Psychology PhD studentship

Psychology Doctoral Research Studentship - Identity leadership in physical activity settings (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

Physical inactivity is a worldwide problem and, therefore, understanding how to increase physical activity is important. Engagement with physical activity is in part determined by social factors (i.e., the influence of others). For instance, physical activity leaders play a central role in our motivation for, enjoyment of and, ultimately, engagement in physical activity. As yet, however, research exploring how leaders can facilitate health-enhancing behaviours is limited (see Stevens et al., 2022 for a review). Given that group identification is proposed to play an important role in our engagement with physical activity, the social identity theory of leadership (SIL) holds promise in understanding effective leadership in physical activity contexts. Indeed, initial research on SIL in physical activity settings suggests that followers whose leaders engage in identity leadership attend more frequently (e.g., Stevens et al., 2018) and exert more effort in sessions (Steffens et al., 2019). However, more research is needed to explore the role of SIL in helping people engage in physical activity. Therefore, broadly speaking, the aim of this PhD is to explore the application and effectiveness of SIL in physical activity settings.   

Given that research on this topic is in its infancy, there is scope to shape this research to match your interests.

The project will be supervised by Dr Sean Figgins and Prof Viv Vignoles.

References

Stevens, M., Rees, T., Cruwys, T., & Olive, L. (2022). Equipping physical activity leaders to facilitate behaviour change: An overview, call to action, and roadmap for future research. Sports Medicine, 8, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00423-0

Stevens, M., Rees, T., & Cruwys, T. (2021). Social identity leadership in sport and exercise: Current status and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 55, 101931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101931

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

13 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 'Sean Figgins'.
• In the 'Proposed source of funding' section of your application, please put 'Psychology Doctoral Research Studentship - Figgins'. 

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 Sean Figgins

 

Timetable

Deadline: Wednesday 13 January 2023  (23:59 GMT)

Interviews (on Zoom): February 2023