PhD position in experimental social psychology (Stereotypes and Generics) (ref. BAP-2024-523)
We offer a fully-funded PhD position (funded by FWO – Research Foundation Flanders) in the Laboratory of Experimental Social Psychology (LESP) of KU Leuven. The position is currently funded for 3 years, but extra funding for an additional year can be obtained.
LESP belongs to the Research Group Brain & Cognition (B&C) in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of KU Leuven. Led by Prof. Vera Hoorens, LESP will from Fall 2024 on consist of 4 doctoral students, 1 research intern, and 8-10 master thesis students, all supported by two managerial assistants (part-time working for LESP), and the faculty’s ICT service. It is a vivid, cohesive, and productive research group, strongly committed to fostering collaborations, Responsible Research Practices, and FAIR and Open Science.
As a PhD student, you will be enrolled in the doctoral program of the faculty. You will devote nearly all your time to your doctoral research and the doctoral training program, with minimal teaching and administrative tasks. Your supervisors and main advisors will be Prof. Vera Hoorens (LESP), Prof. Walter Schaeken, and Prof. Susanne Bruckmüller, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany). The philosopher of language Prof. Filip Buekens from the Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science (KU Leuven) may be involved in a consulting role.
Unit website: https://ppw.kuleuven.be/lesp
Project
You will work on the project “Are old folks wise, or are they wiser than youngsters? How the wording of claims about social groups spreads stereotypes”, funded by FWO (grant number G053623N). People’s views of social groups (e.g. age, gender, professional, religious and ethnic groups) do not only manifest themselves in what they say or write about those groups, but also in how they express it. With most readers and listeners paying more attention to the contents than to the wording of verbal communication, the wording can imperceptibly affect how readers and listeners think about the described group(s). An important but as yet understudied aspect of the wording of claims about social groups is their ‘comparative format’ – the extent to, and the manner in which claims explicitly state that an intergroup comparison is being involved. For example, the claim “Old people are wise” does not explicitly compare groups, even though it suggests that old people are wiser than members of other age groups. “Old people are wiser than younger people” makes that comparison explicit. From a purely logical point of view, “Younger people are less wise than old people” makes the same comparison. However, readers or listeners will probably understand it very differently. This project examines determinants of the comparative formats that communicators use and the extent to which comparative formats shape the interpretation of claims by readers and listeners. It also examines to what extent and in which manner both processes jointly contribute to the spreading of stereotypes. The project will test hypotheses derived from theories and findings from social and cognitive psychology, linguistics, and philosophy. As a predoctoral researcher, you will play a major role in preparing and conducting the experiments, analyzing and interpreting the data, publishing the research, and disseminating the results to a wider audience. You will participate in the weekly lab meetings of the LESP, as well as in seminars within and outside the research group, and in regular online meetings with Susanne Bruckmüller.
Profile
- You are a recently graduated Master in Psychology or Research Master (in one of the Behavioural or Social Sciences) or you will graduate no later than September 2024.
- You have graduated or expect to graduate with excellent grades.
- You have a proven interest, and are strongly motivated to obtain a PhD, in the field of experimental social psychology, and specifically on the crossroads of language, verbal communication, and cognition.
- You have a strong basis in research methods and statistics (including statistical packages R, SPSS, and/or JASP) and you possess both the desire and ability to expand your methodological and statistical skills
- You have an excellent command of English. Good knowledge of Dutch and/or German (or another European language) may be an asset, but is not required.
- You have good communication skills, both written and oral.
- You are well organized and capable of taking initiative and working independently, but you are also flexible and you have a collegial attitude.
- You are committed to FAIR and Open Science, Research Ethics, and Responsible Research Practices.
- You are willing to move to Belgium and to travel (mainly in Europe, particularly Germany) for research and conferences.'
- You are eager to start on a PhD project that is currently fully funded for 3 years and for which additional funding will be sought in case the PhD takes longer.
- You have great analytical skills, which will allow you to quickly understand an already existing dataset (of Study 1 in the project). You are also creative, which will allow you to contribute to designing and conducting subsequent studies (main part of the project).
Offer
- A full-time appointment, initially for the duration of one year, but given satisfactory performance to be extended to 3 years in total. If the PhD is not finished at the end of the 3rd year, we will seek additional funding for a fourth year (good chances of success).
- A solidly prepared project, including a first study that if desired may serve as a blueprint for the initial subsequent studies (ethical and juridical clearance application, preregistration, programming, participant recruitment) and to whose analysis and publication the doctoral candidate may contribute if they wish to do so.
- Excellent research facilities.
- Cohesive and supportive research groups, led by committed professors and embedded in stimulating, creative environments with excellent international reputations and many international collaborations.
- Opportunities for further professional development through seminars in various research groups at KU Leuven and FAU, the Doctoral School for the Humanities and Social Sciences of KU Leuven, and opportunities to participate in national and international summer schools and conferences.
- Additional benefits for academic staff at KU Leuven: paid holidays, reimbursement of costs for commuting by public transport, advantageous health and hospitalization insurance, discount on access to university restaurants, sports facilities, etc...
For more information, please contact prof. dr. Vera Hoorens, tel. +32 16 32 60 28, Vera.Hoorens@kuleuven.be, or prof. dr. Susanne Bruckmüller, susanne.bruckmueller@fau.de. During the summer months (July/August), please send your mail to both professors simultaneously to make sure that one of them will be able to quickly answer your question.
Please apply via the online application system of KU Leuven. We will evaluate candidates on a rolling basis and may close the vacancy when the position is filled. We encourage candidates with a strong interest in applying but who expect that they will only be able to do so somewhat later within the response window (e.g., because of exams) to send a letter of intention through e-mail (to Vera.Hoorens@kuleuven.be). Qualified candidates will receive an invitation for an interview that may take place in a hybrid format.
Apply with:1. A motivation letter (in English)2. Your CV (in English)3. An academic text written by you, e.g., a master's thesis (in English, Dutch, German, or French)4. Two letters of reference.
Job start date: to be agreed upon, but ideally between 1 October and 1 November 2024.
You can apply for this job no later than October 31, 2024 via the online application tool
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