PhD Position "Enhancing Adolescents' Agency Over Social Media Use for Digital Well-Being"

Do you want to contribute to research that empowers adolescents to take control of their social media use and improve their digital well-being? Are you passionate about youth and digital technology? Then apply for this PhD project focused on how digital tools can enhance adolescents’ agency over their social media use, helping them manage it more consciously and healthily.

Join us!

The Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) is looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate for the project “Enhancing Adolescents’ Agency Over Social Media Use for Improved Digital Well-Being.” This four-year PhD track, embedded within the Youth and Media Entertainment Program Group, will be supervised by dr. Amber van der Wal, dr. Susanne Baumgartner, and dr. Eva van Reijmersdal.
This project addresses one of today’s most pressing societal challenges: empowering adolescents to (re)gain control over their social media use. Social media platforms increasingly deploy immersive design features, such as autoplay and infinite scrolling, which are meant to keep users engaged but can also lead adolescents into “social media flow”—a deeply absorbing state that encourages prolonged use. While flow states can enhance short-term enjoyment, they may contribute to excessive use and negative outcomes over time, including declines in mental health and academic performance.
This PhD project aims to counter these effects by enhancing adolescents’ digital agency—their ability to make informed, independent choices about social media use by understanding and adjusting available tools and settings. Focusing on digital agency tools designed to interrupt or prevent flow states, this project seeks to support adolescents in gaining control over their social media engagement to create a more balanced and healthy digital experience. The insights from this project will inform actionable recommendations for adolescents and parents, shape best practices for app developers and social media platforms, and guide effective policy decisions for regulators.

What are you going to do

This PhD project takes a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research. Over the course of the project, you will conduct three interconnected studies: (1) develop and validate a scale to measure digital agency among adolescents, and examine their awareness, ability to use, and perceptions of digital agency tools; (2) conduct focus groups to explore adolescents’ motivations for adopting these tools; and (3) design and execute a real-world experiment to test the effectiveness of the most promising tools.

You will:

• Manage the project, including scheduling meetings with the supervisory team, preparing agendas, and documenting meetings and research activities;

• Design and prepare the studies (e.g., create a comprehensive search strategy for a literature review, develop and refine survey and focus group materials);

• Collect and analyze data for the studies (e.g., gather and synthesize relevant academic literature, recruit participants for surveys, focus groups, and real-world experiments, and analyze data from surveys, qualitative focus groups, and intervention studies);

• Write academic articles for publication in high-impact scientific journals, and present findings at (inter)national conferences;

• Contribute to the ASCoR research community by participating in workshops, meetings, and lectures;

• Support teaching activities at the Bachelor’s level (up to approximately 10% of your time).

What do you have to offer

You have:

• A (research) master’s degree in communication science, psychology, or a related field, or expect to obtain it soon;

• Experience with quantitative and/or qualitative research methods;

• Skills to handle and analyze complex datasets;

• An interest in open science principles and a commitment to methodological rigor and scientific integrity;

• Excellent spoken and written English, with proficiency in Dutch or a willingness to learn.

You are able to:

• Show curiosity in exploring insights from various disciplines and a readiness to learn new skills and methods as the project evolves, adapting to challenges with resilience and creativity;

• Maintain a proactive attitude, be open to feedback, and pay attention to detail;

• Manage your own time effectively and work independently while collaborating well within a team;

• Keep a cool head and stay organized when juggling multiple tasks;

• Communicate research findings clearly to both academic and non-academic audiences.

What else do we offer

The planned starting date for this project is mid-March, 2025, but there is some flexibility with regard to the starting date. The position concerns temporary employment of 38 hours for a maximum term of four years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and unchanged financial and organisational circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of 36 months, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum that will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international events. You will also be tasked with teaching (Bachelor’s) students for up to approximately 10% of the contract.

What else do we offer

• A position in which initiative and input are highly valued;

• A position centered on your growth, with ample opportunities for scholarly and professional development, including the opportunity to take Dutch language courses;

• A supervision team with the goal to supervise and advice the PhD candidate in their work and professional development through regular team meetings;

• A daily supervisor who is available for the PhD candidate for regular contact on all matters relevant to the candidate;

• An enthusiastic and warm department that is open to new colleagues;

• A large, welcoming community of PhD candidates working on various projects within Communication Science;

• While frequent presence at the office is valued in terms of cohesion and team building, we offer the opportunity to work hybrid (i.e., to work from home from time to time).

You will be working in this program group

This project is embedded within the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam. ASCoR is the research institute for Communication Science, structured around four program groups: Persuasive Communication, Corporate Communication, Political Communication & Journalism, and Youth & Media Entertainment. For more information click here.

For this project, you will be officially embedded in the Youth & Media Entertainment (YME) program group, supervised by researchers from both YME (Amber van der Wal and Susanne Baumgartner) and Persuasive Communication (Eva van Reijmersdal). Within YME, the focus lies on the role of entertainment media in everyday life, with a special emphasis on children and adolescents’ experiences and well-being. Taking a media psychology perspective, YME explores both traditional and digital forms of entertainment to understand their impact on people’s lives (more information here).

Within the YME group and ASCoR at large, you’ll join a welcoming and dynamic research community where collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches are highly valued. Set in the vibrant city of Amsterdam, you’ll engage with impactful research addressing key challenges across the field of Communication Science.

Do you recognize yourself in this job profile? We look forward to receiving your application by December 1, 2024.

Please submit your application as a .pdf file, including:

• Curriculum vitae, with grade transcripts from your bachelor’s and (research) master’s studies;

• Letter of motivation: Outline your interest in this topic, your readiness for the PhD project, and how you meet the selection criteria. If any criteria are not yet fully met, explain how you plan to develop the necessary skills. Optionally, include contact details of two academic referees familiar with your work;

• Writing sample in English, such as a master’s thesis or a recent essay.

Interviews for this position are scheduled for the mornings of December 18 and 19, 2024.

Questions? Feel free to contact Amber van der Wal at a.vanderwal@uva.nl.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please.

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