PhD Social/Cultural Psychology: Cultural Gender Beliefs

PhD Social/Cultural Psychology: Cultural Gender Beliefs at University of Amsterdam

Are you passionate about researching culture, gender, and support for gender-diverse people? Join Gender-InSIGHT, an interdisciplinary doctoral network. This 4-year Social/Cultural Psychology PhD will examine how cultural beliefs about gender shape support for transgender and gender-diverse individuals. Apply if you enjoy ambitious, collaborative research, are keen to develop statistical skills, and want your work to inform policy. Starting June 1st, 2026.

Candidates should NOT have resided in the Netherlands for more than 12 months during the 3 years prior to June 1st, 2026 (MSCA mobility rule). This rule is not negotiable.

Working at the UvA

Become a PhD student in the Gender-InSIGHT consortium, an international network for the Investigation of biopsychoSocial Influences on Gender during (diverse) Hormonal Transitions. The network brings together disciplines including psychology, history, ethics, endocrinology, neuroscience, and public health, consisting of 15 doctoral projects. This specific PhD project, “Cross-cultural gender beliefs and support for gender-affirming care” (DC 14), aims to understand how cultural beliefs influence support for gender-affirming care.

Most research on gender roles has focused on Western concepts. This project will begin with a scoping review of lay theories of gender and views on gender-affirming care across countries. Based on this review, a novel measure of cultural lay theories about gender will be developed and validated. A large cross-cultural study in 25 countries will document nuanced differences in how people understand gender, examining how these differences, along with structural factors like religion and political systems, shape support for gender-affirming care. As part of a secondment/internship with TGEU (Transgender Europe), the PhD candidate will prepare a report tailored for policymakers or activists.

Key Objectives:

• Conceptualize and document how people in different countries think about the nature of gender (e.g., uniformity, innateness, immutability, sacredness).
• Examine how these cultural lay theories, alongside other cultural factors, shape public support for TGD individuals and various forms of gender-affirming care (e.g., hormones vs. surgery; government funding).

What You Will Do

• Map the evidence base by conducting a scoping review of cross-cultural “lay theories of gender.”
• Conceptualize, plan, and manage a large-scale cross-cultural survey study.
• Learn and apply complex statistical analyses to predict support for gender-affirming care.
• Translate findings into real-world outputs through an internship with TGEU, producing a tailored report for policymakers and advocates.

What You Should Offer As a Candidate

The following are the requirements for this position:

• Candidates should NOT have resided in the Netherlands for more than 12 months during the 3 years prior to June 1st, 2026 (MSCA mobility rule).
• Master’s degree in psychology or a closely related quantitative social science by May 31st, 2026.
• Passion for researching gender, culture, and LGBTQ+ issues.
• Major in social or cultural psychology, OR completed coursework in social and/or cultural psychology.
• Experience with basic statistical analyses (R, SPSS, or similar) and willingness to learn complex analyses.
• Strong organizational skills and willingness to coordinate large projects.
• Excellent higher education track record.
• Fluent spoken and written English skills.

We value diverse applications, particularly from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized populations.

What Else Do We Offer You

You will conduct research and complete a PhD thesis within the 4-year appointment. This is a temporary full-time position (38 hours/week). The teaching load for PhD candidates is 5% (supervising 2 Bachelor/Master’s theses/year or tutorials). Initial employment is for one year, extendable by 36 months after a positive assessment. The starting date is June 1st, 2026. We offer a curriculum including training courses and national/international conferences.

We offer a good salary based on experience and seniority, in accordance with the Labour agreement, including holiday allowance (8%) and a year-end bonus (8.3%). You will build up a good pension with ABP. We also offer 232 vacation hours, parental leave, partner leave, and social engagement leave, with opportunities for more through the Employment Conditions Menu Card. The UvA encourages professionalization through training and open lectures. Support for relocating families, including IDCN-network for spouses, is also provided.

About The Faculty Of Social And Behavioural Sciences

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (FMG) is Europe’s largest educational and research institution in this field. We explore societal and human-centered issues with scientific curiosity and an eye for current themes, holding a leading position globally with over 1,300 staff members.

Key Skills/Competency

• Social Psychology
• Cultural Psychology
• Gender Studies
• Quantitative Research
• Statistical Analysis (R, SPSS)
• Cross-Cultural Research
• Policy Analysis
• Project Management
• Academic Writing
• LGBTQ+ Issues