T. (Timme) Sinika, PhD

Current Research Interests and Goals

I study why some individuals are better able to change health behaviors than others, with a focus on affective and automatic processes. To capture these dynamics in daily life, I use Experience Sampling Methods (ESM). I believe that if more people were supported in recognizing and understanding their emotions, we would see meaningful improvements in both mental and physical health. This belief also led me to specialize in child and youth psychiatry, as habits, affective patterns, and coping strategies that shape long-term health are formed early in life. Supporting children in these processes lays the foundation for healthier futures.

Previous Work

I completed my PhD in health science and exercise psychology, with a focus on affective and automatic processes in health behavior change. After several years in research, I transitioned to practice by joining a start-up that implemented evidence-based sports therapy as a treatment for depression. While this was a valuable experience, I missed the process of generating new knowledge—ultimately motivating my return to applied research.

Professional Development

Throughout my career, I have combined expertise in quantitative methods (e.g., mixed models, ESM), affective science, and health behavior research. I bring experience from both academic and applied settings and have worked to bridge the gap between research and practice.

My current professional focus is on developing tools and methods to measure affect and behavior in everyday life, with the aim of informing more personalized and effective interventions in mental health.

• Longitudinal methods.

• Exercise psychology.

During my Master’s in Work & Organisational Psychology (cum laude, 2019) and PhD (cum laude, 2023) at the University of Potsdam (Germany), I studied automatic-affective processes to better understand why some individuals are more likely than others to engage in health-related behaviors.

I have contributed to theoretical and methodological advancements in the field of dual-process theories within exercise psychology by introducing mixed models to study affective responses during exercise and by integrating psychophysiological measures. I am convinced that if more people were supported in exercising - and if we better understood the underlying emotional processes - we would see significant improvements in both mental and physical health.

Supervised several bachelor and master theses at the University of Potsdam.

• Science Award, German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).

• German Academic Scholarship Foundation.

• Outstanding Student Paper Award, North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

ESM in Youth.