Publications Based on SOEP Data: SOEPlit

TOWARD AN EMPIRICAL VALIDATION OF SAKIBPHOBIA (TOXIC COMPARATIVE THEORY): LINKING ENVY, SOCIAL COMPARISON, AND WORKPLACE INCIVILITY ACROSS OPEN DATASETS

Sakibphobia—proposed by S M Nazmuz Sakib—posits an irrational aversion, resentment, and discriminatory bias toward people perceived as “more successful”. We empirically position this theory within established social–psychological constructs: malicious vs. benign envy (BeMaS), social comparison orientation (INCOM), and downstream counterproductive social behaviors (e.g., workplace incivility). We identify ...

Employment quality and mental health in Germany: The mismatch of low employment quality with work and family values by gender

Empirical evidence on whether low-quality employment is detrimental to workers’ mental health is mostly cross-sectional and empirical evidence on pathways linking employment quality (EQ) to mental health remains scarce. Consequently, this study examines subsequent mental health associations of low-quality employment. Associations between EQ and mental health are investigated through a typology of employment ...

“Time without you”: Transition to widowhood and its impact on time perspective and attitudes toward the future

Widowhood is a significant life event that can profoundly alter an individual’s perception of time. Those who have lost a spouse often find themselves reflecting on past memories, while simultaneously feeling disconnected from the present. However, the impact of widowhood on one’s experience and perception of time has not been thoroughly explored. In this study, we investigate changes in time perspective ...

How routine tasks affect labor market inequalities between vocational and tertiary graduates over the career

How do routine tasks shape disparities in income and employment prospects between workers with vocational and tertiary educational qualifications? Whereas existing research predominantly emphasizes skill differentials as the primary driver, this study proposes that group differences in the prevalence and returns to routine tasks contribute to existing disparities. Using decomposition methods on data ...

Re-partnering and single mothers' mental health and life satisfaction trajectories

Objective: This study examines single mothers' mental health and life satisfaction trajectories around re-partnering transitions, and the driving factors of these associations. Background: Single mothers are a particularly disadvantaged group in terms of their mental health and life satisfaction. According to the resource model, re-partnering has a positive effect on these outcomes because it ...

Decomposing educational inequality in achievement test scores using ANOGI methodology

This paper addresses the influence of ethnic and gender disparities on educational outcomes and recognizes the significance of maternal education in shaping students' academic achievements. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of policies aimed at integrating maternal involvement in education among 15-year-old students from OECD countries. Specifically, it investigates whether students' ...

Social Media: Population Favors Regulation—but Ban Only for Those up to the Age of 12

Social media usage by children and young people is an increasingly controversial topic. The focus is on risks, opportunities, and possible regulations. Politicians from all relevant parties are now open to a social media ban up to a certain age; the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs has set up a commission of experts. Based on a short survey in the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), conducted in September ...

When are pupil absences most harmful for academic achievement?

How Behavior and Motivation Mediate the Impact of School Absences on Achievement

This study investigates the mediating role of psychosocial factors, including behaviors and motivations, in the association between school absences and academic achievement. Using comprehensive longitudinal data from England, linking National Pupil Database (NPD) school register data with Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) survey data (N=7,204), the analysis explores the impact of absences at ages 12/13 ...

The Minimum Wage in Germany: Institutional Setting and a Systematic Review of Key Findings

The introduction of a statutory minimum wage in Germany in 2015 aimed at improving the welfare of low-wage workers but was also accompanied by concerns about distortions in Europe’s largest economy. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of results from the evaluation of the German minimum wage by compiling recent descriptive evidence and a systematic literature review on causal effects through ...