

Nelli Hankonen
- Media Contact
- SPN Mentor
My research focuses on behaviour change, motivation, and use of behaviour change science in public policy.
During and after my PhD, I have been interested in modelling the dynamic nature of the change process (psychosocial determinants and the behaviour), evaluating intergroup (e.g., socioeconomic status) differences therein, and exploring the influence of personality in lifestyle change.
An essential part of my research program involves investigating the social and psychological processes of change within interventions. What type of interactions facilitate behaviour change? How do group dynamics and norms influence processes of change? What leads to long-term maintenance of behaviour change?
My current projects involve behaviour change in areas of healthy eating and/or physical activity and mental well-being (e.g., mindfulness). I am especially interested in evaluating the effects of theory-based interventions on hypothesized mediating psychosocial factors, behaviour change technique enactment, as well as health behaviours and well-being.
Primary Interests:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Attitudes and Beliefs
- Gender Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Life Satisfaction, Well-Being
- Motivation, Goal Setting
- Personality, Individual Differences
- Persuasion, Social Influence
- Social Cognition
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Books:
- Ahokas, M., Ferchen, M., Hankonen, N., Lautso, A., & Pyysiäinen, J. (2008). Sosiaalipsykologia. WSOY.
Journal Articles:
- Absetz, P. & Hankonen, N. (2011). Elämäntapamuutoksen tukeminen terveydenhuollossa: vaikuttavuus ja keinot. Katsaus. [Supporting lifestyle change in health care settings: effectiveness and strategies. Review.] Lääketieteellinen Aikakauskirja Duodecim 127 (21), 2265-72.
- Absetz, P., Oldenburg, B., Hankonen, N., Valve, R., Heinonen, H., Nissinen, A., Fogelholm, M., Talja, M., & Uutela, A. (2009). Type 2 diabetes prevention in the "real world": One-year results of the GOAL Implementation Trial. Diabetes Care, 32(8), 1418-1420.
- Absetz, P., Yoshida, S., Hankonen, N., & Valve, R. (2008). Ryhmänohjaajan roolin ja käsitysten yhteys ohjattavien onnistumiseen elintapamuutoksessa. Hoitotiede [Journal of Nursing Science], 5, 248-257.
- Hankonen, N. & Absetz, P. (2012). Ennustaako koulutustausta naisten elämäntapamuutoksia tyypin 2 diabeteksen ehkäisyinterventiossa? [Socioeconomic differences in outcomes of an intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes: Does educational background predict lifestyle changes among women?] Sosiaalilääketieteellinen aikakauslehti. [Journal of Social Medicine] 49 (2), 162-169.
- Hankonen, N., & Absetz, P. (2012). Socioeconomic differences in outcomes of an intervention to prevent type 2 diabetes: Does educational background predict lifestyle changes among women? [in Finnish] Sosiaalilääketieteellinen aikakauslehti [Journal of Social Medicine] 49 (2), 162-169.
- Hankonen, N., Absetz, P., Ghisletta, P., Renner, B., & Uutela, A. (2010). Gender differences in social cognitive determinants of exercise adoption. Psychology & Health, 25(1), 55-69.
- Hankonen, N., Absetz, P., Haukkala, A., & Uutela, A. (2009). Socioeconomic status and psychosocial mechanisms of lifestyle change in a type 2 diabetes prevention trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 38(2), 160-165.
- Hankonen, N., Absetz, P., Kinnunen, M., Haukkala, A. & Jallinoja, P. (2013). Toward identifying a broader range of social cognitive determinants of dietary intentions and behaviour. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being 5(1), 118-35.
- Hankonen, N., Kinnunen, M., Absetz, P. & Jallinoja, P. (2014). Why do people high in self-control eat more healthily? Social cognitions as mediators. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- Hankonen, N., Konttinen, H., & Absetz, P. (2013). Gender-role orientation, self-efficacy, and social support: their association with women’s health behaviour change. Journal of Health Psychology.
- Hankonen, N., Ristolainen, H., & Lehtinen, V. (2007). Sosiaalipsykologisia lähestymistapoja verkkovuorovaikutukseen. Psykologia [Psychology], 42(4), 276-288.
- Hankonen, N., Sutton, S., Prevost, T., Simmons, R., Griffin, S., Kinmonth, A., Hardeman, W. (2014) Which behaviour change techniques are associated with changes in physical activity, diet and BMI in people with recently diagnosed diabetes? Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
- Hankonen, N., Vollmann, M., Renner, B., & Absetz, P. (2010). What is setting the stage for abdominal obesity reduction? A comparison between personality and health-related social cognitions. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 33(5), 415-422.
- Kinnunen, M., Suihko, J., Hankonen, N., Jallinoja, P., & Absetz, P. (2012). Self-control is associated with physical activity and fitness among young males. Behavioural Medicine, 38(3), 83-89.
- Laatikainen, T., Philpot, B., Hankonen, N., Sippola, R., Davis, N., Reddy, P., Absetz, P., Dunbar, J., & Vartiainen, E. (2012). Predicting changes in lifestyle and clinical outcomes in preventing diabetes: The Greater Green Triangle Diabetes Prevention Project. Preventive Medicine 54 (2), 157-161.
- Renner, B., Hankonen, N., Ghisletta, P., & Absetz, P. (2012). Dynamic psychological and behavioral changes in the adoption and maintenance of exercise. Health Psychology, 31(3), 306-315.
Other Publications:
- Absetz, P., Valve, R., Jallinoja, P., Päätalo, A., & Hankonen, N. (2008). Ikihyvän elintapaneuvontatutkimus tyypin 2 diabeteksen ehkäisemiseksi. In Pilvikki Absetz & Kristiina Patja (Eds.), Ennaltaehkäisyn kehittäminen Päijät-Hämeen terveydenhuollossa: Interventiot osana Ikihyvä Päijät-Häme -tutkimus- ja kehittämishanketta. Päijät-Hämeen Sosiaali- ja terveysyhtymän julkaisuja 68 / 2008.
- Hankonen, N. (2012). Mitä sosiaalipsykologia voisi olla? Sosiaalipsykologia vaikuttamisen tieteenä, vaikuttajana yhteiskunnassa. [Social psychology as a science of influence, an influence in society]. In Lahikainen A.-L., Suoninen, E., Järventie, I. & Salonen, M. (eds.) Sosiaalipsykologian sukupolvet [Generations of social psychology], pp. 243-260. Tampere: Vastapaino.
- Hankonen, N. (2011). Psychosocial processes of health behaviour change in a lifestyle intervention: Influences of gender, socioeconomic status and personality. Research 51/2011. Helsinki, Finland: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
Courses Taught:
- Behaviour Change Colloquium
- Social Cognition, Attitudes, and Behaviour Change
Nelli Hankonen
University of Helsinki
Faculty of Social Sciences
Linna
00014 Helsinki
Finland
- Mobile: +358-40-7657997
- Skype Name: nelli.hankonen