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PhD Position: How Performing Arts Shape Young Children's Social Development

  • Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
  • 14977
  • Master's
  • €3.059 - €3.881
  • Closes on
    13-05-2026
Apply

PhD Position: How Performing Arts Shape Young Children's Social Development

  • Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
  • 14977
  • Master's
  • €3.059 - €3.881
  • Closes on
    13-05-2026
Apply

Working at the UvA

How art shapes young social minds

You will join an NWO-funded Vidi project at the University of Amsterdam, at the intersection of social psychology and developmental science. You will work closely with the principal investigator and a postdoctoral researcher, and collaborate with performing arts festivals, music venues, and cultural partners in the Netherlands and abroad. The project combines controlled lab studies with field research in real performance settings and uses behavioral, physiological, and computational methods to understand how performing arts shape children’s social development. This position is especially suitable for someone who recently completed a research-focused Master’s in psychology or a closely related discipline and wants to build a strong interdisciplinary research profile.

Working at the UvA

How art shapes young social minds

You will join an NWO-funded Vidi project at the University of Amsterdam, at the intersection of social psychology and developmental science. You will work closely with the principal investigator and a postdoctoral researcher, and collaborate with performing arts festivals, music venues, and cultural partners in the Netherlands and abroad. The project combines controlled lab studies with field research in real performance settings and uses behavioral, physiological, and computational methods to understand how performing arts shape children’s social development. This position is especially suitable for someone who recently completed a research-focused Master’s in psychology or a closely related discipline and wants to build a strong interdisciplinary research profile.

All about this vacancy

What are you going to do

  • Work with the project team and external collaborators to develop theory-driven, societally relevant research;
  • Design and run lab and field experiments with young children in performing arts contexts;
  • Collect behavioral, physiological, and observational data in close contact with children, parents, artists, and partner organizations;
  • Supervise master’s students who will contribute to the project as part of their master’s theses;
  • Analyze quantitative and multimodal data and build reproducible workflows;
  • Contribute to publications, conference presentations, and open science outputs.

What do you have to offer

  • Must-have: You independently analyze quantitative data and write clear, reproducible code;
  • Must-have: You organize complex data collection carefully and communicate clearly with children, parents, artists, and partner organizations;
  • Good-to-have: Experience with research involving young children;
  • Good-to-have: Experience with physiological or movement data, such as electrocardiography or wearable sensor data.

What else do we offer you

We offer a temporary full-time position of 38 hours a week for a term of 4 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of 36 months, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international conferences.
You will receive close and substantive supervision from the project PI (Eftychia Stamkou) and collaborators, with regular feedback on theory, study design, analysis, academic writing, and career development. You will join a strong network of collaborators with expertise in empirical aesthetics, developmental research, social psychology, and the arts. The project offers access to dedicated lab facilities, family testing spaces, advanced measurement equipment, and technical support. You will also have opportunities to present your work at international conferences and develop an interdisciplinary academic profile. The fulltime position is for 4 years, starting September 1st 2026.

All about this vacancy

What are you going to do

  • Work with the project team and external collaborators to develop theory-driven, societally relevant research;
  • Design and run lab and field experiments with young children in performing arts contexts;
  • Collect behavioral, physiological, and observational data in close contact with children, parents, artists, and partner organizations;
  • Supervise master’s students who will contribute to the project as part of their master’s theses;
  • Analyze quantitative and multimodal data and build reproducible workflows;
  • Contribute to publications, conference presentations, and open science outputs.

What do you have to offer

  • Must-have: You independently analyze quantitative data and write clear, reproducible code;
  • Must-have: You organize complex data collection carefully and communicate clearly with children, parents, artists, and partner organizations;
  • Good-to-have: Experience with research involving young children;
  • Good-to-have: Experience with physiological or movement data, such as electrocardiography or wearable sensor data.

What else do we offer you

We offer a temporary full-time position of 38 hours a week for a term of 4 years. The initial employment is for one year. Following a positive assessment and barring altered circumstances, this term will be extended by a maximum of 36 months, which should result in the conferral of a doctorate. We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international conferences.
You will receive close and substantive supervision from the project PI (Eftychia Stamkou) and collaborators, with regular feedback on theory, study design, analysis, academic writing, and career development. You will join a strong network of collaborators with expertise in empirical aesthetics, developmental research, social psychology, and the arts. The project offers access to dedicated lab facilities, family testing spaces, advanced measurement equipment, and technical support. You will also have opportunities to present your work at international conferences and develop an interdisciplinary academic profile. The fulltime position is for 4 years, starting September 1st 2026.

Your place at the UvA

In this department you will work

You will become part of the Amsterdam Arts and Social Sciences Lab, a research group in the Psychology Department that studies how art and society shape each other. The lab brings together perspectives from psychology, empirical aesthetics, developmental science, and computational approaches, and works in close collaboration with artists, museums, and cultural institutions. Within this project, you will work closely with the principal investigator, a postdoctoral researcher, and a broader interdisciplinary network. The team offers an ambitious, collaborative, and supportive environment for building innovative research at the intersection of art and social science.

About the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the field of social and behavioural sciences in Europe. Here, we explore societal and human-centered issues, driven by scientific curiosity but also with an eye for current themes. For example, the impact of media and communication on individuals and society, healthcare challenges, global urbanization, human development, the role of political institutions, understanding the human mind, growing inequality, diversity issues, and changing social relationships.
In Europe and beyond, the FMG holds a leading position, thanks in part to its more than 1,300 staff members who contribute to education and research. Will you be one of them?
Read more about the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Your place at the UvA

This is where you will be working

In this department you will work

You will become part of the Amsterdam Arts and Social Sciences Lab, a research group in the Psychology Department that studies how art and society shape each other. The lab brings together perspectives from psychology, empirical aesthetics, developmental science, and computational approaches, and works in close collaboration with artists, museums, and cultural institutions. Within this project, you will work closely with the principal investigator, a postdoctoral researcher, and a broader interdisciplinary network. The team offers an ambitious, collaborative, and supportive environment for building innovative research at the intersection of art and social science.

About the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the field of social and behavioural sciences in Europe. Here, we explore societal and human-centered issues, driven by scientific curiosity but also with an eye for current themes. For example, the impact of media and communication on individuals and society, healthcare challenges, global urbanization, human development, the role of political institutions, understanding the human mind, growing inequality, diversity issues, and changing social relationships.
In Europe and beyond, the FMG holds a leading position, thanks in part to its more than 1,300 staff members who contribute to education and research. Will you be one of them?
Read more about the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences

Important to know

Your application & contact

If you recognize yourself in this profile and are interested in the role, we look forward to receiving your motivation letter (max 1 page) and brief CV (including educational background and research experience). You can apply via the red button until 13 May 2026. Interviews will take place on 22 May 2026. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates. For questions about the vacancy, you may contact Eftychia Stamkou ([email protected]).

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.
Read more
Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.

Important to know

Your application & contact

If you recognize yourself in this profile and are interested in the role, we look forward to receiving your motivation letter (max 1 page) and brief CV (including educational background and research experience). You can apply via the red button until 13 May 2026. Interviews will take place on 22 May 2026. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be given preference over external candidates. For questions about the vacancy, you may contact Eftychia Stamkou ([email protected]).

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.
As an employer, the UvA maintains an equal opportunities policy. We value diversity and are fully committed to being a place where everyone feels at home. We nurture inquisitive minds and perseverance and allow room for persistent questioning. With us, curiosity and creativity are the prevailing culture.
Studies show that women and members of underrepresented groups only apply for jobs if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Do you meet the educational requirements but not yet all of the requested experience? The UvA encourages you to apply anyway.

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