Integrating Human Behaviour and Psychology

Rethinking Epidemic Models: Integrating Human Behaviour and Psychology (2027)

What you get

For 3 years, you will receive a tax-free stipend at a standard rate of £21,805 per year and your fees will be waived (at the UK rate). In addition, to an annual Research and Training Support Grant of £900

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

Human behaviour during epidemics reflects our nature as socially embedded decision-makers who interpret health risks through multiple, often competing, social identities. Traditional epidemic models offer mathematical precision but fail when confronted with this reality: people do not follow mathematical rules, they navigate health decisions as group members whose identities shape how they interpret risk, trust information, and act. In this project, the PhD student will translate psychological constructs into mathematical/dynamical rules driving comprehensive agent-based

models (ABMs) incorporating disease transmission, behaviour and feedback loops. They will systematically review and extract the psychological building blocks required for the agent-based models built by others in this Leverhulme Trust funded research team. Their first task will be to conduct a comprehensive literature review identifying epidemic-relevant social identities, their associated norms, contextual salience triggers, and within- versus across-group influence patterns. Working with datasets from the UK, Netherlands, and USA, the PhD student will produce the identity profiles—archetypal agent configurations capturing key behavioural heterogeneity—that form the foundation of the modelling platform. In the second phase, the PhD student will collaborate with others to translate these psychological constructs into formal computational rules suitable for agent-based modelling. The PhD student will ensure that formalisations remain faithful to the underlying psychological theory—a translational role that is central to the project's interdisciplinary ambition. Jointly supervised by John Drury (social psychology, Sussex) and Marijn Stok (health psychology, Utrecht), the student will benefit from complementary expertise spanning the social identity approach, health behaviour research, and real-world policy advisory experience from COVID-19.

Eligibility

• Eligible candidates will normally have a first or an upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent qualification) in Psychology or a related field.

• 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 applicants from all backgrounds.

Please ensure you application includes each of the following:

• A personal statement (up to 1000 words) on why you would be suited to this studentship and what you would bring to it. (If you need help with writing your research proposal, you can find information on our website.)
• Your CV.
• Degree certificates and transcripts. 

Number of scholarships available

• 1

Deadline

How to apply

To be considered for this studentship, you must submit an application for the relevant full-time PhD programme commencing in January 2027. Please refer to our step-by-step application guide before starting your application.

Please note that you will not be able to apply directly for the studentship through the application portal. Instead, you must apply for the PhD associated with the studentship.

Before submitting your application, please ensure that you:

• Apply for the correct PhD project.
• Nominate the appropriate supervisor(s), where required.

Failure to do so may result in delays to the processing of your application.

Completing Your Application

When you reach the Finance Information section of the application form, you will be able to indicate which studentship you wish to be considered for.

Academic Interests Section

Please use this section to identify the supervisor(s) you would like to work with. Some studentships allow applicants to select their preferred supervisor, while others have a designated supervisor already assigned.

Finance Information Section

Please complete the following fields as outlined below:

Please select one of the following options

• Select: "I have applied / will apply for funding"

Title of the award(s) that you have applied for / will be applying for

• Enter only the studentship name exactly as it appears in the advertisement: [insert studentship title]

When will you receive a decision on your funding application?

• Enter the month following the studentship interview period. Further details can be found in the Timetable section of the advertisement.

What amount will the award be?

• Copy the funding amount directly from the "What you get" section of the advertisement.

Referees

To submit your application, you must provide details of two academic referees.

Please note that your referees do not need to submit their references before the application deadline. You can still submit your application while references are pending.

Further Enquiries

• For eligibility questions, research proposal discussions, and other academic enquiries, please contact the relevant supervisor.
• For general admissions enquiries or assistance with your application, please contact fosem-pgr@sussex.ac.uk.
• For technical issues with the admissions portal, please contact phd.applicants@sussex.ac.uk.

Funding partners

Funded by a research grant to Professor John Drury

Contact us

For queries with respect to the application process please contact: fosem-pgr@sussex.ac.uk 

To discuss the details of this project further please contact Professor John Drury at j.drury@sussex.ac.uk. 

Timetable

Deadline for applications:  Friday 22 September 2026 at 23:45

Interviews are scheduled for week beginning 28^th September 2026