Dr. Rakoen Maertens

Biography

Rakoen Maertens is a Junior Research Fellow in Social Psychology at New College, University of Oxford. His research focuses on Social Influence and Misinformation, employing insights from social psychology to combat the effects of misleading information. He is also involved in Psychometrics and Impact Evaluation, aiming to effectively measure psychological constructs and enhance methodological frameworks for impactful psychological interventions. His work in Applied Behavioural Science and Nudging seeks to translate behavioral science into practical solutions across policy and product design. Maertens completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge with a thesis on "The Long-Term Effectiveness of Inoculation Against Misinformation" and has received significant accolades, including the CSAR Award for Applied Research. He holds a BSc and MSc in Experimental Psychology from Ghent University, graduated summa cum laude, and garnered the Master Dissertation award from the Belgian Association of Psychological Sciences. His openness to partnerships reflects a particular interest in science diplomacy, facilitating the translation of scientific research into impactful interventions. He has represented NGOs at the United Nations and currently co-leads the Society for Personality and Social Psychology’s United Nations Committee, focusing on misinformation susceptibility and vaccine uptake in collaboration with diverse sectors including the UK Cabinet Office and the European Commission. He is actively teaching and tutoring in Social Psychology, covering themes such as Personality, Social Influence, and Nudging.

Research Interests

Experience