Postdoc in Social Psychology (2 Years)

Interested in conducting research on the effects of covert hate speech on political polarization and radicalization? Join the Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology as a Postdoc as part of the Horizon2020 Proclaim project.

Your function

As a member of this consortium, you will play a key role in a project seeking to better understand the psychological effects of covert hate speech – that is, online hateful rhetoric hiding behind seemingly neutral language, humor, or irony, designed to fuel radicalization while bypassing content moderation tools and EU legislation. You will work directly with Prof. dr. Jan-Willem van Prooijen, as well as with members of the broader Horizon2020 Proclaim consortium that is coordinated by Dr. Seunghyun Sun (Tilburg University). You will specifically conduct experimental and longitudinal research exploring the effects of covert hate speech on polarization and radicalization. You will report the findings to your colleagues, the broader consortium, at conferences, and publish them as a lead author in academic publications. The targeted starting date is 1 January 2027, although starting earlier or later is possible.

Your duties

• Map out existing literature on overt and covert hate speech and generate new ideas
• Design and implement new experiments
• Design a longitudinal study, connecting questionnaire results to social media activities
• Collect, analyze, and curate data
• Report on the findings in consortium meetings and (inter)national conferences
• Publish the findings in academic, peer-reviewed articles
• Assist in (minor) teaching activities within the department
• Contribute to the team spirit and help others achieve their goals

Your profile

• You have completed or will soon complete (before the position’s starting date) a PhD in social psychology or closely related field.
• You have expertise in research relevant for polarization, extremism, radicalization, and feelings of hate
• You have expertise in quantitative research methods and have a strong background in statistics
• You have embraced Open Science Practices, and preregistration is a routine part of your research work flow
• You have experience with, or are open to learning, a mixed-method approach that includes a quantitative and qualitative analysis of social media data
• You have excellent verbal and written English language skills
• You are a team player with good communication abilities

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research, and service for a better world.

• a position for 1 FTE. The initial contract will be for 1 year, which can be extended for a second year contingent on a positive evaluation.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• discounts on sport and exercise facilities

About us

About the team

You will work with Prof. dr. Jan-Willem van Prooijen and become part of the Social Psychology section at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This section is world-leading in its work on trust, emotion, cooperation, and morality. The section also has expertise in evolutionary approaches to psychology, cross-cultural research, political psychology, close relationships, and emotion, among other topics. We value high-quality research, personal development, and social cohesion within an international atmosphere.

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences

Developing knowledge for an active, healthy and meaningful life: that is our mission at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences at VU Amsterdam. We maintain a broad focus on the fields of behaviour and health. Our teaching and research programmes are devoted to current developments in society. From healthy aging to e-health, and from training top athletes to social media as a teaching tool. We combine three academic disciplines: psychology, movement sciences and education. A multidisciplinary approach allows us to arrive at a better understanding of human behaviour and movement.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. By working across disciplinary boundaries, we strive towards a better world for people and the planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study atmosphere, and an inspiring environment for education and research.