PhD Studentship - Psychology

The role

The project is called JITSUVAX. It is funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme and addresses vaccine hesitancy-the delay or refusal of vaccination without medical indication. Hesitancy has been cited as a serious threat to global health by the World Health Organization (WHO), identifying misinformation on the internet as a contributing factor. JITSUVAX leverages those insights to turn toxic misinformation into a potential asset based on two premises: 1. The best way to acquire knowledge and to combat misperceptions is by employing misinformation as a teaching tool, 2. HCPs (health care professionals) form the critical link between vaccination policies and vaccine uptake.

The principal objective of JITSUVAX is to leverage misinformation about vaccinations into an opportunity by training HCPs to neutralize misinformation among HCPs and enabling them to communicate more effectively with patients. The findings from JITSUVAX will be disseminated with the aid of collaborators within WHO and UNICEF to leverage new knowledge for global impact.

The PhD student will be based in Bristol and will conduct laboratory research locally or online. The research will involve a mix of quantitative and qualitative behavioural methods. The project involves additional nodes in Cambridge, France, Finland, Germany, and Portugal with the PhD student potentially spending time at other nodes as the project requires.

What will you be doing?

You have the opportunity to:

• complete a PhD at an internationally renowned research university
• take part in a contemporary project with high practical relevance
• work in a large collaborative team dedicated to top-tier research and fostering a positive atmosphere
• partake in career development, including mentoring, feedback, and (international) conferences
• develop broad skills through professional engagement and teaching experience

You should apply if

Applicants need a first or upper second-class honours degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or related discipline (e.g., cognitive science).

We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBT+ and BAME communities, to join us.