dr. S. Zebel (Sven)

As a social and forensic psychologist, it is my passion to advance the scientific underpinnings and application of strategies that foster sustainable conflict resolution and emotional restoration after serious conflicts and crime. I do this by examining the uptake and impact of services (mediation, courses) and interventions (restorative circles, de-escalation strategies), as well as their psychological dynamics. In addition, I aim to optimize and expand such services and interventions through the use of technology – for example, the use of human – avatar interactions in virtual reality to prepare for mediation or as an alternative when mediation is unfeasible.   

Expertise

• Psychology

  • Groups
  • Attitudes
  • Expectations
  • Emotion
  • Behavior
  • Research
  • Shame
  • Connectedness

Organisations

Publications

Other contributions

Peer-reviewed articles

• Zebel, S., Schreurs, W., & Ufkes, E. G. (2017).  Crime seriousness and participation in restorative justice: The role of time elapsed since the offense. Law and Human Behavior, 41, 385-397. DOI: 10.1037/lhb0000242
• Dijk, M. van, Giebels, E., & Zebel, S. (2016). Building strength or lending an ear in legal conflicts: Dependence and conflict asymmetry as distinct predictors of needs for support. Negotiation and Conflict Management Research, 9, 3-21. DOI: 10.1111/ncmr.12066
• Magendans, J., Gutteling, J., & Zebel, S. (2016). Psychological determinants of financial buffer saving: The influence of financial risk tolerance and regulatory focus. Journal of Risk Research, DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2016.1147491
• Claessen, J.A.A.C., Zeles, G., Zebel, S. & Nelen, H. (2015). Bemiddeling in strafzaken in Maastricht III. Onderzoek naar recidive bij jeugdigen en volwassenen.[Mediation in criminal cases in Maastricht III: An examination of the recidivism rates of juveniles and adults]. Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, 15 (4), 9-24.
• Claessen, J.A.A.C., Zeles, G., Zebel, S. & Nelen, H. (2015). Bemiddeling in strafzaken in Maastricht II. Onderzoek naar de samenhang tussen bemiddeling en recidive. [Mediation in criminal cases in Maastricht II: An examination of the association between mediation and recidivism rates]. Nederlands Juristenblad, 29, 2015-2025.
• Schreurs, W., Zebel, S., & Ufkes, E. (2014). Slachtoffer-daderbemiddeling bij ernstige misdrijven. [Victim-offender mediation after serious offenses]. Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, 14 (4), 10-22.
• Zebel, S., Vries, P. de, Karemaker, M., & Ufkes, E. (2014). Monitoren moet zicht geven op groep jeugdige cyberdaders [Monitoring as a way to gain insight into group of youthful offenders of cybercrime]. Secondant, 6 oktober 2014, link
• Kamau, C., Giner-Sorolla, R., & Zebel, S. (2013). Reconciliation responses, blame and expressions of guilt or shame. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43, E287–E292. DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12048
• Figueiredo, A. M., Doosje, B., Valentim, J. P., & Zebel, S. (2010). Dealing with past colonial conflicts: How perceived characteristics of the victimized outgroup can influence the experience of group-based guilt. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 4, 89-105.
• Zebel, S., Doosje, B., & Spears, R. (2009). How perspective-taking helps and hinders group-based guilt as a function of group identification. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 12, 61-78.
• Zebel, S., Doosje, B., & Spears, R. (2009). The threat of those who “understand”: Ways in which out-groups induce guilt. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 154-162.
• Pennekamp, S. F., Doosje, B., Zebel, S., & Henriquez, A. A. (2009). In matters of opinion, what matters is the group: Minority group members’ emotional reactions to messages about identity expression. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology¸ 45, 778-787.
• Leach, C. W., Van Zomeren, M., Zebel, S., Vliek, M. L. W., Pennekamp, S. F., Doosje, B., Ouwerkerk, J. W., & Spears, R. (2008). Group-level self-definition and self-investment: A hierarchical (multi-component) model of in-group identification. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 144-165. 
• Zebel, S., Zimmermann, A., Viki, G. T., & Doosje, B. (2008). Dehumanization and guilt as related but distinct predictors of support for reparation policies. Political Psychology, 29, 193-219.
• Doosje, B., Zebel, S., Scheermeier, M., & Mathyi, P. (2007). Attributions of responsibility for terrorist attacks: The role of group membership and identification. International Journal of Conflict and Violence, 1, 127-141.   
• Zebel, S., Pennekamp, S. F., Van Zomeren, M., Doosje, B., Van Kleef, G. A., Vliek, M. L. W., & Van der Schalk, J. (2007). Vessels with gold or guilt: Emotional reactions to family involvement associated with glorious or gloomy aspects of the colonial past. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 10, 71-86.
• Pennekamp, S. F., Doosje, B., Zebel, S., & Fischer, A. H. (2007). The past and the pending: The antecedents and consequences of group-based anger in historically and currently disadvantaged groups. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 10, 41-56.

Research reports (externally funded)

• Zebel, S., Vroom, M. & Ufkes, E. (2016). Herstelgerichte cursussen in detentie: Evaluatie van Puinruimen, SOS en DAPPER. [Victim impact courses among prisoners: An evaluation of Puinruimen, SOS en DAPPER]. Research commissioned by the WODC. Enschede: Universiteit Twente. link
• Zebel, S., Vries, P. de, Giebels, E., Kuttschreuter, M. & Stol, W. (2014). Jeugdige daders van cybercrime in Nederland: Een empirische verkenning [Youthful offenders of cybercrime in the Netherland: An empirical exploration.] Research commissioned by the WODC. Enschede: Universiteit Twente. link
• Zebel, S., Alberda, D. & Wartna, B. (2014). Recidive na een reclasseringscontact: Overzicht en analyse van de terugval van personen met een werkstraf of toezicht in de periode 2002-2009 [Recidivism after probation contact: Overview and analyses of the relapse into crime of individuals with a community service sanction or probation supervision during 2002-2009.] Research commissioned by the three probation organisations in the Netherlands. Den Haag: WODC / Universiteit Twente. link

Book chapters:

• Top, E., Zebel, S., & Van der Berg, M. (2015). Slachtoffer-dadercontact: een stap verder in de verwerking. [Victim-offender contact: a step further in the recovery of crime.]. In J. van Vliet (Ed.), De recidivist als medeburger. [The recidivist as fellow civilian] (121-134). Amsterdam: SWP.
• Zebel, S., Vries, P. de, Giebels, E., Kuttschreuter, M., Stol, W., Karemaker, M., & Ufkes, E. (2015). Een screenshot van jeugdige daders van cybercrime in Nederland [A screenshot of youthful offenders of cybercrime in the Netherlands]. In I. Weijers en Eliaerts, C. (Eds.), Jeugdcriminologie: Achtergronden van jeugdcriminaliteit [Youth criminology: Background factors of juvenile delinquency] (pp. 355-372). Den Haag: Boom Lemma.
• Van der Berg, M. & Zebel, S. (2013). Onderbouwing van een structurele voorziening voor slachtoffers: Effecten van de Nederlandse slachtoffer-dadergesprekken. [Substantiation of a structural service for victims: Effects of the Dutch victim-offender meetings]. In J. Ouwerkerk, T. de Wit, J. Claessen, P. Jacobs, & S. Meijer (Eds.), Hoe te reageren op misdaad? Op zoek naar de hedendaagse betekenis van preventie, vergelding en herstel. [How to respond to crime? In search of the contemporary meaning of prevention, retribution and restoration.] Den Haag: SDU Uitgevers.
• Zebel, S. (2012). Een quasi-experimentele studie naar de effecten van de Nederlandse slachtoffer-dadergesprekken [A quasi-experimental study into the effects of the Dutch victim-offender meetings]. In I. Weijers (Ed.), Bemiddeling na strafbare feiten: De Nederlandse slachtoffer-dadergesprekken [Mediation after punishable offences: The Dutch victim-offender meetings] (pp. 21-44). Den Haag: Boom Juridische uitgevers.
• Zebel, S., Lelivelt, M., & Duinstra, U. (2009). Slachtoffers en daders over en met elkaar: Slachtoffer in Beeld [Victims and offenders about and with each other: Victim in Focus]. In S. Leferink (Ed.), Goed recht: 25 jaar Slachtofferhulp Nederland [Proper Justice: 25 years Victim Support The Netherlands] (pp.228-237). Utrecht: Slachtofferhulp Nederland.
• Zebel, S., Doosje, B., & Spears, R. (2004). It depends on your point of view: Implications of perspective-taking and national identification for Dutch collective guilt. In N.R. Branscombe & B. Doosje (Eds.), Collective guilt: International perspectives (pp.148-168). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Research profiles

Sven Zebel is involved in teaching for the courses and programmes listed below and is also supervision of Bachelor and Master Theses for these programmes. He is also involved in the coordination of internships, Bachelor- and Master theses PCRS.

Affiliated study programs

Courses academic year 2024/2025

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Courses academic year 2023/2024

Current PhD projects supervision:

• Marleen Haandrikman, April 2024 – present (UT-BMS/EECMS). The power of Systems Thinking: Fostering Psychological Resilience and Restoring Safe Sports. Role: co-promotor. Other members supervison team: prof. dr. Nicolette van Veldhoven-Schippers (UT – BMS/EECMS, promotor); dr. Dennis Reidsma (UT-EECMS).
• Marleen Kragting, October 2022 – present; VU / NSCR). The longitudinal impact of restorative justice practices on victims and offenders. Role: promotor. Other members supervision team: dr. Alice Bosma (NSCR; co-promotor); dr. Nieke Elbers (VU /NSCR; co-promotor); dr. Chantal van den Berg (NSCR; co-promotor); prof. dr. Antony Pemberton (NSCR; promotor).  
• Florian Bonensteffen, MSc (June 2018 – present; UT). Design and implementation of ICT-based communication systems in victim-offender mediation. Role: Daily supervisor and co-promotor. Promotor: prof. dr. Ellen Giebels (UT).
• Ben Ganschow, MSc (October 2018 – present; Leiden University). FutureU: Testing a new intervention to reduce delinquency using serious gaming and virtual reality. Role: Co-promotor. Promotor: prof. dr. Jean-Louis van Gelder (UL / Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law [ Freiburg]).

Completed PhD projects:

• dr. Marian van Dijk. Title dissertation: Feeling powerless and finding support: dynamics of power perceptions and empowering interventions in legal conflicts. Role: Daily supervisor & co-promotor. Promotor: Ellen Giebels (UT). Successfully defended on March 8, 2024.
• dr. Jiska Jonas – van Dijk. Title dissertation: Opening the black box of victim-offender mediation: Does participation in VOM reduce offenders' risk of reoffending and, if so, how? Role: Daily supervisor & promotor. Other promotors: prof. dr. Hans Nelen and prof. dr. Jacques Claessen (Maastricht University). Successfully defended, February 7^th, 2024.
• dr. Sjoerd Pennekamp. Title dissertation “Dynamics of disadvantage: Uncovering the role of group-based anger”. Promotor: prof. dr. E. J. Doosje (University of Amsterdam). Co-promotor: dr. S. Zebel. Successfully defended October 1^st, 2008.

Address

Organisations