My research mission is to identify how positive relationships with peers can protect against (the adverse consequences of) bullying. From my PhD onwards, I have developed a clear research line on the impact of peer norms in adolescent development, combining insights from education (classroom context, academic achievement), sociology (micro-macro processes, peer influence processes, social norms), developmental psychology (aggression, prosociality), and cutting-edge statistics (social network analysis, cross-lagged panel analyses).

 My studies convincingly show that popular peers set the norm for what behaviors are considered appropriate, and that these norms influence adolescents’ friendship choices (who is an attractive friend?) and behaviors (how should I behave?), such as bullying, but also more positive, prosocial behaviors. I also found that norms affect the wellbeing of different types of students, and that victims in more positive classrooms may feel worse than victims is more negative classrooms.

For the upcoming years, I received a Rubicon funding and a postdoctoral fellow funding from the Academy of Finland to examine whether it helps victims when they are being defended by their peers.

Besides these topics, I strongly advocate open science. In October, I will organize an open science workshop in Finland. I also strive to translate my research findings to practice. I recently recorded a podcast and am regularly interviewed by news papers or magazines. I am a frequent speaker at international conferences, including EARA, SRCD and SRA. In total, I have provided over 15 presentations, including one invited presentation. I am on the editorial board of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, and the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology.