• Short CV

    Felix Reer studied at the University of Cologne and then worked as a research assistant at the University of Tübingen. 2011 to 2016: PhD student at the University of Duisburg-Essen, conducting empirical studies on the use and effects of online games. Since April 2016: Research associate in the Online Communication Research Group (Prof. Dr. Thorsten Quandt) at the Department of Communication, University of Muenster. 2016-2019: Postdoctoral researcher in an interdisciplinary research project on the psychosocial effects of Internet use, funded by the Daimler and Benz Foundation. November/December 2018: Visiting Scholar at the Center for Avatar Research and Immersive Social Media Applications (CARISMA), Department of Communication, Michigan State University, USA. Since April 2019: Associated researcher in the research project Smart for Science, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). 2018-2022 Vice-Chair, and since October 2022 Chair of the Digital Games Research Section in the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA).

  • Research Areas

    • Digital media and online communication
    • Social media, games and virtual reality (VR)
    • Media use and effects
    • Media psychology
  • Research Projects

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    Publications

    Selection

    Complete List

  • Conference Contributions

     

    Scientific Talks

    • Klausing, Johanna; Darenko, Regina; Knobloch, Max; Nötzold, Jens; Seibring, Nadège; Windoffer, Jana; Reer, Felix : “A Laboratory Experiment Examining Audience Responses to Touristic Virtual Reality Videos.European Communication Conference, Ljubljana, .
    • Reer, Felix, Küpper, Lena, Wehden, Lars-Ole, & Quandt, Thorsten : “A Laboratory Experiment Examining Audience Responses to a ‘Meaningful’ Virtual Reality Documentary”. 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, .
    • Küpper, Lena Maria, Wehden, Lars-Ole, Reer, Felix, & Quandt, Thorsten : “Looking at the news from every angle: On the potential of implementing Virtual Reality technology in journalistic contexts”. 74th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, .
    • Reer, Felix; Küpper, Lena Maria; Quandt, Thorsten : “The Interplay of Mindfulness, Mental Health, Loneliness, and Social Media Use Disorder”. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Belval, .
    • Bustos-Ortega, Mariela; Küpper, Lena Maria; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten; Carretero-Dios, Hugo; Megías, Jesús L.; Romero-Sánchez, Mónica : “Gender Diversity in Online Gaming: The German Version of the Sexism Against Women Gamers Scale (SAWGS)”. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Belval, .
    • Küpper, Lena Maria; Reer, Felix; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Quandt, Thorsten : “Uncovering the potentials of virtual reality technology in journalism: A laboratory experiment on an immersive 360° documentary”. 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference (ICA), Toronto, .
    • Bustos-Ortega, Mariela; Küpper, Lena Maria; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten; Carretero-Dios, Hugo; Megías, Jesús L.; Romero-Sánchez, Mónica : “Development and validation of the German version of the Sexism Against Women Gamers Scale (SAGS)”. 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference (ICA), Toronto, .
    • Reer, Felix; Küpper, Lena Maria; Quandt, Thorsten : “Mindfulness as a Protective Factor Against Social Media Use Disorder: The Mediating Roles of Mental Health and Loneliness. ”. 73rd Annual International Communication Association Conference (ICA), Toronto, .
    • Laumann, Daniel; Krause, Maurice; Kremer, Fabienne; Leibrock, Barbara; Ubben, Malte; Denz,Cornelia; Forthmann, Boris; Greefrath, Gilbert; Heinicke, Susanne; Marohn, Annette; Masemann, Dörthe; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten; Souvignier, Elmar; Heusler, Stefan : „Mobile Endgeräte im Unterricht: Welche Geräte sollten genutzt werden? Und wie?Zehnte Tagung der Gesellschaft für Empirische Bildungsforschung, Essen, .
    • Thoma, Louisa; Heitkamp, Lea; Molnar, Delia-Nicole; Neeten, Lena; Röhring, Lea; Schmidt, Lucia Emily; Schütz, Thorsten; Klapproth, Johanna; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “You are so aggressive online! A study on gamers’ and non-gamers’ perceptions of toxic behaviors in online games”. 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Aarhus, .
    • Brüggemeier, Patricia; Kleine, Amelie; Kozary, Lynn; Neubauer, Lea; Schroeter, Sophie; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Immersive storytelling: Overrated hype or the future of journalism?9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Aarhus, .
    • Kasprowski, Louisa ; Mecklenburg, Sarah; Bauer, Leonie; Burde, Estha; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “How does the sense of touch affect the gaming experience? A laboratory study on a virtual reality pet game.9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Aarhus, .
    • Kampkötter, Julia; Koch, Maria; Nast, Jela; Protzmann, Johannes; Vu, Eliza; Zang, Ayla; Klapproth, Johanna; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Gender and Hate Speech on Instagram: An Online Experiment”. 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Aarhus, .
    • Scheffel, Benjamin; Brambrink, Nils; Ruetz, Anna; Frowerk, Lucia; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Using a Virtual Reality Application for Learning Science”. 9th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Aarhus, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Gaming in Times of COVID-19: A Study Based on Self-Determination Theory”. 72nd Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Paris, France (online presentation), .
    • Krause, Maurice; Greefrath, Gilbert; Denz, Cornelia; Heinicke, Susanne; Heusler, Stefan; Janzik, Robin; Kramp, Bianca; Kremer, Fabienne E.; Laumann, Daniel; Leibrock, Barbara; Marohn, Annette; Masemann, Dörthe; Reer, Felix; Souvignier, Elmar; Quandt, Thorsten; Ubben, Malte : “BYOD vs pool: Effects on competence development and cognitive load”. Twelfth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME12), Bozen-Bolzano, .
    • Janzik, Robin; Schatto-Eckrodt, Tim; Reer, Felix; Boberg, Svenja; Quandt, Thorsten : “Analyzing the gaming disorder debate on Twitter: A computational approach”. ECREA’s 8th European Communication Conference, Braga, Portugal (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Klapproth, Johanna; Bergmann, Christina; Drerup, Floriane; Meinshausen, Fenja; Schwarz, Alina; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “VR as an ‘empathy machine’ for immersive journalism? An experimental study on the impact of narrative perspective and presentation form in a 360° Holocaust video”. 8th European Communication Conference (ECREA), Braga, Portugal (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Janzik, Robin; Reer, Felix; Festl, Ruth; Quandt, Thorsten : “Cyberbullying victimization and mental health: A representative cross-sectional study of German Internet users”. 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Denver, USA (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Reer, Felix; Wendt, Ruth; Quandt, Thorsten : “A Longitudinal Study on Smartphone Use Disorder and Psychosocial Well-Being”. 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Denver, USA (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Reer, Felix; Wintterlin, Florian; Quandt, Thorsten : “Addicted to Digital Games? A Representative Survey Study on the Societal Perception of Gaming Disorder”. 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Denver, USA (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Wintterlin, Florian; Schatto-Eckrodt, Tim; Frischlich, Lena; Boberg, Svenja; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Why Do People Spread Distorted Information Online? An Examination of Predictors based on the Theory of Collective Action”. 71st Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Denver, USA (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Reer, Felix; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Janzik, Robin; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : “Virtual reality technology and game enjoyment. A self-determination theory perspective”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Wehden, Lars-Ole; Reer, Felix; Janzik, Robin; Quandt, Thorsten : “Addicted to cybersex? A representative study on the disordered use of sexual online content”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Janzik, Robin; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Reer, Felix; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : “To give or not to give: Examining the prosocial effect of a 360° video documentary on the refugee crisis”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Reer, Felix; Tang, Wai Yen; Quant, Thorsten : “Dark personality traits and social media disorder: The mediating role of social media use motives”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Reer, Felix; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : “How gamer identity and sense of community online are related to psychosocial well-being and gaming disorder scores”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Festl, Ruth; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “A cross-lagged panel study on online sexual victimiziation and psychosocial well-being”. 70th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Gold Coast, Australia (virtual due to COVID-19), .
    • Wehden, Lars-Ole; Reer, Felix; Janzik, Robin; Quandt, Thorsten : „Sex on the Internet – a representative survey study on the prevalence and correlates of the addiction-like use of sexual online content“. Jahrestagung der DGPuK, München, .
    • Reer, Felix; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Tang, Wai Yen; Janzik, Robin; Quandt, Thorsten : “The slippery path to total presence: How using an omnidirectional VR treadmill influences the gaming experience”. Digital Games Research Section Symposium (ECREA 2019), Rotterdam, Niederlande, .
    • Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Are We Entering a New Era of Interactive Entertainment and Digital Games Research?Panel auf dem Digital Games Research Section Symposium 2019, European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), Rotterdam, Niederlande, .
    • Reer, Felix; Kieslich, Kimon; Tang, Wai Yen; Frischlich, Lena; Quandt, Thorsten : “My Happy Virtual Me? The Influence of Interactivity and Virtual Reality Technology on Mood Repair”. Vortrag auf dem Digital Games Research Section Symposium 2019, European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA), Rotterdam, Niederlande, .
    • Temmann, Linn Julia; Engmann, Michael; Maubach, Katharina; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Strong and Powerful or Sexy and Skinny? Effects of Objectifying Video Game Avatars in Virtual Reality”. Vortrag auf der 11. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Chemnitz, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Kieslich, Kimon; Tang, Wai, Yen; Frischlich, Lena; Quandt, Thorsten : “Using a Virtual Reality Game for Mood Repair: A Laboratory Experiment”. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Chemnitz, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Festel, Ruth; Quandt, Thorsten : “Investigating Problematic Social Media and Game Use in a Nationally Representative German Sample”. Full-Paper zur Jahrestagung der International Communication Association (ICA 2019), Washington, D.C., USA, .
    • Wintterlin, Florian; Frischlich, Lena; Boberg, Svenja; Schatto-Eckrodt, Tim; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Corrective actions in the information disorder. Presumed influence and the countering of distorted information”. 69th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Washington D.C., USA, .
    • Reer, Felix; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Janzik, Robin : “A representative study on prevalence rates and correlates of problematic smartphone use in Germany”. 69th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Washington/DC, USA, .
    • Tang, Wai Yen; Reer, Felix : “The Dark Triad and Video Games Addiction: The Mediating Role of Video Game Motivations”. 69th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Washington/DC, USA, .
    • Reer, Felix; Festl, Ruth; Quandt, Thorsten : „Computer game addiction rarely comes alone. A Representative Survey Study on Problematic Use of Digital Games and Social Media Services“. Vortrag auf der Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), Münster, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Wehden, Lars-Ole; Janzik, Robin; Quandt, Thorsten : „Süchtig nach dem Smartphone? Eine Repräsentativbefragung zu Verbreitung und Korrelaten problematischer Smartphone-Nutzung in Deutschland“. Jahrestagung der DGPuK-Fachgruppe Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung 2019, Mainz, .
    • Maubach, Katharina; Engmann, Michael; Sünderbruch, Lena; Temmann, Linn J.; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Effects of Objectifying Video Games in Virtual Reality: How Does Playing with a Sexualized Avatar in a VR Setting Affect Women’s Self-Objectification and Body Esteem?7th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2018), Lugano, Schweiz, .
    • Tang, Wai Yen; Reer, Felix; Kieslich, Kimon; Quandt, Thorsten; Liebold, Benny; Pietschmann, Daniel; Tauchmann, Nico; Ohler, Peter : “Trigger-happy on the holodeck: Do embodied acts of violence increase aggression?7th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2018), Lugano, Switzerland, .
    • Williams, Patrick; Austermann, Oliver; Kreyenborg, Maike; Malczewski, Dominik; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Learning in Virtual Reality: Testing the Effectiveness of a VR Game”. 7th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2018), Lugano, Schweiz, .
    • Wilhelm, Rebekka; Haack, Jana; Günzel, Matthias; Zemlicka, Tim; Ghavamzadeh, Shaghayegh; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Shaping Attitudes towards Sexual Harassment: Testing the Influences of Highly Immersive Technology and Perpetrator Framing”. 7th European Communication Conference (ECREA 2018), Lugano, Schweiz, .
    • Liebold, Benny; Pietschmann, Daniel; Tauchmann, Nico; Ohler, Peter; Reer, Felix; Kieslich, Kimon; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : „Violence in Virtual Reality: The Influence of Embodied Virtual Violence on Aggression“. Vortrag auf der 51. Tagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGP), Frankfurt, Deutschland, .
    • Festl, Ruth; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Online Sexual Risk Behavior, Victimization and Psychosocial Well-Being among Adolescents and Young Adults”. Full-Paper zur Jahrestagung der International Communication Association (ICA 2018), Prag, Tschechien, .
    • Reer, Felix; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : “Psychosocial Well-Being and Social Media Engagement: The Mediating Roles of Social Comparison Orientation and Fear of Missing Out”. Full-Paper zur Jahrestagung der International Communication Association (ICA 2018), Prag, Tschechien, .
    • Tang, Wai Yen; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : “Harassment Behaviors in Online Videogames: A Replication and Extension With a German Nationally Representative Sample”. Full-Paper zur Jahrestagung der International Communication Association (ICA 2018), Prag, Tschechien, .
    • Festl, Ruth; Reer, Felix; Quandt, Thorsten : „The impact of online sexual risk behaviors and victimization experiences on adolescents' and young adults' psychosocial well-being.Vortrag auf der 63. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), Mannheim, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix : „Facebook use and psychological well-being: A survey study in light of self-determination theory. [Facebook-Nutzung und psychologisches Wohlbefinden: Eine Befragungsstudie vor dem Hintergrund der Selbstbestimmungstheorie]“. Vortrag auf der 63. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), Mannheim, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Tang, Wai Yen; Quandt, Thorsten : “The Relationship Between Psychosocial Well-Being, Fear of Missing Out, Social Comparison Orientation, and Social Media Engagement”. Poster auf der General Online Research (GOR), Köln, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C : “How team play and communication frequency influence the gaming experience: A self-determination-theory based laboratory experiment on multiplayer first-person shooters”. 10. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie), Landau, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Social Effects of Playing Multiplayer First-Person Shooters: A Comparison with Online Role-Playing Games”. 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, San Diego, USA, .
    • Reer, Felix : “A Self-Determination Theory-Based Laboratory Experiment on Social Aspects of Playing Multiplayer First-Person Shooters”. 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, San Diego, USA, .
    • Reer, Felix : “How online gaming affects social capital and social support: a survey study on World of Warcraft”. General Online Research 2017, Berlin, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C : „Eine laborexperimentelle Untersuchung zu sozialen Aspekten von First-Person-Shootern vor dem Hintergrund der Self-Determination-Theory“. Jahrestagung der Fachgruppe Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft), Erfurt, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : “Social Compensation or Rich-Get-Richer Effect? Modeling the Connection between Introversion and Social Capital Outcomes of Playing World of Warcraft”. Cyberspace Conference 2016, Brno, Czech Republic, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Social Capital in World of Warcraft: The Role of Introversion”. 66th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association, Fukuoka, Japan, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Why Are Players Attracted to Counter-Strike Clans? The Role of Need Satisfaction Perceived in Clan-Life and Perceived in Daily Offline Life”. 66th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), Fukuoka, Japan, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : „Do introverted players use online games for social compensation? An Investigation into the Formation of Social Capital in the Context of World of Warcraft. [Nutzen introvertierte Spieler Online-Games zur sozialen Kompensation? Eine Untersuchung zur Bildung von Sozialkapital im Rahmen von World of Warcraft]“. Tagung der Fachgruppe Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (DGPuK), Amsterdam, Niederlande, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : “A Self-Determination Approach to Playing in Online Gaming Communities”. 9. Tagung der Fachgruppe Medienpsychologie, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie (DGPs), Tübingen, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Need Satisfaction and Well-Being in First-Person Shooter Clans”. 65th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association (ICA), San Juan, Puerto Rico, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : “Gamers’ Playing Habits and Motivations as Predictors of Social Outcomes of Online-Gaming: A Genre Comparison”. Cyberspace Conference 2014, Brno, Czech Republic, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : “Social Capital in World of Warcraft Guilds. Construction and Evaluation of a Path Model”. Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) 2013, Chania, Crete, Greece, .
    • Reer, Felix : “Motives for Playing Browser Games. Exploring a Football Manager Simulation”. General Online Research (GOR) 2013, Mannheim, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix; Krämer, Nicole C. : „Brothers in Arms. War Computer Games as a Field of Research. [Brothers in Arms. Kriegscomputerspiele als Forschungsfeld]“. Workshop Krieg und Konflikt in den Medien, Tübingen, Deutschland, .
    • Sachs-Hombach, Klaus; Reer, Felix; Thon, Jan-Noël : „Selbstdarstellungsstrategien im Wandel der Medien“. Transatlantic Seminar Tübingen - St. Louis, Tübingen, Deutschland, .
    • Reer, Felix : „Social-integrative effects of online games: computer games and the formation of relationship [Sozial-integrative Wirkungen von Online-Games: Computerspiele und die Bildung von Beziehung]“. Researching Games Barcamp, Wiesbaden, Deutschland, .
  • Memberships and Other Scientific Activities

    • Member of the International Communication Association (ICA). Divisions: Communication and Technology; Game Studies
    • Member of the German Communication Association (DGPuK). Divisions: Digital Communication (Digitale Kommunikation), Media Reception and Effects Research (Rezeptions- und Wirkungsforschung).
    • Member of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA). Sections: Audience and Reception Studies; Digital Games Research
    • 2018-2022: Vice Chair of the ECREA Digital Games Research Section
    • Since October 2022: Chair of the ECREA Digital Games Research Section
    • Since May 2024: Member of the Commission for the Ethical Assessment of Research Projects at the Institute of Communication Science, University of Münster
    • Reviewer for scientific associations like the Game Studies Division of the ICA, the Media Psychology Division of the German Psychology Society (DGPs) or the ECREA Digital Games Research Section
    • Reviewer for international scientific journals; i.e. Journal of Communication; Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication; New Media and Society; Journalism Studies; Games for Health; Media Psychology; Journal of Media Psychology; Behavior and Information Technology; Computers in Human Behavior; Technology, Mind and Behavior; Mass Communication and Society
    • Guest Editor: Media and Communication; Frontiers in Psychology (Human-Media Interaction)