Job University of Amsterdam (UvA) - PhD candidate (Communication Science)

‘Effects of disclosing sponsored content on persuasion knowledge and persuasion: The role of disclosure type, disclosure timing, disclosure duration, and programme involvement'

This project tests whether and how disclosures of sponsored content inform the audience about sponsored content's persuasive nature and how disclosures influence its processing and effects. Well-known examples of sponsored content are brand placement in movies and television programmes. The project investigates the effects of disclosure type, timing, and duration and the role of programme involvement. First, we assess how disclosure type affects audience information processing in terms of persuasion knowledge and persuasion. Second, we examine how disclosure duration and appearance of a disclosure before, during or after the sponsored content affects persuasion knowledge and persuasion. Third, we address the question whether programme involvement moderates the effects of disclosures on explicit and implicit effects of sponsored content.

The project will be supervised by Dr Eva van Reijmersdal and Prof. Peter Neijens.

• Have a research interest in the topic of the project, experience with media research is desirable.
• Have a background in communication science, psychology, marketing science, or a related scientific field.
• Have proven experience with experimental research, for example in the Master's thesis.
• Have a firm background in quantitative research and the willingness to learn new statistical techniques.
• Have excellent organizational skills.
• Have the ability and interest to work in a team.
• Have an excellent written and spoken command of English.
• Have a basic command of Dutch. International candidates are welcome to apply. Basic knowledge of Dutch is required at the start of the project. In the course of the project, the selected candidate will be expected to reach an intermediate level of Dutch.
• Hold a relevant Master's degree, preferably a Research Master's degree or equivalent qualifications. Candidates who are due to graduate before November 1st are welcome to apply.
• Wish to pursue an academic career.

The position starts on 1 November 2010 at the latest, and is initially for one year. Extension of the contract after the first year to a maximum total of three years is subject to satisfactory performance. The gross monthly salary will be in accordance with the salary scale for PhD candidates at Dutch universities, i.e. ranging from €2,042 in the first year to €2,612 in the final year.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is the largest educational and research institution in the social sciences in the Netherlands. The Faculty serves 7,500 students in numerous Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Communication Science, Psychology, Social Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, and Educational Sciences. The academic staff is employed in education as well as research. There are over 1,100 employees at the Faculty, which resides in a number of buildings in the centre of Amsterdam.

The Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR) is the research institute in Communication Science at the University of Amsterdam. It is the largest research institute of its kind in Europe and is among the largest worldwide. More than 50 senior researchers are permanently associated with ASCoR, and its English-language PhD programme has more than 35 students.

A detailed project description can be obtained from the ASCoR Secretariat by email: ascor-secr-fmg@uva.nl

Questions about the project content or about the application procedure should be addressed to the ASCoR Research Manager, Dr Maaike Prangsma, m.e.prangsma@uva.nl. If necessary, she will forward your questions to one of the researchers.