The PhD candidate will become part of the Starter Grant Project “Discrimination or “just a joke”? The experience, perceived acceptability, and consequences of microaggressions,” supervised by Dr. Liesbeth Mann, Dr. Allard Feddes, and Dr. Bertjan Doosje. As a part of this team, you will play a central role in shaping and executing this new line of research. You will work on a wide array of research tasks, that include designing and performing empirical studies, analysing data, and presenting your work at international conferences and in scientific journals.

The Project

Microaggressions are the quick, commonplace, and sometimes - though not always - subtle forms of derogation that people from disadvantaged groups (e.g., migrants, women, black people, people with obesity, or LGBTIQ+ people) experience often and that can have a negative impact on their well-being (Osman et al., 2024). Microaggressions differ from other forms of discrimination in that they usually refer to the more ambiguous and subtle types. For example, they may also reflect positive stereotypes. This ambiguity could be problematic for several reasons, one being that they may go unnoticed by people who are not targets themselves. Even the people who express a microaggression may not be aware they do so. On the other hand, not all targets may be equally bothered by a microaggression and not all types of microaggressions may be equally harmful. Additionally, targets of a microaggression may respond differently to this microaggression depending on their experience of the episode and on the context.

In this research project we aim to get a better understanding of the perception of microaggressions both from a targets’ perspective as well as from the point of view of the actor (the person making a microaggressive statement or showing such behavior) and observers. Secondly, we will study the consequences of experienced microaggressions (i.e., effects on well-being, but also collective action to counter perceived unfairness).

The resulting knowledge is important as it gives more clarity on the experience, perceptions and effects of different types of discrimination and can provide the knowledge necessary to develop more specific and targeted tools for intervention.

Reference:

           Osman, M., Williams, M. T., & Alftieh, A. (2024). State of the science on racial microaggressions. Behavior Therapy, 55, 1172-1188. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2024.05.005

          Tasks you will do:

• Conducting research and completing a PhD thesis within the period of appointment;

• Conceptualizing and planning empirical studies on the project topic;

• Drafting pre-registrations and submitting ethics reviews;

• Learning and executing quantitative as well as qualitative techniques including cross-sectional studies, experiments, interviews and focus groups;

• Presenting research results at national and international workshops and conferences;

• Drafting articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals;

• Actively participating in the Social Psychology Programme Group, your project group, and the wider scientific community through collaborations, workshops, and presentations;

• 5% of your time will be spent on teaching and/or supervising Bachelor and Master theses.

• Master’s degree in psychology by May 1st, 2025. You may apply if you have not yet completed your Master's degree only if you provide a signed letter from your supervisor stating that you will graduate before May 1st, 2025.

 A strong applicant:

• Enjoys working collaboratively;

• Has a background in social and/or cultural psychology;

• Is willing to learn new research methods;

• Is highly motivated to research topics related to intergroup relations and social (in)justice;

• Has excellent writing and presentation skills in English;

• Makes things happen instead of waiting for them to happen.

Any of the following would be a plus (but not required):

• Experience with scenario studies;

• Experience with interview studies and focus groups;

• Experience working in teams;

• Note that speaking Dutch is NOT required, but learning basic Dutch is encouraged.

You will be conducting research and completing a PhD thesis within the period of the appointment.
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. The preferred starting date is May 1st, 2025 (with some room for negotiation). We will put together a curriculum which will also include the opportunity to attend training courses and both national and international conferences.

• A position in which your initiative and input are highly valued;

• The opportunity to cultivate new skills and conduct ground-breaking research;

• A team of supervisors that value and are committed to social safety and diversity;

• Being part of vibrant research groups, such as the Cultural Psychology Lab and the Amsterdam Interdisciplinary Centre for Emotion (AICE);

An inspiring international working environment in the heart of Amsterdam, Roeterseiland campus.