PhD Studentship on Social Norms

Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD studentship in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London.

We are inviting applications for a January 2024 start, and the successful candidate will join a research project on Social Norms, funded by the Leverhulme Trust. The project seeks to understand how social norms develop and are sustained, and involves psychologists, economists, and computer scientists at Royal Holloway. The position will be supervised by Professor Ryan McKay (Royal Holloway Psychology), but the successful student will also benefit from the expertise provided by members of the project team including Dr Gabriele Bellucci (Royal Holloway Psychology), Professor Kostas Stathis (Royal Holloway Computer Science) and Professor David Levine (the Leverhulme Fellow and the project’s principal investigator based in the Department of Economics).

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Tipping points in social conventions;
• Differential effects of descriptive vs injunctive social norms;
• The social and psychological consequences of taboo language;
• Using norms to increase charitable giving.
• The usefulness of norms for decision-makers

The studentship provides support of a stipend at a minimum of £20,039 per year (inclusive of London Allowance), over a period of 4 years for a full-time student. It also includes a tuition fee award to cover fees at the Home rate (currently £4,712 for the 2023/24 academic year). Students who have already started their study programme are not eligible. International applicants are welcome to apply but would be required to document secured finances for the difference between Home and International tuition fees.

The post is based in Egham, Surrey where the University is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus within commuting distance from London. At Royal Holloway, the post holder will join an active postgraduate research community, in a thriving research environment. The Department of Psychology was ranked 3^rd in the UK in the 2021 REF for our world-leading and internationally excellent research. The Department has excellent facilities (e.g., EEG, MRI, VR, dedicated physiological recording equipment) and the post holder will have access to extensive training provisions provided by the Doctoral School.

Applicants for the studentship should ideally hold, or be predicted to achieve, a first-class undergraduate degree or equivalent in Psychology or related discipline. A relevant MSc (e.g., cognitive science, decision science) with distinction is desirable, but not essential. Strong statistical skills, and experience with designing and implementing experiments with human participants, are essential. Applicants will need to submit a CV, a research proposal and personal statement, along with transcript(s) and copies of any qualifications. 

Applicants must apply on the University application portal. Please select "PhD Psychology" as the course title within the application form, specify the name of Professor Ryan McKay as supervisor and provide also a clear statement that you are applying for the studentship entitled "PHD POSITION IN SOCIAL NORMS". Please apply for the 2023/2024 academic year.

For an informal discussion about the post please contact Professor Ryan McKay Ryan.McKay@royalholloway.ac.uk).

Closing date: Midnight, 22^nd October 2023

Interview date: November 2023

Royal Holloway is committed to equality and diversity, and encourages applications from all sections of the community. Read here about structures and initiatives around equality and diversity, including information on staff diversity networks.”

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