The present invention relates to precipitation polymers which comprise, in copolymerized form, 80 to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic water-soluble monomer a) and 0.1 to 20% by weight of a monomer b) carrying amide or urea groups. The invention further relates to the use of these polymers as rheology modifiers for in particular aqueous compositions and as rheology-modifying setting agents in hair cosmetics. The invention further relates to aqueous compositions comprising these polymers.
