On January 21, 2012 she was a guest in the series of talks with Maria Ugarova "Morphology in Practice". Today we present our questionnaire to WSG member Regina Stralka. Read the portrait with the Berlin market and cultural researcher here.
Regina Stralka completed her studies with Wilhelm Salber in 1982. She studied with Joachim Enders, Gabriele Mansfeld and Peter Thönes, among others. At this time she was also a research assistant at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen with Prof. Weissenborn and completed additional training in art and design at the Werkschule Köln.
Her psychology studies were followed by a period of mainly artistic activities with a stay in the USA. She then worked at the market and media research institute IFM-Freiburg (Prof. Dr. Melchers) and - together with Peter Franken - carried out automotive projects for GfK Nuremberg.
In 1996, together with Alan Lasak, Ms. Stralka founded an institute for morphology plus design analysis with a focus on automotive research for R&D, product development, brand strategy and design called public perception. The institute initially focused on studies of interrelationships between material qualities, design, usage motives, brand images and cultural factors. International on-location studies for lead management - e.g. for BMW, Honda, Mini in the EU, China, USA - and studies on future-oriented drive systems or humanoid robots (Honda) followed. Then a leap into the pharmaceutical field with studies on mental illnesses, common diseases such as diabetes and depression, prescription strategies and health policy. This led to publications on patient needs studies for the Joint Federal Committee and - more recently - on the experience of depression in Corona times. Since 2019 public perception also carries out morphologically oriented Big Data analyses with AI partner Symanto, e.g. on purchase and usage motives of products and on collective moods.
In her private life Regina Stralka likes to roam through the museums and exhibitions not only of Berlin and takes extensive walks in the Grunewald. She works on new ideas and develops photo and video works. Her interest in old and new films also takes up a good part of her free time activities. In addition, she loves to travel as much and as far as she can with long-time friends.
Ms. Stralka, what do you wish for the future of the WSG?
More presence of the WSG on the 'world stage'. Focal point for morphological research, 'the' institution with the necessary 'equipment' to classify the psychologically effective, collective dynamics between reality and fiction and the increasing 'psychisation' of events. Like pioneer Stephan Grünewald.
Members' AGs and discussion forums on two, three agreed topical areas. Morphology deepening, e.g. a seminar programme on the morphology of fairy tales, e.g. by experts such as Mr Domke. In the spirit of morphology, also take up media such as sound, image and social media - I find
e.g. the Zoom events very stimulating and lively. A nice exchange.
Which area or phenomenon of human life should be morphologically investigated?
What it is about the "felt" epochal change that is currently taking place. How the construction of time is changing (the future is moving into the present - some groups are already living the future, others as it was a hundred years ago), how the soul is forming in the merging of people and things and in the "virtual".
Through which points of contact did you get to know the psychological morphology?
Coming from Cologne with an active inclination towards psychology & art "visiting" before studying. That was the start of a continuing journey of discovery into life and art. While the outside world and the workings of things were quite mysterious to me before, here I learned to grasp how everyday life and culture function by the example of the simplest things.
Which psychological book do you use from time to time?
Freud's writings on culture; currently Linde Salber "Psychologie für die Westentasche" and her novel "Herzmusterstrickjacke", Dirk Blothner "Das geheime Drehbuch des Lebens" on film psychology, Wilhelm Salber "Kunst, Psychologie, Behandlung" as a 'vade mecum'.
Which country would you like to visit one day?
After spending too much time in some places and not enough in others, I want to learn more about the world in many other places.
Gestalt and transformation is the central primal phenomenon of psychological morphology: into whom or what would you like to transform yourself for a day?
Into a time traveler. Travel backwards in time and change things, travel forwards in time and experience how things develop.
Mrs Stralka, thank you for your answers.