Post-doctoral Research Fellow: The Psychology of Trust and Morality

Fixed term position - Two or three years

About the Role

Join our research team on the project ‘Mind-blind morality: A route to trust in high-stakes conditions’, funded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). Conduct research as a post-doctoral researcher on the psychology of trust and morality, under the supervision of Dr Tom R. Kupfer (NTU) and Professor Daniel M.T. Fessler (UCLA) as part of an interdisciplinary team working on a U.S. Air Force Office For Scientific Research (AFOSR) funded project 'Mind-blind morality: A route to trust in high-stakes conditions'.

Standard accounts have overlooked that trust and cooperation are often necessary in situations in which it is either impractical or impossible to obtain person-based information such as momentary intentions or enduring dispositions. This project will test the proposition that rules and judgments that ignore the actor’s mind enhance situational trust by inducing people to carefully monitor and control their own actions. Mind-blind judgments and parallel rules should emerge when trust is crucial, yet opportunities for mind-inference are limited – a configuration characteristic of many high-stakes situations. Shedding light on an important but largely overlooked category of norms and the psychology that underlies it, this project aims to make a fundamental contribution to basic research in fields of trust and morality.

The project will employ diverse methods, from cross-cultural surveys and studies of legal codes, to computer-based simulations and experimental economic games. The position could suit candidates with expertise and interest in social, moral, legal, economic, cultural, or evolutionary psychology.

About Us

The School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is recognised nationally and internationally for delivering theoretically informed and applied research. We foster a culture that values the diversity of all our communities and publicises and celebrates excellence in all we do.

You will work in the Psychology department at NTU, and be a member of the Evolution and Social Interaction Research Group.

For any informal queries about the role, please contact Dr Tom Kupfer, [email protected]

Interview date: Week commencing 8th April 2024

Join Us

Find out more about our academic community at NTU, including the support we offer to academics at all stages of their careers at Support for academics | Nottingham Trent University

We also offer:

• Between 25 and 35 days annual leave per year (dependent on grade) plus statutory bank holidays and 5 university closure days pro rata 
• Salary Sacrifice Retirement Savings Plan with life assurance and income protection. Available to colleagues who choose to opt out of the contractual pension scheme. Minimum colleague contributions of 0% matched with minimum NTU contributions of 8%.
• Opportunity to receive a bonus for exceptional performance and contribution
• Range of health and wellbeing services, voluntary benefits, discounts, and savings for all colleagues.

Safe and Inclusive

Whilst this role is currently eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker Route, upcoming immigration rules changes may impact on eligibility for sponsorship, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position.  Visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa  for more information.