W., Ruggeri, A., Meder, B., & Wu, C. M. (2023). Developmental changes in exploration resemble stochastic optimization. Nature Human Behaviour, 7(11), 1955-1967. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-023-01662-1 [details]
- Gradassi, A., Slagter, S. K., da Silva Pinho, A., Molleman, L., & van den Bos, W. (2023). Network Distance and Centrality Shape Social Learning in the Classroom. School Psychology, 38(2), 67-78. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000490 [details]
- Hensums, M., Brummelman, E., Larsen, H., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. (2023). Social goals and gains of adolescent bullying and aggression: A meta-analysis. Developmental Review, 68, Article 101073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2023.101073 [details]
- Lew-Levy, S., van den Bos, W., Corriveau, K., Dutra, N., Flynn, E., O'Sullivan, E., Pope-Caldwell, S., Rawlings, B., Smolla, M., Xu, J., & Wood, L. (2023). Peer learning and cultural evolution. Child Development Perspectives, 17(2), 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12482 [details]
- Schaaf, J. V., Weidinger, L., Molleman, L. S., & van den Bos, W. (2023). Test-retest reliability of reinforcement learning parameters. Behavior Research Methods. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-023-02203-4
- Slagter, S. K., Gradassi, A., van Duijvenvoorde, A. C. K., & van den Bos, W. (2023). Identifying who adolescents prefer as source of information within their social network. Scientific Reports, 13, Article 20277. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46994-0 [details]
- Slagter, S. K., van Duijvenvoorde, A. C. K., & van den Bos, W. (2023). Adolescents seek social information under uncertainty. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 152(3), 890–905. https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0001299 [details]
- Sultan, M., Scholz, C., & van den Bos, W. (2023). Leaving traces behind: Using social media digital trace data to study adolescent wellbeing. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 10, Article 100281. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2023.100281 [details]
2022
- Gaule, A., Bevilacqua, L., Molleman, L., Roberts, R., van Duijvenvoorde, A. C., Van den Bos, W., McCrory, E. J., & Viding, E. (2022). Social information use in adolescents with conduct problems and varying levels of callous-unemotional traits. JCPP Advances, 2(1), Article e12067. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12067 [details]
- Hofmans, L., & van den Bos, W. (2022). Social learning across adolescence: A Bayesian neurocognitive perspective. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 58, Article 101151. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101151 [details]
- Langener, A. M., Kramer, A-W., van den Bos, W., & Huizenga, H. M. (2022). A shortened version of Raven’s standard progressive matrices for children and adolescents. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 40(1), 35-45. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12381 [details]
- Molleman, L., Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2022). Social influence in adolescence as a double-edged sword. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 289(1977), Article 20220045. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0045 [details]
- Mukherjee, P., Vilgis, V., Rhoads, S., Chahal, R., Fassbender, C., Leibenluft, E., Dixon, J. F., Pakyurek, M., van den Bos, W., Hinshaw, S. P., Guyer, A. E., & Schweitzer, J. B. (2022). Associations of Irritability With Functional Connectivity of Amygdala and Nucleus Accumbens in Adolescents and Young Adults With ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 26(7), 1040-1050. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211057074 [details]
- Niebaum, J. C., Kramer, A-W., Huizenga, H. M., & van den Bos, W. (2022). Adolescents sample more information prior to decisions than adults when effort costs increase. Developmental Psychology, 58(10), 1974–1985. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001397 [details]
2021
- Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2021). Adolescent risk-taking in the context of exploration and social influence. Developmental Review, 61, Article 100979. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2021.100979 [details]
- Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2021). Social norms in adolescent risk engagement and recommendation. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 39(3), 481-498. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12369 [details]
- Fleur, D. S., Bredeweg, B., & van den Bos, W. (2021). Metacognition: ideas and insights from neuro- and educational sciences. NPJ Science of Learning, 6, Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00089-5 [details]
- Kennedy, B. V., Hanson, J. L., Buser, N. J., van den Bos, W., Rudolph, K. D., Davidson, R. J., & Pollak, S. D. (2021). Accumbofrontal tract integrity is related to early life adversity and feedback learning. Neuropsychopharmacology, 46(13), 2288-2294. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-021-01129-9 [details]
- Klapwijk, E. T., van den Bos, W., Tamnes, C. K., Raschle, N. M., & Mills, K. L. (2021). Opportunities for increased reproducibility and replicability of developmental neuroimaging. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 47, Article 100902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100902 [details]
- Mukherjee, P., Hartanto, T., Iosif, A-M., Dixon, J. F., Hinshaw, S. P., Pakyurek, M., van den Bos, W., Guyer, A. E., McClure, S. M., Schweitzer, J. B., & Fassbender, C. (2021). Neural basis of working memory in ADHD: Load versus complexity. NeuroImage: Clinical, 30, Article 102662. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102662 [details]
- da Silva Pinho, A., Molleman, L., Braams, B. R., & van den Bos, W. (2021). Majority and popularity effects on norm formation in adolescence. Scientific Reports, 11, Article 12884. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92482-8 [details]
2020
- Bradley, E., Brustkern, J., De Coster, L., van den Bos, W., McClure, S. M., Seitz, A., & Woolley, J. D. (2020). Victory is its own reward: oxytocin increases costly competitive behavior in schizophrenia. Psychological Medicine, 50(4), 674-682 . Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291719000552 [details]
- Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2020). A Bayesian Model of Social Influence under Risk and Uncertainty. In 42nd Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (CogSci 2020): Developing a Mind: Learning in Humans, Animals, and Machines : online, 29 July-1 August 2020 (Vol. 2, pp. 909-915). Cognitive Science Society. https://cognitivesciencesociety.org/cogsci-2020/ [details]
- Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2020). Corrigendum: Social Influence in Adolescent Decision-Making: A Formal Framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 598347. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.598347
- Fleur, D. S., van den Bos, W., & Bredeweg, B. (2020). Learning analytics dashboard for motivation and performance. In V. Kumar, & C. Troussas (Eds.), Intelligent Tutoring Systems: 16th International Conference, ITS 2020, Athens, Greece, June 8–12, 2020 : proceedings (pp. 411-419). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 12149). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49663-0_51 [details]
- Gillet, S., van den Bos, W., & Leite, I. (2020). A social robot mediator to foster collaboration and inclusion among children. In M. Toussaint, A. Bicchi, & T. Hermans (Eds.), Robotics: Science and Systems XVI (Robotics: Science and Systems). MIT Press Journals. https://doi.org/10.15607/RSS.2020.XVI.103 [details]
- Laube, C., & van den Bos, W. (2020). It’s About Time: How Integral Affect Increases Impatience. Emotion, 20(3), 413-425. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000553 [details]
- Laube, C., Lorenz, R., & van den Bos, W. (2020). Pubertal testosterone correlates with adolescent impatience and dorsal striatal activity. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 42, Article 100749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100749 [details]
- Laube, C., van den Bos, W., & Fandakova, Y. (2020). The relationship between pubertal hormones and brain plasticity: Implications for cognitive training in adolescence. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 42, Article 100753. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100753 [details]
- Molleman, L., Tump, A. N., Gradassi, A., Herzog, S., Jayles, B., Kurvers, R. H. J. M., & van den Bos, W. (2020). Strategies for integrating disparate social information. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 287(1939), Article 20202413. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2413 [details]
- Westhoff, B., Molleman, L., Viding, E., van den Bos, W., & van Duijvenvoorde, A. C. K. (2020). Developmental asymmetries in learning to adjust to cooperative and uncooperative environments. Scientific Reports, 10, Article 21761. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-78546-1 [details]
2019
- Brown, P., RELISH Consortium, & Zhou, Y. (2019). Large expert-curated database for benchmarking document similarity detection in biomedical literature search. Database, 2019, Article baz085. https://doi.org/10.1093/database/baz085 [details]
- Ciranka, S., & van den Bos, W. (2019). Social Influence in Adolescent Decision-Making: A Formal Framework. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 1915. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01915 [details]
- Ikink, I., Engelmann, J. B., van den Bos, W., Roelofs, K., & Figner, B. (2019). Time ambiguity during intertemporal decision-making is aversive, impacting choice and neural value coding. NeuroImage, 185, 236-244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.008 [details]
- Molleman, L., Kanngiesser, P., & van den Bos, W. (2019). Social information use in adolescents: The impact of adults, peers and household composition. PLoS ONE, 14(11), Article e0225498. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225498 [details]
- Molleman, L., Kurvers, R. H. J. M., & van den Bos, W. (2019). Unleashing the BEAST: a brief measure of human social information use. Evolution and Human Behavior, 40(5), 492-499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2019.06.005 [details]
- Rodriguez Buritica, J. M., Heekeren, H. R., & van den Bos, W. (2019). The computational basis of following advice in adolescents. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 180, 39-54. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2018.11.019 [details]
- van den Bos, W., Laube, C., & Hertwig, R. (2019). How the Adaptive Adolescent Mind Navigates Uncertainty. In R. Hertwig, T. J. Pleskac, & T. Pachur (Eds.), Taming uncertainty (pp. 305-324). MIT Press. [details]
2018
- Gee, D. G., Bath, K. G., Johnson, C. M., Meyer, H. C., Murty, V. P., van den Bos, W., & Hartley, C. A. (2018). Neurocognitive Development of Motivated Behavior: Dynamic Changes across Childhood and Adolescence. The Journal of Neuroscience, 38(44), 9433-9445. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1674-18.2018 [details]
- van den Bos, W., Bruckner, R., Nassar, M. R., Mata, R., & Eppinger, B. (2018). Computational neuroscience across the lifespan: Promises and pitfalls. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 33, 42-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2017.09.008 [details]
- van den Bos, W., Crone, E. A., Meuwese, R., & Güroğlu, B. (2018). Social network cohesion in school classes promotes prosocial behavior. PLoS ONE, 13(4), Article e0194656. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194656 [details]
2017
- Cardoos, S. L., Ballonoff Suleiman, A., Johnson, M., van den Bos, W., Hinshaw, S. P., & Dahl, R. E. (2017). Social status strategy in early adolescent girls: Testosterone and value-based decision making. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 81, 14-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.013 [details]
- Kamkar, N. H., Lewis, D. J., van den Bos, W., & Morton, J. B. (2017). Ventral striatal activity links adversity and reward processing in children. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 26, 20-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2017.04.002 [details]
- Laube, C., Ballonoff Suleiman, A., Johnson, M., Dahl, R. E., & van den Bos, W. (2017). Dissociable effects of age and testosterone on adolescent impatience. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 80, 162-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.03.012 [details]
- Schepens, J. J., Hertwig, R., & van den Bos, W. (2017). Aging of the Exploring Mind: Older Adults Deviate more from Optimality in Complex Choice Environments. In G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, & E. J. Davelaar (Eds.), CogSci 2017: proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society : London, UK : 26-29 July 2017 : Computational Foundations of Cognition (Vol. 4, pp. 3082-3087). Cognitive Science Society. https://mindmodeling.org/cogsci2017/papers/0582/index.html [details]
- Tei, S., Fujino, J., Kawada, R., Jankowski, K. F., Kauppi, J-P., van den Bos, W., Abe, N., Sugihara, G., Miyata, J., Murai, T., & Takahashi, H. (2017). Collaborative roles of Temporoparietal Junction and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Different Types of Behavioural Flexibility. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 6415. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06662-6 [details]
- de Water, E., Mies, G. W., Figner, B., Yoncheva, Y., van den Bos, W., Castellanos, F. X., Cillessen, A. H. N., & Scheres, A. (2017). Neural mechanisms of individual differences in temporal discounting of monetary and primary rewards in adolescents. NeuroImage, 153, 198-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.013 [details]
- van den Bos, W. (2017). Ambiguity Aversion. In V. Zeigler-Hill, & T. K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (Living ed.). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_2290-1, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_2290 [details]
2017
- Bradley, E., Brustkern, J., De Coster, L., van den Bos, W., McClure, S., & Wooley, J. (2017). Oxytocin Enhances Overbidding in Multiplayer Auctions. Biological Psychiatry, 81(10, supplement), S408. Article 1009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.02.736 [details]
2023
- Hensums, M., van den Bos, W., Overbeek, G. J., & Larsen, H. (2023). YouTube Vloggers Set the Stage: How Public (Non)Compliance With COVID-19 Regulations Affects Adolescents. Paper presented at Society for Research on Child Development (SRCD), United States.
2022
- Hensums, M., Brummelman, E., Larsen, H., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2022). YouTube Vloggers set the Stage: A First Exploration of COVID-19 Related Norms on the Internet. Paper presented at 18th Biennial conference of the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA), Dublin, Ireland.
- Hensums, M., Larsen, H., Brummelman, E., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2022). Self-Serving Behavior in Adolescence: An Experimental Test of the Influence of Peer Norms, Agentic Goals, and Narcissism. Paper presented at 18th Biennial conference of the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA), Dublin, Ireland.
- Hensums, M., Larsen, H., Brummelman, E., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2022). Self-Serving Behavior in Adolescence: An Experimental Test of the Influence of Peer Norms, Agentic Goals, and Narcissism. Paper presented at Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA), New Orleans, United States.
- Hensums, M., Larsen, H., Brummelman, E., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2022). Self-Serving Behavior in Adolescence: An Experimental Test of the Influence of Peer Norms, Agentic Goals, and Narcissism. Paper presented at VNOP Conference 2022, Utrecht, Netherlands.
2021
- Hensums, M., Brummelman, E., Larsen, H., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2021). Social Goals and Gains of Adolescent Bullying: A Meta-Analysis. Paper presented at EADP Summer Tour, Stavanger, Norway.
- Hensums, M., Brummelman, E., Larsen, H., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2021). Social Goals and Gains of Adolescent Bullying: A Meta-Analysis. Paper presented at VNOP Conference 2021.
- Hensums, M., Brummelman, E., Larsen, H., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2021). Social Goals and Gains of Adolescent Bullying: A Meta-Analysis. Poster session presented at SRCD Biennial Meeting.
2020
- Hensums, M., Larsen, H., Brummelman, E., van den Bos, W., & Overbeek, G. J. (2020). Fostering Positive High-School Climates With a Social Network Intervention: A Pilot Study. Paper presented at 17th Biennial conference of the European Association for Research on Adolescence (EARA).
Prize / grant
- van den Bos, W. (2017). Jacobs Foundation Early Career Fellowship 2018-2020 (150.000CHF, PI).
Media appearance
- van den Bos, W. (06-12-2021). peer influence in adolescence [Web]. Why is the teenage brain so receptive to peer influence?. https://onegarden.com/talk/wouter-van-den-bos-adolescence
Others
- da Silva Pinho, A. (organiser), Gradassi, A. (organiser), Molleman, L. (participant) & van den Bos, W. (participant) (13-7-2022 - 15-7-2022). 5th Early Career Social Learning Research Network Workshop, Amsterdam. 5th ESLR Workshop - Social learning across the lifespan and generations. Small scientific meeting across several disciplines (biology, psychology, (…) (organising a conference, workshop, ...).
2021
- Da Silva Pinho, A. F., Molleman, L., Braams, B. R. & van den Bos, W. (24-11-2021). Norm formation in adolescence. Universiteit van Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.21942/uva.17074889.v1
2020
- Fleur, D. S., van den Bos, W. & Bredeweg, B. (31-3-2020). Learning Analytics Dashboard for Motivation and Performance. Universiteit van Amsterdam. https://doi.org/10.21942/uva.12053676.v2
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Ancillary activities
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Max Planck Instituut - Berlijn
Onderzoeker
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Max Planck Instituut - Berlijn
Hensums, M., van den Bos, W., Overbeek, G., & Larsen, H. (2024). YouTube vloggers set the stage: How public (non)compliance with COVID-19 regulations affects adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 96(3), 429-442.