Dear colleagues,

Sixty-five years after Milgram, research on obedience to authority is entering a “second wave” marked by theoretical and methodological innovation, as well as renewed conceptual debate. Yet this expansion has also brought fragmentation. Obedience is variously conceptualized as blind submission, an agentic state, engaged followership, or hierarchical coordination. Paradigms diverge, assumptions differ, and findings do not always converge.

This EASP Small Group Meeting brings together scholars across traditions and methods to map the field, clarify core mechanisms, and foster cross-paradigm integration. Our goals are to:
• map current theoretical and methodological approaches
• clarify core concepts and mechanisms and promote integration
• strengthen international research networks
• situate psychological models of obedience in broader historical and societal contexts

In line with the societal “third mission” of science and our commitment to interdisciplinary exchange, the meeting will include a guided visit to the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial Site, organized in collaboration with historians and educators from the Center for Commemorative Culture (University of Regensburg). The visit will provide a space to reflect on how psychological research on (dis)obedience intersects with historical analysis, public memory, commemorative culture, and contemporary societal debates.

The program will combine research presentations, structured discussions, and networking opportunities to foster exchange and long-term collaboration. We invite applications from both junior and senior researchers. Presentation formats include:
• full talks (max. 25 minutes + discussion)
• blitz talks (max. 15 minutes + discussion)
• posters (including planned or preregistered studies)

To participate, please submit an abstract (max. 250 words) and indicate your preferred presentation format by 15 May 2026 via the following form:
https://sites.google.com/view/obedience-to-authority-network/submission-details?authuser=0

Selection will be based on thematic fit with the meeting’s integrative aims, contribution to discussion, geographical diversity, and representation across career stages (early-career researchers are especially encouraged to apply).

Further information (including a preliminary program outline) is available here:
https://sites.google.com/view/obedience-to-authority-network/start

The meeting will take place 9–11 September 2026 at the University of Regensburg (Germany). Hotel rooms have been reserved for participants. Accommodation costs and registration fees are subject to additional grant approval. A limited number of participants from underfunded institutions will be eligible for support—please indicate this in the submission form if applicable.

The meeting is supported by the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) and the Vielberth Foundation (University of Regensburg). Cooperation partners include the Center for Commemorative Culture (University of Regensburg) and the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial Site.

Organizers: Felix J. Götz (University of Regensburg), Vanessa Mitschke (University of Göttingen), Megan E. Birney (University of Birmingham), & Emilie A. Caspar (Ghent University)
Contact: obedience@ur.de