15–18 March 2026 in Groningen, The Netherlands

Counterfactual thinking plays a central role in our ability to mentally simulate alternatives to past and potential future events (so-called prefactuals). In recent years, psychological research on counterfactuals has expanded significantly, moving beyond their basic features and processes to explore their applications in areas such as communication and health behaviour.

An EASP-funded small group meeting will provide a platform to discuss these latest  advancements. Scheduled for 15–18 March 2026, the meeting will take place in Groningen, The Netherlands.

The event will offer participants the opportunity to present their latest research and engage in indepth discussions. The conference aims to foster communication and collaboration among researchers approaching counterfactual thinking from different perspectives.

We therefore invite submissions from researchers exploring counterfactuals across all areas (i.e., within but also outside social psychology), with a special emphasis on contributions from Postdocs and PhD students.

Confirmed keynote speakers include:
• Patrizia Catellani, Catholic University of Milan, Milan, Italy
• Felipe De Brigard, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

The conference will also feature:
• A roundtable discussion with Ruth Byrne, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
• A social event (details will be provided, but depend on final number of participants)
• A mentor-mentee session

To apply, please submit an abstract of your research including a title, author details, and a summary (up to 250 words) by 22 October 2025 using this Abstract Submission Form: https://forms.gle/5ohhyHvvmrSdX7o96.

In your submission, please indicate which type of talk you are most interested in. We plan for a mix of
• a limited number of standard, longer talks (involving several empricial studies)
• several shorter talks, which can either
o be empirical (involving one or two empirical studies) or
o pitch research ideas (involving the presentation of planned research)

The conference is generously sponsored by the European Association of Social Psychology (EASP) and the University of Groningen. Conference fees cover coffee breaks, lunches and dinners and the social event and are as follows:
• EASP full members: 200€
• EASP Postgraduate members: no fee
• Non-members: 250€
• Postgraduate non-members: 100 Euro

Attendees are asked to arrange for their accomodation independently; a list with suggested accomodation options for various budgets will be provided to participants with their notification of accpetance (15 November 2025).

We look forward to welcoming you in Groningen!

Organisers:
• Kai Epstude (University of Groningen, Netherlands)
• Kevin Winter (University of Hohenheim, Germany)
• Karl-Andrew Woltin (Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve)

For further details or questions, please contact Kai Epstude (k.epstude@rug.nl)

Key dates:
• Abstract submission deadline: 22 Oct 2025
• Notification of accpetance: 15 Nov 2025
• Registration deadline: 01 Dec 2025
• Meeting: 15-18 Mar 2026