CV

Originally, Professor Beckmann focused on basic research in the field of motivation and volition. A major aim was to identify processes bridging the gap between motivation (intentions) and action. Based on this research applied perspectives on stabilizing performance in different areas were developed which eventually lead to a focus on performance processes in sports. A research direction was established that addresses performance decrements under stress conditions (choking under pressure) and their neurophysiological basis. This research resulted in the development of interventions to stabilize performance in stressful situations such as sport competitions.

Complimentary to this line of research Michael Kellmann as collaborator of Professor Beckmann at Potsdam University started a research programme on recovery. Meanwhile, it has been recognized that only those who are properly recovered can perform at their best. Michael Kellmann, now professor at the Ruhr University Bochum, has become one of the world's most renowned recovery researchers. The fruitful collaboration between Beckmann and Kellmann over the past 25 years is continuing, probably for the next 10 years, because in 2020 the British publisher Routledge signed a contract with both of them to publish an annual book on "Advances in Recovery Research: Interdisciplinary Insights".

Another topic has recently been added. At the beginning of 2018, Prof Beckmann gave a lecture at the German Heart Center in Munich (DHM) on “Motivation and self-confidence, anxiety and fear management in chronic diseases”. The presentation was followed by a detailed discussion with people with congenital heart defects who were present at the lecture. Research on the psychological situation of people with congenital heart defects was scarce at the time, and psychological care was practically non-existent. In the meantime, the psychocardiology working group at the DHM, headed by Prof. Beckmann, has published eight research papers on the topic and has started to develop psychocardiological care at the DHM.

When Prof. Beckmann became Dean of the Faculty of Sports Science in 2008, seven professors were responsible for teaching over 2000 students. The Dean’s main task was to increase the number of professorships at the faculty and to strengthen scientific output and internationality. This was only possible by expanding the subject area of the faculty with an inclusion of health sciences. In view of the increasing problem of a ‘sedentary society’ with the resulting civilization diseases, the combination of sport and health appeared to be an important, future-oriented orientation for the faculty. At the end of Prof. Beckmann's second term in office, the now Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences had grown to 12 professorships and to date has 16 primary professorships.

All of the research activities involved the development of young scientists. Prof. Beckmann describes the extremely fruitful collaboration with them as one of the most rewarding aspects of work at the university: “I am particularly pleased that meanwhile six of my more than 40 former graduate students have been appointed professors themselves."

 

Short biography

since 2021	Development of an Academy for Young Executives for starcode GmbH
2020 - 2021	Faculty Internationalization Officer TUM Dept. Sport and Health Sciences
2008 - 2013	Dean of TUM Dept. of Sport and Health Sciences
2006 - 2021	Professor (Full) and Chair of Sport Psychology, Dept. of Sport and Health Sciences TUM
2006 - 2021	Member of the Department Council of Dept. Sport and Health Sciences, TUM
1999 - 2002	Director of the Institute of Sport Science of the University of Potsdam
1998 - 2002	Member of the Senate Committee for Research of the University of Potsdam
1998 - 2002	Member of the Department Council of Dept. Human Sciences of the University of Potsdam
1997 - 2006	Associate Professor of Sport Psychology, Institute of Sport Science, University of Potsdam
1993	Visiting Scholar at Florida Atlantic University U.S.A. (Center for Complex Systems)
1990 - 1995	Heisenberg Scholarship, German Research Foundation (DfG)
1988	Habilitation in Psychology (University of Mannheim and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich in 1992), (Doctor Habil. Venia Legendi for Psychology
1984 - 1990	Senior Researcher Max-Planck-Institute for Psychological Research (Munich)
1984	PhD Psychology, Unviversity of  Mannheim; Thesis Topic: Kognitive Dissonanz. Eine handlungstheoretische Perspektive
1984	PhD in Psychology, University of Mannheim
1980	Diploma in Social Sciences (Major in Psychology) at Ruhr-University Bochum; Thesis Topic: Popper's Logic of the Situation as an explanatory model for the social sciences

 

Memberships and honors

Member of Recognition Committee for EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology on behalf of German Psychological Society (since 2021)

Chair of President’s Visiting Committee of the University of Alberta, Canada (2014-2017)

Member of Scientific Advisory Board of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, (2015-2016)

President German Association of Sport Psychology ASP (2005-2009), Board Mebmer (1998-2005), Member (since 1998)

President German Association Snowsport at Universities (2002-2004)

Member of American Psychological Association (APA) (1986-2010)

Member of German Psychological Society (DGPs) (since 1984)

 

Awards

• TUM Emeritus of Excellence (2021)
• Adjunct Professor, University of Limerick, Ireland (2020)
• Golden Badge of Honour awarded by German Society of Sport Psychology (asp) (2019)
• Honorary Professor, University of Queensland, Australia (2018)
• Adjunct Professor, Southwest Jiaotong University, Sichuan, PR China (2007)
• Silver Badge of Honour awarded by German Ski Association (DSV) (2003)       
• Heisenberg Scholarship of German Research Foundation (1990)
• Young Scientist Award (German Psychological Association) (DGPs) (1984)

You can download "Explanations of honors and awards" here [PDF 215 KB]

 

10 key publications

Andonian, C., Freilinger, S., Achenbach,S., Ewert, P., Gundlach, U., Hörer, J., Kaemmerer, H., Pieper, L., Weyand, M., Neidenbach, R., & Beckmann, J. (in press). The "Well-being paradox" revisited: A cross-sectional study of quality of life in over 4,000 adults with congenital heart disease. BMJ Open.

Wergin, V.V., Zimanyi, Z., Mesagno, C., & Beckmann, J. (2018). When Suddenly Nothing Works Anymore Within a Team – Causes of Collective Sport Team Collapse. Frontiers in Psychology, 9: 2115 doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02115.

Andonian, C., Beckmann, J., Biber, S., Ewert, P., Freilinger, S., Kaemmerer, H., Oberhoffer, R., Pieper, L., & Neidenbach, R.C. (2018). Current Research Status on the Psychological Situation of Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD).  Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Therapy, 8(6):799-804. doi: 10.21037/cdt.2018.12.06

Kellmann, M., Bertollo, M., Bosquet, L., Brink, M., Coutts, A., Duffield, R., Erlacher, D., Halson, S., Hecksteden, A., Heidari, J., Kallus, W., Meeusen. R., Mujika, I., Robazza, C., Skorski, S., Venter, R., & Beckmann, J. (2018). Recovery and performance: Consensus statement. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 13, 240-245.

Mirifar, A., Beckmann, J., & Ehrlenspiel, F. (2017). Neurofeedback as Supplementary Training for Optimizing Athletes’ Performance: A Systematic Review with Implications for Future Research. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 75, 419-432.

Cross-Villasana, F., Gröpel, P., Doppelmayr, M. & Beckmann, J. (2015). Unilateral Left-Hand Contractions Produce Widespread Depression of Cortical Activity after Their Execution. PloS One, 10 (12), DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145867.

Beckmann, J., Gröpel, P., & Ehrlenspiel, F. (2013). Preventing motor skill failure through hemisphere – specific priming. Cases from choking under pressure. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 142, 679-691.

Nixdorf, I., Frank, R., Hautzinger, M. & Beckmann, J. (2013). Prevalence and determinants of depression in German high achievement athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 7(4), 313-326

Kuhl, J. & Beckmann, J. (Eds.) (1994). Volition and personality: Action and state orientation. Seattle: Hogrefe & Huber Publishers.

Kuhl, J. & Beckmann, J. (Eds.) (1985). Action control: From cognition to behavior. Heidelberg, Berlin, New York: Springer.