PhD Position in Social/Cultural Psychology: Gendered Emotion Expression Across Cultures

Are you enthusiastic about advancing our understanding of how culture and gender intersect in shaping the communication of emotion? Are you excited by the idea of conducting conceptually and methodologically groundbreaking social science together with a team of experts in gender, culture, and emotion research? Are you interested in learning and employing innovative scientific methods that include big data, cross-national studies, and experience sampling?

We are seeking a PhD candidate for a 4-year project on gendered emotion expressions across cultures. This PhD track is embedded in the Social Psychology programme group, consisting of a vibrant group of world-renowned researchers studying culture, emotion, and intergroup relations. The desired starting date is January 1st, 2025, with some room for negotiation.

What are you going to do

The PhD candidate will become part of the Starter+Stimulus Grant Project “Do We Even Speak the Same Language? Gendered Emotion Expression across Cultures” supervised by Dr., Katharina Block, Dr. Michael Boiger, and Dr. Suzanne Oosterwijk. As a part of this team, you will play a central role in shaping and executing this new line of research. You will work on a wide array of research tasks, that include designing and performing empirical studies, analysing big data, and presenting your work at international conferences and in scientific journals.
 

The Project
Despite exemplary institutional progress towards gender equality (e.g., full equal rights, WHO, 2023), gender relations are still fraught in highly liberal Western countries like the Netherlands. Yet, close and cooperative relationships between men and women—for example, among romantic partners, friends, and co-workers—are key to human well-being. Emotions are a key facilitator of these relationships and communication of emotions is smoothest when individuals share the same emotional language, that is, a shared understanding when and how specific emotions are expressed. However, the way we communicate emotions is gendered in important ways, possibly leading to miscommunications and disconnection between men and women. To date, little work has systematically mapped how cultural contexts shape gendered emotions. This overlooks a potential explanation for the contradictory observation that gender segregation appears highest cultural contexts that value gender equality most. This project will examine I) how gender differences in emotion vary between countries, II) how cultural beliefs relate to such differences, and III) how cultural differences in gendered emotions may explain strained gender relations in everyday contexts. Click here for more detail about the project.

Tasks you will do

• Conducting research and completing a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;
• Conceptualizing and planning empirical studies on the project topic;
• Drafting pre-registrations and submitting ethics reviews;
• Learning and executing innovative quantitative techniques including multi-level modelling, scraping of social media data, and natural language processing models;
• Presenting research results at national and international workshops and conferences;
• Drafting articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals;
• Actively participating in the Social Psychology Programme Group, your project group, and the wider scientific community through collaborations, workshops, and presentations;
• 5% of your time will be spent teaching and/or supervising Bachelor and Master theses.

What do you have to offer

     Minimum requirements

• Master’s degree in psychology or closely related field by February 1st, 2025. You may apply if you have not yet completed your Master's degree only if you provide a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate before February 1st, 2025.
   

     A strong applicant

• Enjoys working collaboratively;
• Has a background in social and/or cultural psychology;
• Is willing to learn complex statistical procedures;
• Is highly motivated to research gender, culture, and emotions;
• Has excellent writing and presentation skills in English.
   

Any of the following would be a plus (but not required)

• Experience with cross-national studies;
• Experience with multi-level modelling;
• Experience with big data;
• Experience with experience sampling methods;
• Note that speaking Dutch is NOT required, but learning basic Dutch is encouraged.
   

What can we offer you

You will be conducting research and completing a PhD thesis within the period of the appointment.

We offer a temporary full-time position of 38 hours a week for a term of 4 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of 36 months, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. The preferred starting date is January 1st, 2025 (with some room negotiation). We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international conferences.
 

Your salary will be €2.872,- gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3.670 in the final year, based on full-time employment and in keeping with the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities. We additionally offer an extensive package of secondary benefits, including additional 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.3% as well as help with finding affordable housing in Amsterdam.

What else do we offer

• A position in which your initiative and input are highly valued;
• The opportunity to cultivate new skills and conduct ground-breaking research;
• A team of supervisors that value and are committed to social safety and diversity;
• Being part of vibrant research groups, the Amsterdam Culture and Intergroup Dynamics lab (ACID) and Amsterdam Interdisciplinary Center for Emotions (AICE);
• An inspiring international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam, Roeterseiland campus.

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the largest university in the Netherlands, with the broadest spectrum of degree programmes. It is an intellectual hub with 39,000 students, 6,000 employees and 3,000 doctoral students who are all committed to a culture of inquiring minds.
 

About the faculty

A challenging work environment with a variety of duties and ample scope for individual initiative and development within an inspiring organization. The social and behavioral sciences play a leading role in addressing the major societal challenges faced by the world, the Netherlands and Amsterdam, now and in the future.

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Questions

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

• Katharina Block, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology, k.a.e.block@uva.nl

Job application
 

Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 24 September 2024. You may apply online by using the link below.

Applications in one bundled .pdf should include:

• A curriculum vitae including the names and contact details of two academic referees
  (name, position, institution, and email);
• A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages, 12pt Times New Roman) that describes your motivation to apply to this project and outlines your relevant skills and experiences;
• Transcript from you Master’s degree (for ongoing degrees, an unofficial transcript is sufficient).

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize 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.

If you encounter Error GBB451/ GBC451, reach out to our HR Department directly. They will gladly help you continue your application.

No agencies please.