Introducing the FUS Faculty: Martino Ongis

Assistant Professor, Psychology

Ph.D., The New School for Social Research, United States
M.A., University of Bergamo, Italy

Office: Villa, North Campus, Loft
Email: mongis@fus.edu

Martino Ongis joined Franklin University Switzerland in August 2023 as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. He earned his Laurea Magistrale cum laude from the University of Bergamo and completed his doctoral degree at the New School for Social Research in the United States. Prior to his appointment at Franklin University Switzerland, he served as a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University's Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Ethics, where he continues to contribute actively as a Design Studio Associate. At Franklin, he teaches courses such as Social Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, and the Psychology of Judgment & Decision-Making. His research centers on the psychological foundations of polarization, institutional moral orientations, and the alignment between individuals' and organizations' values. In addition to his teaching and research, Martino is actively involved in the development of innovative assessment tools for measuring instructional objectives and student learning outcomes. Prof. Ongis was awarded the FUS "Excellence in Teaching" Faculty Award for the academic year 2023/24.

2024-2025 Courses

PSY 100	Introduction to Psychology	FALL 2024
This introductory course is designed to provide an overview of the field of psychology, including theoretical positions, major research areas and methods of gathering data. Subtopics of psychology, such as physiological processes, developmental, abnormal behavior and social psychology are discussed.
PSY 201	Social Psychology	FALL 2024
Introduction to major theories and research findings of social psychology in order to provide an understanding of the roles of cognitive and motivational processes in social behavior. The focus of this course is on how people's behavior, feelings and thoughts are influenced through social environment.
PSY 208T	Psychology En Route: Cognition and Social Dynamics in Ancient Cities (Italy)	FALL 2024
This course blends psychology principles with the timeless allure of Medieval and Renaissance cities. It integrates cognitive, social, and psychodynamic psychology to offer a systematic exploration of cognition and an intricate analysis of social dynamics in these historical urban centers. Throughout the course, students will actively engage in a structured series of activities, discussions, experiments, and meticulously planned research projects, effectively bridging psychology theories with the authentic reality of cities renowned for their profound intellectual legacy.
PSY 203	Theories of Personality	SPRING 2025
The course addresses itself to a comprehensive in-depth study of the following question: What is personality? The major theories of personality which are prominent and important today in the field of psychology are considered individually in detail, chronologically and comparatively. These include the classical psycho-analytical theory of Freud, Jungian theory, existential/phenomenological theories, cognitive theories and behavior psychology.
PSY 218	The Psychology of Fiction	SPRING 2025
This course explores the psychology of fiction using scientific methods to examine questions such as how narratives impact cognition, emotion, and social behavior, and how people understand and discuss stories in various settings. We will investigate how printed fiction, as well as other cultural products like artworks and movies, are entangled with processes such as empathy, imagination, and autobiographical memory. Students will explore the cognitive and emotional effects of fiction, the neural processes involved in reading, the ways we understand and relate to fictional characters, and the relationship between language and thought. The course also addresses broader questions such as how we interpret fictional characters’ actions, how narratives can be used therapeutically, and how different stories shape people’s understanding of the world.
PSY 496	Senior Capstone in Psychology	SPRING 2025
The Senior Capstone in Psychology is a crucial part of the Psychology program. Tailored specifically for advanced-level students, this course provides guidance and practical skills necessary for carrying out a research project. Students will learn the basics of doing original research, sharpening their critical thinking abilities, and improving their academic writing skills. At the end of the course, each student will have successfully completed an individual research project.

Publications:

Ongis, M., Kidd, D., & Miner, J. (In Press). Ethics incognito: Detecting ethically relevant courses across curricula in higher education. Journal of Academic Ethics.

Ongis, M., & Davidai, S. (2022). Personal relative deprivation and the belief that economic success is zero-sum. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 151(7), 1666–1680.

Negri, A., & Ongis, M. (2021). Stimulus features of the object relations technique affecting the linguistic qualities of individuals’ narratives. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 50, 65-83.

Miozzo, M., Navarrete, E., Ongis, M., Mello, E., Girotto, V., & Peressotti, F. (2020). Foreign language effect in decision-making: How foreign is it? Cognition, 199.

Davidai, S., & Ongis, M. (2019). The politics of zero-sum thinking: The relationship between political ideology and the belief that life is a zero-sum game. Science Advances, 5(12).

Kidd, D., Ongis, M., & Castano, E. (2016). On literary fiction and its effects on theory of mind. Scientific Study of Literature, 6(1), 42-58.