The Department of Education and Pedagogical Science, division Youth and Family, is looking for a PhD candidate on the project 'Links of Empathy and Prosociality to the Provision of Emotional and Autonomy Support: An investigation across Relationships and Generations'. The PhD project will use data from the RADAR cohort study, which is connected to the research Consortium on Individual Development, that is funded by an NWO Gravitation Grant. This cohort study is a comprehensive, longterm longitudinal study that focuses on development and relationships in adolescence and young adulthood, with a special focus on the intergenerational transmission of relational and psychosocial functioning.

Using longitudinal multi-informant and multimethod data of relationships and parenting across three generations, the PhD project will examine the roles of empathy and prosociality in important developmental tasks during the transition from adolescence to adulthood. It will examine how empathy and prosociality facilitate 1) maintaining close relationships with family and friends in adolescence, 2) building romantic relationships in young adulthood, and 3) forming relationships with children of their own in young adulthood. Moreover, the project will examine how empathy and prosociality are transmitted across generations. The question will be examined whether variation in empathy and prosociality in toddlers (Generation 3), depends on empathic and prosocial tendencies of their parents (Generation 2) and grandparents (G1). Observational data of parent-child interactions during adolescence (G1, G2), and during early childhood (G2, G3) will provide insight in the potential mediating role of needs supportive parenting in this transmission.

Read more about the project here (.pdf).

Job tasks/responsibilities

• Contributing to the data collection and the coding of parent-child interaction tasks.
• Presenting research results at (inter)national scientific conferences.
• Writing research articles to be published in peer-reviewed international research journals, culminating in a PhD dissertation.
• Providing teaching assistance at undergraduate level (10% of time).
• Following advanced graduate courses, including advanced statistics and methodology courses.
• Active participation in the research group of the project and of the Department.
• Ambition to collaborate with (inter)national partners and to pay visits to these partners.

We are looking for someone who:

• holds (or nearly holds) a (Research) Master’s degree in Pedagogics, Developmental Psychology, or a closely related field;
• has affinity with psychosocial development in early childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood;
• has good social skills;
• is effective and efficient, and able to think conceptually;
• is able to meet deadlines, and conduct research independently and as part of a team;
• has knowledge of longitudinal statistical methodology and interest in learning advanced statistical techniques;
• has good written and oral command of the English language;
• is fluent in Dutch, to be able to assist in the data collection and the coding of parent-child interaction tasks.

We offer a temporary position (1.0 FTE) for one year, starting preferably September 1, 2019. Upon a positive performance, the appointment will be extended for three further years. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience - ranges between €2,325 and €2,972 (scale P according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) gross per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8 % and a year-end bonus of 8.3 % per year. We offer a pension scheme, (partly paid) parental leave, collective insurance schemes and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). More information is available at our website: Working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major societal themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Sustainability.

Utrecht is a young and vibrant city with a large academic population, around 30 minutes south of Amsterdam. It combines a beautiful old city centre with a modern university. Utrecht has an excellent quality of life, with plenty of green space and a strong bicycle culture.

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences is one of the leading Faculties in Europe providing research and academic teaching in Interdisciplinary Social Science, Cultural Anthropology, Educational Sciences, Pedagogical Sciences, Psychology, and Sociology. More than 5,600 students are enrolled in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has some 850 faculty and staff members, all providing their individual contribution to the training and education of young talent and to the research into and finding solutions for scientific and societal issues.