Maria Sandgren


Senior Lecturer

Political psychology, music psychology.

+46 8 608 40 14 +4686084014

Social Sciences



In my research project POLOR "Psychological mechanisms underlying political orientations in an old and a new democracy - A comparative study between Latvia and Sweden" funded by The Foundation for Baltic and East European Studies. Other members of the research group are professor emeritus Henry Montgomery, Stockholm University, and professor Girts Dimdins, University of Lativa. We explore what psychological aspects of political ideology are universal and which ones are more culture-specific. In a range of minor studies we are interested to investigate how individuals judge realistic political proposal for example how factors like sexism and world views affect judgments of law proposal regarding increased gender equality. We are also investigating underlying factors behind trust to political leaders and parties.

In a project on "#metoo activism in Sweden: Development, consequences and strategies" I collaborate with Karin Hansson, associate professor (computer and systems sciences), Hillevi Ganetz, professor (gender studies) och Malin Sveningsson, associate professor (media and communication science). We are investigating the development of the #metoo movement in Sweden and how it gained momentum. The project is funded by Formas and the Swedish Research Council.


Another field of interest is music psychology where my studies are about singing and singers; well-being and emotions, personality, singing as profession, choral singing and musical expertise.


I have been teaching in many areas such as social psychology, cognition, gender, creativity, personality, life span, statistics and research methods, scientific writing, work and organizational psychology, and I have also been supervising theses in a range of areas. Some years back, I developed and established the subject of psychology and the personnel management program at Södertörn University.
