Dr. rer. nat. Christopher M. Jones

Christopher M. Jones has been a researcher in the division for the Prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at the CPD since October 2023. Christopher studied Clinical Psychology at the University of Bremen and subsequently worked as a psychologist. Following this, he was employed as a researcher on a project examining the determinants of gambling-related risks and avenues for prevention at the German Sport University Cologne, before starting a doctoral position under Prof. Dr. Benjamin Schüz (Department of Prevention and Health Promotion, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research) at the University of Bremen.

Christopher's research focuses on a range of behavioral science questions. He investigates self-regulatory processes that underpin health behaviors and examines factors influencing the effects of these processes, particularly social and contextual influences on the translation of behavioral intentions into actual behavior. His methodological expertise is primarily on conducting experimental studies as well as smartphone-based intensive longitudinal studies in participants' everyday lives. Additionally, Christopher explores the impact of socio-economic indicators on social inequalities and health behavior, as well as the dissemination of health-related (mis)information on social media and its influence on health. Recently, in the context of climate and health, he has also been involved in systematic investigations into the determinants of protective behaviors against air pollution risks.

Research Interests

• Intensive-longitudinal methods
• Behavior Change (interventions)
• Social / health inequalities
• Social and contextual determinants of health behaviors
• Health-related (mis-)information on social media
• Digital interventions in ambulatory and clinical contexts
• Climate and health

Highlighted publications

• Schüz, B., & Jones, C.M. (2024). Mis-and disinformation in social media: mitigating risks in digital health communication. Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz, 67(3), 300-307.
• Jones, C. M., O’Connor, D. B., Ferguson, S. G., & Schüz, B. (2024). COVID protection behaviors, mental health, risk perceptions, and control beliefs: a dynamic temporal network analysis of daily diary data. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 58(1), 37-47.
• Jones, C. M., Diethei, D., Schöning, J., Shrestha, R., Jahnel, T., & Schüz, B. (2023). Impact of social reference cues on misinformation sharing on social media: Series of experimental studies. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e45583.
• Jones, C. M

  ., Ferguson, S. G., O'Connor, D. B., & Schüz, B. (2023). Curb the spread: Leveraging intensive longitudinal data to unravel within-and between-person processes in adherence to nonpharmaceutical interventions during COVID-19. Health Psychology. doi.org/10.1037/hea0001305

• Jones, C. M., & Schüz, B. (2022). Stable and momentary psychosocial correlates of everyday smoking: An application of Temporal Self-Regulation Theory. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 45(1), 50-61.