Department of Psychology

Johannes A. Karl

Senior Scientist, University of Zurich

I study how human behavior emerges from the interplay between evolutionary pressures, historical contexts, and cultural meaning systems. Taking a complex systems approach, my research uses network psychometrics and computational methods to understand how values, personality, and contemplative practices function across diverse populations. This work has spanned collaborations in over 40 countries, revealing how psychological phenomena that appear universal often mask meaningful cultural variation, and how traditional measurement approaches can obscure this complexity.

Work With Me Curriculum Vitae
Johannes A. Karl

Research

My work takes a complexity science perspective to cross-cultural psychology, developing new methods that capture nuance traditional approaches often miss.

Google Scholar 2,277 citations h-index 24

Contemplative Practices Across Cultures

How do practices aimed at cultivating awareness and equanimity translate across cultural boundaries? My work spans the full spectrum of contemplative traditions, from Buddhist-derived mindfulness to ancient Stoic philosophy, examining how these practices function differently across cultural contexts and what they share in common as approaches to human flourishing.

Mindfulness Stoicism Cross-cultural measurement Contemplative science

Historical Psychology

Can we trace psychological concepts through history? Using computational text analysis and NLP, I extract personality and value structures from historical narratives, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to autobiographical texts, to understand how psychological constructs have evolved across millennia.

Text mining Computational analysis Narrative psychology

Human Values

Values sit at the intersection of evolutionary heritage and cultural learning, shaping how individuals navigate their social worlds. My research examines how values relate to well-being, political behavior, and life choices, using network approaches to reveal the dynamic interplay between what people care about and how they act. This includes directing a European Joint Research Council initiative on values in political rhetoric.

Schwartz values Values-behavior dynamics Political psychology Network analysis

Cross-Cultural Methods

How do we know our measures mean the same thing across cultures? I develop network psychometric approaches and measurement invariance frameworks that reveal when traditional methods obscure meaningful cultural variation, and offer better alternatives.

Network psychometrics Measurement invariance Multilevel modeling

Ritual and Social Behavior

Why do humans perform rituals? I study the psychological and social functions of ritual practices, from Diwali celebrations in India to everyday routines, examining how repetitive behaviors reduce anxiety, build social bonds, and create meaning.

Ritual cognition Social bonding Anxiety reduction

Well-Being and Mental Health

What predicts flourishing across different contexts? I use network approaches to understand mental health in understudied populations, from veteran families to first responders, identifying distinct symptom patterns and intervention targets.

Network analysis Veteran mental health Cross-cultural well-being

Publications

2025
2024
2023
2022
2018-2021
View complete publication list on Google Scholar →

Consulting and Collaboration

I partner with research teams, organizations, and policymakers who need rigorous expertise in cross-cultural research, advanced quantitative methods, or evidence-based approaches to understanding human behavior. Whether you are designing a multinational study, seeking to validate measures across populations, or translating research findings into practical applications, I can help you navigate methodological complexities and deliver robust results.

Methodological Consulting

Expert guidance on network psychometrics, measurement invariance testing, structural equation modeling, and multilevel analysis. I help research teams select appropriate analytical strategies, interpret complex results, and ensure their methods match their research questions. Particularly suited for projects involving cross-cultural comparisons or longitudinal designs.

Research Design

End-to-end support for designing cross-cultural studies that yield meaningful, comparable data. This includes sample planning, measure selection and adaptation, translation protocols, and preregistration strategies. I specialize in helping teams avoid common pitfalls that compromise cross-cultural validity.

Workshops and Training

Customized training programs in R-based statistical methods, delivered in-person or remotely. Topics range from introductory data analysis to advanced network modeling and measurement invariance testing. Workshops can be tailored for graduate programs, research groups, or professional development contexts.

Research Collaboration

I actively seek collaborative partnerships on projects examining values, personality, contemplative practices, or well-being across cultures. If you are building a multinational consortium, need a methodological collaborator, or want to extend your work into new cultural contexts, I welcome the conversation.

Interested in working together?

johannes.karl@psychologie.uzh.ch

Teaching

I bring a passion for making complex quantitative methods accessible and engaging. My teaching spans undergraduate through doctoral levels across multiple countries, covering cultural psychology, evolutionary psychology, advanced statistics, and research methodology. I design courses that balance theoretical foundations with hands-on application, ensuring students leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to their own research.

My approach emphasizes modern tools and reproducible workflows, with a particular focus on R programming for statistical analysis, data visualization, and open science practices. I have experience developing new curricula, adapting existing courses to diverse student populations, and integrating cutting-edge methods like network psychometrics and multilevel modeling into accessible learning experiences.

Beyond the classroom, I am committed to mentorship and research training. I have supervised PhD, Masters, and Honours students to successful completion, guiding projects that span cross-cultural methodology, mindfulness research, and computational approaches to personality. Several of my students have received university-wide recognition for their research excellence.

Contact

I am based in Zurich and happy to discuss research collaborations, consulting inquiries, or speaking opportunities.

johannes.karl@psychologie.uzh.ch

Request PDF Access

Enter your details to request this paper

Paper Title Journal Name

You will receive an email with a download link once your request is approved.