Psychology PhD studentship

Psychology Doctoral Research Studentship - Removing barriers to sustainable behaviour adoption by reducing moral threat: Exploring intergroup contact between members and non-members of “moralised minority practice groups” (2023)

What you get

• A stipend for 3 years (rising in line with UKRI studentship rates, currently £17,668 p.a.) to cover living costs.
• Home fees or International fees and research/training costs are also covered for 3 years.
• You will also be expected to take up Doctoral Tutoring during your 6 semesters (3 years) of funding. This work is paid at Grade 5.1 (currently £13.88 per hour), and covers contact time, preparation and marking. You will be expected to work approximately 165 hours per year, dependent on modules selected and availability.

 

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

Some environmental minority practices (such as veganism, commuting by bike, voluntary simplification) can be interpreted as “moral”. Existing research suggests that members of such moralized minority practice groups can be derogated, because non-members feel morally threatened. This project will explore how this perception of moral threat could be reduced, with the aim of eliminating derogation sometimes experienced by those who practice certain sustainable behaviours, and removing barriers that people may perceive in adopting new sustainable practices.

In particular, we will use intergroup contact framework to explore what affects the quality of contact between members and non-members of “moralised minority practice groups”. We will trace natural contact experiences over time, and conduct experimental studies to understand which factors contribute to positive intergroup interactions and willingness to adopt minority sustainable practices. These factors could include self-presentation choices made by each side, communicative goals, as well as situational factors, such as threat activation.

The project will be supervised by Dr Anna Rabinovich in collaboration with Dr. Tim Kurz (University of Western Australia). 

Doctoral Tutor role: 

You will also be expected to take up Doctoral Tutoring during your 6 semesters (3 years) of funding. This work is paid at Grade 5.1 (currently £13.88 per hour), and covers contact time, preparation and marking. You will be expected to work approximately 165 hours per year, dependent on modules selected and availability.

Doctoral Tutors will be encouraged to study for a formal teaching accreditation (Associate of the Higher Education Academy), including enrolling on a ‘starting to teach’ module in the first term. Candidates who demonstrate interest in and suitability for the Doctoral Tutor role will be preferred. 

 

 

Eligibility

• This award will pay fees at the Home or International rate (as required by the applicant's fee status). International students must move to Sussex for the duration of the PhD and will not be permitted to register as Distance Learners. The studentship does not include additional funding towards the costs of visas or travel to the UK for international students.
• Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a First or a high Upper Second Class Honours undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, and/or a  Merit (an average of 60% overall) in a Master’s degree in Psychology or other relevant discipline.
• The University of Sussex believes that the diversity of its staff and student community is fundamental to creative thinking, pedagogic innovation, intellectual challenge, and the interdisciplinary approach to research and learning. We celebrate and promote diversity, equality and inclusion amongst our staff and students. As such, we welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background. 

Number of scholarships available

one

Deadline

11 January 2023 23:59

How to apply

• Please read our Psychology PhD FAQS and our Prospectus before you start your application.
• Please submit your application online for 'PhD in Psychology' for entry in September 2023.

• In the 'Supervisor suggested by applicant' section of your application, put 'Anna Rabinovich'.
• In the 'Proposed source of funding' section of your application, please put 'Psychology Doctoral Research Studentship - Rabinovich'. 

Candidates should provide: 

• A research proposal that outlines your knowledge of the research area, hypotheses that could be addressed in your PhD, and an outline of potential methods. The research proposal should be approximately 1,000 to 1,500 words in length and not exceed 3 pages, including references. It should be set at a minimum of 10 font type with margins a minimum of 1cm. Applicants are encouraged to contact the supervisor for more information about the project before writing their proposal.
• Current degree transcript(s) with full details of performance on all completed courses. 
• Two academic references.
• An up-to-date CV.
• A document summarising any teaching experience you have and illustrating your suitability for a Doctoral Tutor role. 

Contact us

For queries with respect to the application process: psychologyphd-enquiries@sussex.ac.uk 

To discuss the details of your research interests further, please contact Dr Anna Rabinovich

 

Timetable

Deadline: Wednesday 11 January 2023  (23:59 GMT)

Interviews (on Zoom): February 2023