The Psychology Research Institute (INPSY) is a specialized research institute at the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University. Our research focus stems from a long-lasting interest in the topics of developmental, social and educational psychology, psychology of personality and psychology in the media. Strong methodological and statistical background allows us to perform quality basic and applied research and develop new psychodiagnostic methods.

We cooperate with the Department of Psychology at the FSS, Masaryk University. We participate in the teaching of students and at the same time, create conditions and opportunities for their involvement in existing research projects.

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Research Teams

Health, Media, and Sexuality

Measurement in Psychology

Gifted Children

Citizenship and Democracy

Early Development, Parenthood, and Attachment

Adolescents, Young Adults, and Identity

Center for Psychotherapy Research

Behaviors of Individuals and Groups Lab (BIG lab)

News

How Prejudices Spread Among Friends

NewsFresh studiesFor parents and teachers

Prejudice against ethnic and religious groups is a serious and widespread problem in today’s society, across countries and cultures. Research has long shown, however, that we do not form our attitudes toward other groups entirely on our own—they are also strongly influenced by the people around us, especially family and friends. Numerous studies have confirmed that friends’ levels of prejudice do indeed converge over time, but a key question remained unanswered: How significant is the impact of this socialization on the overall level of prejudice within a broader social network (such as a circle of friends or a school classroom)? Does friendship between people with different levels of prejudice tend to lead to a convergence of attitudes, or, conversely, to an increase in differences? A new study, in which our member Tibor Žingora participated, focused precisely on this question.

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NewsFor practitioners

Social Pathologies of Contemporary Civilization: Call for Abstracts

The Department of Sociology at the Faculty of Social Studies (FSS) of Masaryk University (MUNI), in collaboration with INPSY, is helping to organize the 11th annual “Social Pathologies of Contemporary Civilization” conference, which will focus on contemporary forms of social pathologies, their causes, consequences, and possibilities for social transformation. Our member Simona Hendrychová is also a member of the local organizing committee. The conference is now accepting abstract submissions, which must be submitted by October 15, 2026. The conference will take place in Brno on May 20–21, 2027.

Artwork: Ladislava Gažiová, Ornament, 2025. Spray paint on canvas, 100×80 cm

NewsFresh studiesFor practitioners

Growing Up Near the Frontline: The Experiences of Ukrainian Adolescents and Their Parents' Perspective

How does living in close proximity to the frontline affect the mental well-being of adolescents, and how do their parents perceive their experiences? A new study by INPSY members Karel Rečka and Anna Ševčíková, alongside researchers from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, maps the everyday impacts of the conflict on families from Ukraine's hardest-hit regions. The findings reveal not only impaired emotional regulation and somatic symptoms of stress, but also a discrepancy between how safety and fear are perceived by children versus their parents.

NewsFresh studies

European adolescents online and in games: loneliness links risk and health

A number of studies show that adolescents who play games or use social media at risk tend to be lonelier and have poorer mental well-being. However, the usual approach is to work with a sum of symptoms, so it remains unclear which specific manifestations of risky use are behind this connection and whether they are the same for gaming and social media. This is precisely what a new international study, in which our members Andrea Stašek and Lukas Blinka participated, focused on.

NewsFresh studiesFor practitioners

How do digital technologies affect the social support and relationships of older employees?

You may have read our recent article about the impact of digitalization of work on the physical health of older employees – but how does digitalization translate into their sense of social support and mental well-being? The population is aging, and so is the workforce, while workplaces are rapidly becoming digital. How does this change affect the perceived social support of older employees – the feeling that they can rely on colleagues, superiors and the organization? An international review study, in which researcher Anna Ševčíková from INPSY also participated, provides the answer.

Collaboration

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