• Vitae
• Major teaching and research interests
• Publications

• 2008-2013 Bachelor and Master studies of Communication Science and Sociology at the Department of Media and Communication, LMU Munich
• 2013-2024 Research Assistant (PhD student and Post Doc) at the Department of Media and Communication, LMU Munich
• 2021 Erasmus+ Teaching Exchange at KU Leuven
• 2024 TrygFonden Fellowship at the Digital Democracy Center, SDU Odense
• 2024 Mundus Journalism Faculty Scholarship at the City St George’s, University of London
• 2024 Visiting Scholarship at UC Santa Barbara, CA
• Since 2024 Temporary Associate Professor at the Department of Media and Communication, LMU Munich
• 2025 Junior Researcher in Residence at the Center for Advanced Studies, LMU Munich
• Summer term 2026 Visiting Professor at the Department of Journalism and Communication Reserach, Hanover University of Music, Drama, and Media

• (Digital) Medien reception and effects (esp. anti- & prosocial communication)
• Victimology
• Journalism
• Persuasive Communication

2026

Egelhofer, J. L., Goodwin, B. & Obermaier, M. (2026). Prosocial behavior in the context of online harassment of scientists and science communicators: Designing and implementing a social media intervention in a transdisciplinary co-creation process. Science Communication. doi.org/10.1177/10755470261421146

Jakobs, I., Pohle, H., Klawier, T., Prochazka, F., Fawzi, N., Steindl, N., Arlt, D., Dohle, M., Engelke, K., Jackob, N., Obermaier, M., Schweiger, W. & Ziegele, M. (2026). Adolescents’ trust in news media: A typology of (un)reflected trust and the role of socialization. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. doi.org/10.1177/10776990261425240

Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2026). Credibility and trust in media reception. In H. Bilandzic, V. Gehrau, H. Schramm & C. Wünsch (Eds.), Handbook of media use. Nomos. 

Obermaier, M. & Schmid, U. K. (2026). Pay it forward? How target group and social norms affect online bystander intervention. Political Communication. doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2025.2608808

2025

Fawzi, N. & Obermaier, M. (2025). Journalismus, Vertrauen und Glaubwürdigkeit [Journalism, trust, and credibility]. In T. Hanitzsch, W. Loosen & A. Sehl (Eds.), Handbuch Journalismusforschung [Handbook of journalism research] (pp. 143-162). Nomos.

Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2025). Glaubwürdigkeit und Vertrauen bei der Medienrezeption [Credibility and trust in media reception]. In H. Bilandzic, V. Gehrau, H. Schramm & C. Wünsch (Eds.), Handbuch Medienrezeption [Handbook of journalism research] (pp. 497-516). Nomos. 

Obermaier, M., Schmid, U. K. & Rieger, D. (2025). Empowerment is key? How perceived political and critical digital media literacy explain direct and indirect bystander intervention in online hate speech. Social Media and Society. doi.org/10.1177/20563051251325598

Prochazka, F. & Obermaier, M. (2025). Vertrauen online [Trust online]. In Schweiger, W., Beck, K. & Karnowski, V. (Eds.), Handbuch Online-Kommunikation [Handbook of online communication]. Springer VS. 

Stehr, P., Schwertberger, U. & Obermaier, M. (2025). You’ll never walk alone: How online communication shapes digital health activism as prosocial collective action. Media Psychology. doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2025.2490895

2024

Obermaier, M. (2024). Youth on standby? Explaining adolescent and young adult bystanders’ intervention against online hate speech. New Media & Society, 26(8), 4785-4807. doi.org/10.1177/14614448221125417

Obermaier, M. & Koch, T. (2024). The paradox of argument strength: How weak arguments undermine the persuasive effects of strong arguments. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 22244. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-73348-1

Schmid, U. K., Obermaier, M. & Rieger, D. (2024). Who cares? How personal political characteristics are related to online counteractions against hate speech. Human Communication Research, 50(3), 393-403. doi.org/10.1093/hcr/hqae004

Steindl, N., Obermaier, M., Fawzi, N. & Lauerer, C. (2024). Explaining media trust among journalists and recipients: Different experiences, different predictors? Journalism, 25(8), 1657-1676. doi.org/10.1177/14648849231190698

Van Houtven, E., Acquah, S. B., Obermaier, M., Saleem, M. & Schmuck, D. (2024). ‘You got my back?’ Severity and counter-speech in online hate speech toward minority groups. Media Psychology, 27(6), 923-954. doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2023.2298684

2023

Obermaier, M. (2023). Occupational hazards: Individual and professional factors of why journalists become victims of online hate speech. Journalism Studies, 24(7), 838-856. doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2173955

Obermaier, M., Schmuck, D. & Saleem, M. (2023). I’ll be there for you? Effects of Islamophobic hate and counter speech on Muslims’ intention to intervene. New Media & Society, 25(9), 2339-2358. doi.org/10.1177/14614448211017527

Obermaier, M., Schmid, U. & Rieger, D. (2023). Too civil to care? How online hate speech against different social groups affects bystander intervention. European Journal of Criminology, 20(3), 817-833. doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2173955

Obermaier, M., Steindl, N. & Fawzi, N. (2023). Independent or a political pawn? How recipients perceive influences on journalistic work compared to journalists and what explains their perceptions. Journalism, 24(4), 857-876. doi.org/10.1177/14648849211034359

Obermaier, M., Wiedicke, A., Steindl, N. & Hanitzsch, T. (2023). Reporting trauma: Conflict journalists’ exposure to potentially traumatizing events, short- and long-term consequences, and coping behavior. Journalism Studies, 24(11), 1398-1417. doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2023.2216808

2022

Obermaier, M. & Schmuck, D. (2022). Youths as targets: Factors of online hate speech victimization among adolescents and young adults. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 27(4), zmac012. doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmac012

Prochazka, F. & Obermaier, M. (2022). Trust through transparency? How journalistic reactions to media-critical user comments affect quality perceptions and behavior intentions. Digital Journalism, 10(3), 452-472. doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.2017316

2021

Fawzi, N., Steindl, N., Obermaier, M., Prochazka, F., Arlt, D., Blöbaum, B., Dohle, M., Engelke, K. M., Hanitzsch, T., Jackob, N., Jakobs, I., Klawier, T., Post, S., Reinemann, C., Schweiger, W. & Ziegele, M. (2021). Concepts, causes and consequences of trust in news media - A literature review. Annals of the International Communication Association, 45(2), 154-174. doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2021.1960181

2020

Koch, T., Obermaier, M. & Riesmeyer, C. (2020). Powered by public relations? Mutual perceptions of PR practitioners’ bases of power over journalism. Journalism, 21(10), 1573-1589. doi.org/10.1177/1464884917726421

Obermaier, M. (2020). Vertrauen in journalistische Medien aus Sicht der Rezipienten. Zum Einfluss soziopolitischer und performanzbezogener Erklärgrößen [Trust in journalistic media from the recipients‘ perspecitve. On the impact of sociopolitical and performance-related explanatory indicators]. Springer VS.

2019

Fawzi, N. & Obermaier, M. (2019). Unzufriedenheit - Misstrauen - Ablehnung journalistischer Medien. Eine theoretische Annäherung an das Konstrukt Medienverdrossenheit [Dissatisfaction - distrust - rejection of journalistic media. A theoretical approach to the concept of media disaffection]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 67(1), 27-44. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634X-2019-1

2018

Leonhard, L., Rueß, C., Obermaier, M. & Reinemann, C. (2018). Perceiving threat and feeling responsible How severity of hate speech, number of bystanders, and prior reactions of others affect bystanders’ intention to counterargue against hate speech on Facebook. Studies in Communication and Media, 7(4), 555-579. doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2018-4-555

Obermaier, M., Hofbauer, M. & Reinemann, C. (2018). Journalists as targets of hate speech. How German journalists perceive the consequences for themselves and how they cope with it. Studies in Communication and Media, 7(4), 499-524. doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2018-4-499

Obermaier, M., Koch, T. & Riesmeyer, C. (2018). Deep impact? How journalists perceive the influence of public relations on their news coverage and which variables determine this impact. Communication Research, 45(7), 1031-1053. doi.org/10.1177/0093650215617505

Schindler, J., Fortkord, C., Posthumus, L., Obermaier, M., Fawzi, N. & Reinemann, C. (2018). Woher kommt und wozu führt Medienfeindlichkeit? Zum Zusammenhang von populistischen Einstellungen, Medienfeindlichkeit, negativen Emotionen und Partizipation [Where does media hostility come from, and what are its consequences? On the correlation between populist attitudes, media hostility, negative emotions, and participation]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 66(3), 283-301. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634X-2018-3-283

2017

Obermaier, M., Koch, T. & Baden, C. (2017). Everybody follows the crowd? Effects of opinion polls and past election results on electoral preferences. Journal of Media Psychology: Theories, Methods, and Applications, 29, 1-12. doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000160

Reinemann, C., Fawzi, N. & Obermaier, M. (2017). Die “Vertrauenskrise“ der Medien - Fakt oder Fiktion? Zu Entwicklung, Stand und Ursachen des Medienvertrauens in Deutschland [The media's “crisis of trust” - fact or fiction? On the development, current state, and causes of trust in the media in Germany]. In V. Lilienthal & I. Neverla (Eds.), “Lügenpresse“. Anatomie eines politischen Kampfbegriffs [“Lying press”. An analysis of a political polemic term] (pp. 77-94). Kiepenheuer und Witsch. 

2016

Fawzi, N., Obermaier, M. & Reinemann, C. (2016). Germany: Is the populism laggard catching up? In T. Aalberg, F. Esser, C. Reinemann, J. Strömbäck & C. de Vreese (Eds.), Populism and populist political communication: A comprehensive review of 26 European countries (pp. 111-126). Routledge.

Obermaier, M., Fawzi, N. & Koch, T. (2016). Bystanding or standing by? How the number of bystanders affects the intention to intervene in cyberbullying. New Media & Society, 18(8), 1491-1507. doi.org/10.1177/1461444814563519

2015

Obermaier, M., Fawzi, N. & Koch, T. (2015). Bystanderintervention bei Cybermobbing. Warum spezifische Merkmale computervermittelter Kommunikation prosoziales Eingreifen von Bystandern einerseits hemmen und andererseits fördern [Bystander intervention in cyberbullying. Why specific characteristics of computer-mediated communication both inhibit and promote prosocial intervention by bystanders]. Studies in Communication and Media, 4(1), 28-52. doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2015-1-28

Obermaier, M. & Koch, T. (2015). Mind the gap. Consequences of inter-role conflicts of freelance journalists with secondary employment in the field of PR. Journalism, 16(5), 615-629. doi.org/10.1177/1464884914528142

2014

Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2014). Blurred lines. German freelance journalists with secondary employment in public relations. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 473-482. doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.02.006

Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2014). With heart and (no) mind? How recipients negatively infer missing information about politicians and how this affects the assessment of the speaker. Communication Research, 43(7), 972-995. doi.org/10.1177/0093650214565005

Obermaier, M. (2014). Kommission für Jugendmedienschutz (KJM) [Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM)]. In H. Pürer (Ed.), Publizistik und Kommunikationswissenschaft (pp. 272-274). UVK.

Obermaier, M., Haim, M. & Reinemann, C. (2014). Emotionen bewegen? Ein Experiment zur Wirkung von Medienbeiträgen mit Emotionalisierungspotenzial auf Emotionen, politische Partizipationsabsichten und weiterführende Informationssuche [Do emotions drive action? An experiment on the impact of media reports with emotional potential on emotions, intentions to participate in politics, and further information-seeking]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 62(2), 216-235. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634x-2014-2-216

2013

Fröhlich, R., Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2013). What’s the harm in moonlighting? A qualitative survey on the role conflicts of freelance journalists with secondary employment in the field of PR. Media, Culture & Society, 35(7), 809-829. doi.org/10.1177/0163443713495076

Koch, T. & Obermaier, M. (2013). Schwieriger Spagat. Freie Journalisten mit Nebentätigkeiten im PR-Bereich [A difficult balancing act: Freelance journalists with side jobs in public relations]. Studies in Communication and Media, 2(1), 115-127. doi.org/10.5771/2192-4007-2013-1-115

Koch, T., Obermaier, M. & Peter, C. (2013). Viel hilft viel? Der Einfluss von Wiederholungsanzahl und Größe von Internetwerbebannern auf Mere-Exposure- und Truth-Effekt [Does more really help? The influence of repetition frequency and size of online advertising banners on mere exposure and truth effects]. In H. Schramm & J. Knoll (Eds.), Innovation der Persuasion. Die Qualität der Werbe- und Markenkommunikation in neuen Medienwelten [Innovation in persuasion. The quality of advertising and brand communication in new media environments] (pp. 141-157). Halem.

Koch, T., Peter, C. & Obermaier, M. (2013). Optimisten glaubt man nicht. Wie sich die wiederholte Darbietung valenzbasierter Frames auf die Glaubwürdigkeit der Botschaft und des Kommunikators auswirkt [People don't believe optimists. How the repeated use of valence-based frames affects the credibility of the message and the communicator]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 61(4), 551-567. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634x-2013-4-551

Obermaier, M. & Koch, T. (2013). Von der Doppelrolle. Auswirkungen von Inter-Rollenkonflikten freier Journalisten mit Nebentätigkeiten im PR-Bereich [On the double role: The effects of role conflicts among freelance journalists with side jobs in public relations]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 61(3), 406-419. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634x-2013-3-406

2012

Koch, T., Fröhlich, R. & Obermaier, M. (2012). Tanz auf zwei Hochzeiten. Rollenkonflikte freier Journalisten mit Nebentätigkeiten im PR-Bereich [Trying to have it both ways. Role conflicts among freelance journalists with side jobs in public relations]. Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft, 60(4), 520-535. doi.org/10.5771/1615-634x-2012-4-520

Obermaier, M., Springer, N. & Popp, S. (2012). Ins Netz gegangen. Was das online-affine Publikum vom Journalismus erwartet [Going online. What the internet-savvy audience expects from journalism]. In N. Springer, J. Raabe, H. Haas & W. Eichhorn (Eds.), Medien und Journalismus im 21. Jahrhundert [Media and journalism in the 21st century ] (pp. 549-572). UVK.