Lotte van Dillen is professor of Social cognition and decision making at the unit of Social, Economic and Organisational Psychology of Leiden University, researcher and advisor at the Knowledge Center for Psychology and Economic Behavior (KCPEG) and a member of the Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC). In addition, Lotte teaches about decision making at the individual and group level for the Academy for Legislators (Academie voor Wetgeving) and the Study Centre for the Judiciary (Studiecentrum voor Rechtspleging).

More information about Lotte van Dillen

News

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  13 October 2025 Finding our way out of the hyper-nervous society? ‘Time to pause and reflect on our basic human needs’
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  23 September 2024 How do we make choices in an overwhelming world? That is what Lotte van Dillen will study as new Professor Social Cognition and Decision Making
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  03 September 2024 'I don't want that benefit anymore': Why people aren't claiming the financial support they're entitled to
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  29 May 2024 The new self-evaluation of the Institute of Psychology: ‘The quality of the academic culture is more important’
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  25 April 2024 Intriguing food reflex discovered with a smartphone
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  02 November 2023 Feeling overwhelmed by your PhD? This new infographic offers guidance
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  22 May 2023 NWO Open Competition grants for six researchers
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  17 May 2023 NWO grant for research Lotte van Dillen on how distractions influence eating and drinking behaviour
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  20 June 2022 Psychology Science Day 2022
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  13 June 2022 Healthy Society Event: lots of inspiration exchanged about societal wellbeing and social sciences
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  08 March 2022 What drives Lotte van Dillen, the new Psychology Director of Research?
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  04 February 2022 Andrea Evers’ role in the new Executive Board of Psychology
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  12 January 2022 Psychology Awards 2021
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  14 October 2020 Social Science Matters: How useful is deprivation of liberty?
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  30 October 2018 Lotte van Dillen starts the European collaborative project Work Hard, Play Hard

Leiden Psychology Blog

Lotte van Dillen is professor of Social cognition and decision making at the unit of Social, Economic and Organisational Psychology of Leiden University, researcher and advisor at the Knowledge Center for Psychology and Economic Behavior (KCPEG) and a member of the Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC). In addition, Lotte teaches about decision making at the individual and group level for the Academy for Legislators (Academie voor Wetgeving) and the Study Centre for the Judiciary (Studiecentrum voor Rechtspleging).

Research area 

The central premise in Lotte’s research is that our mental capacity is limited, and that this has consequences for what we (or do not perceive), feel, think and decide.

Due to recent technological and social developments, such as digitization and the 24/7 economy, information is coming at us at any time of the day and multitasking has become the norm. At the same time, our brain's mental capacity to process this information is limited. This can put pressure on our judgment and decision-making. Information is no longer properly integrated, or certain aspects are taken into account too much or too little. This can have negative consequences for our individual well-being, and for society as a whole.

Mental load and stress can disrupt the processing of sensory stimuli such as taste and hunger, and thus contribute to unhealthier choices. Time constraints, administrative burden and financial worries can contribute to an unbalanced emphasis on the short term at the expense of long-term returns. And new information technologies and simulation techniques can lead to certain forms of information being perceived as more intrusive, and 'reflecting the objective truth', while other relevant aspects are more easily overlooked, thus affecting truth finding.

A good understanding of the origin of such biases in judgment and decision-making is crucial to promote more balanced and effective choice behaviour. This requires an integrative behavioural science approach that pays attention to both the (neuro)psychological mechanisms of individual judgement and decision-making behaviour, as well as the socio-psychological context in which these take place.

Short CV

Lotte van Dillen obtained her Master's degree in social psychology (cum laude) and in cognitive psychology (cum laude) at the University of Amsterdam in 2004. From 2004 to 2008 she conducted her dissertation research at the ‘other’ university from Amsterdam: the VU University. At the end of 2008 she successfully defended her dissertation (cum laude), in which she examined the role of working memory in the experience of negative feelings. In 2009-2010, Lotte  worked as a post-doc at Utrecht University and then New York University after which she moved to Leiden University. From January 2022 until September 2025, Lotte served as Research Director at the Psychology Institute Board.

Teaching

Supervisor Master thesis and intersnhip
Supervisor Master research apprenticeship
Lecturer Social Judgment and Decision Making (MSc)
Social and Organizational Psychology (BSc)
Social Psychology in Organizations (BSc)                                     

Awards/Grants

• May 2023 ‘Distracted and disaffected. How daily distractions influence our dietary consumption habits and glucose dynamics’ (€400,000). NWO Open Competition SSH-M.

• March 2021 'Beelden betwisten: het bevragen van camerabeelden in de politiepraktijk [Contesting images: questioning camera recordings in police practice]'. Awarded by Politie en Wetenschap [Police and Science Program] (€91,000). Together with Dr Gabry Vanderveen (Erasmus School of Law).

• December 2020 'How we eat: an inventory of consumption settings and their effect on diet and health'.  ODISSEI-LISS 2020 call  (€10,000). Together with Dr Floor van Meer, Dr. Frank de Vos and Frederike Mensink.

• December 2020 ''Poor benefits. The role of financial stress in the non-take-up of social welfare.'.  ODISSEI-LISS 2020 call  (€10,000). Together with Drs Olaf Simonse, Prof. Eric van Dijk and Prof. Wilco van Dijk.

• ‘Work hard, play hard. Neuropsychological correlates and behavioral implications of hedonic compensation’ (€553,254). With Prof. Wilhelm Hofmann (Co-PI) & Dr Henk van Steenbergen (Co-I). Open Research Area (ORA). September 2018
• ‘Conditioning of insulin responses. A high risk – high gain intervention for diabetes type-2’ (€100,000). With Prof. Andrea Evers (PI), Prof. Hanno Pijl, Dr Judy Veldhuizen, & Drs Alexandrina Skvortsova. Diabetesfonds & ZonMW. July 2018
• December 2017 'Verbeelding in de verhoorkamer.' [visualisations during interrogations]. Awarded by Politie en Wetenschap (€103,000). Together with Dr. Verhoeven and Dr. Vanderveen (Erasmus School of Law).
• May 2014  ‘Aandacht voor smaak. De neuropsychologische mechanismen van smaakbeleving.’ [paying attention to taste. The neuropsychological mechanisms of taste perception.] Awarded by the Gratama Stichting (€24,680).
• December 2013    Teacher of the year. Institute of psychology, Leiden University.
• February 2012      ‘Ire and Punishment. The Role of Negative Emotions and Attentional Control in Children's, Adolescents' and Adults' Punishment.’ Together with Dr. Michaela Gummerum (Developmental Psychology, Plymouth University, UK) and Prof. dr. Eric van Dijk (Social and Organizational Psychology, Leiden University, the Netherlands). Awarded by the ERSC (Economic and Social research Counsil; £209,00).

Other academic activities

• Associate editor: Journal of Experimental Psychology General
• Co-chair of the NWO advisory board Behavior and Education
• Editorial board member for: 
  Motivation Science 
  Cognition and Emotion 
  Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
• Fellow of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology

Publications