PhD Position in Communication Science: Explaining Susceptibility to Health Hacks
Explore the impact of health misinformation on young adults through innovative research.
Best for:Best for researchers interested in health communication and cognitive psychology.
Overview
This PhD position focuses on understanding why young adults are attracted to health hacks shared on social media, even when these tips can be harmful. The research is part of a four-year project funded by NWO, conducted by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam. It aims to investigate the factors that influence the evaluation of health hacks among individuals aged 18-25, utilizing a mixed-methods approach that combines communication science, health psychology, and cognitive science. The successful candidate will contribute to developing strategies that enhance resilience against misleading health advice online.
What you'll do
- Conduct a multimodal content analysis of hazardous online health hacks.
- Design and implement a large-scale panel survey to assess individual and contextual susceptibility factors.
- Perform controlled online and/or laboratory experiments to investigate cognitive processing during exposure to health hacks.
- Evaluate intervention strategies developed in collaboration with a parallel PhD track.
- Synthesize quantitative findings with participatory research from Track A.
- Publish research findings and present at academic conferences.
Requirements
Degree required: Research Master's degree in Communication Science, Psychology, or a related social science discipline
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; proficiency required
Instruction: English
- Strong quantitative research skills, including survey and experimental design
- Proficiency in statistical analysis, preferably in R
- Experience with advanced statistical techniques such as multilevel modeling or mediation analysis
- Interest in health communication and the psychology of persuasion
- Excellent academic writing and communication skills in English
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary environment
- Must have a completed Master's degree by the start of the position
- Open to candidates from any nationality
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-26
Interested candidates should submit their application through the university's portal. Ensure to include all required documents as specified in the application guidelines.
- CV
- Cover letter
- Research proposal
- Master's degree transcripts
- 2 reference letters
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