Born in Pforzheim, Germany, Stroebe obtained his MA in psychology at the University of Tübingen in 1964, and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Münster in 1966 with the thesis, entitled "Eine experimentelle und theoretische Untersuchung des Volumen‑Gewicht‑Effektes". In 1968 he obtained another PhD at the London School of Economics with the thesis, entitled "An experimental and theoretical study of social judgement." After his graduation in London Stroebe started his academic career as Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968. In 1970 he returned to England and was Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Bristol, England for a year, 1970–71, and lecturer in Social Psychology at the University of Sussex for another year. In 1973 he went back to Germany, where he was appointed Professor at the University of Marburg. In 1979 he moved to the University of Tübingen, where he was Professor until 1992, chairperson of the Department of Psychology from 1980 to 1987, and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences in 1991-92. In between he was Visiting Professor at the University of Massachusetts in 1987-88. In 1992 Stroebe went to the Netherlands, where he was appointed Professor of Social and Organizational Psychology at the Utrecht University, and since 2006 Honorary Professor of Social Psychology, and Professor Emeritus since 2011. From 1992 to 1995 he also chaired its Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, and from 2000 to 2005 he was founding scientific director of its Research Institute "Psychology & Health." In 2011 he became Visiting Professor at the University of Groningen.
Selected publications
Stroebe, Wolfgang, and Margaret S. Stroebe. Bereavement and health: The psychological and physical consequences of partner loss.Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Stroebe, W., Kruglanski, A., Bar-Tal, D., & Hewstone, M.,. The social psychology of intergroup conflict. New York: Springer-Verlag.
Hewstone, M. E., Stroebe, W. E., & Stephenson, G. M. E.. Introduction to social psychology: A European perspective. Blackwell Publishing.
Stroebe, M. S., Hansson, R. O., Stroebe, W. E., & Schut, H. E.. Handbook of bereavement research: Consequences, coping, and care. American Psychological Association.
Stroebe, Wolfgang. Social psychology and health. McGraw-Hill International, 2011.
Rijsman, John, and Wolfgang Stroebe. "The two social psychologies or whatever happened to the crisis?." European journal of social psychology 19.5 : 339-343.
Diehl, Michael, and Wolfgang Stroebe. "Productivity loss in idea-generating groups: Tracking down the blocking effect." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 61.3 : 392.
Stroebe, Margaret, Henk Schut, and Wolfgang Stroebe. "Health outcomes of bereavement." The Lancet 370.9603 : 1960-1973.