Psychology Doctoral Research Studentship - Maintaining Fulfilling and Thriving Romantic Relationships

This project is supervised by Dr Mariko Visserman.

My research focuses on how romantic relationships can be fulfilling and how relationship partners can thrive. Maintaining a satisfying relationship can be challenging and one of the major challenges I focus on is partners having different goals, needs, or preferences. To resolve such conflicts, people make sacrifices, small and large. In this context, my research broadly focuses on positive and protective processes, such as partners’ gratitude and responsiveness toward each other, balancing sacrificing with pursuing one’s own goals and needs, and capitalizing on these costly relationship investments by reaping opportunities for personal growth. See my Sussex profile  and personal website  for further elaboration on my research interests.

Applications are welcomed from those whose research interests broadly align with the above topics. The prospective PhD student will play a vital role in conducting an experience sampling study to assess romantic couples’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in their daily lives. Additionally, the student will be able to use existing data of romantic couples and will be encouraged to conduct experimental research.

Applicants should get in touch well before the deadline to discuss their research ideas and to gain further information on existing data sets that could be used in this PhD project.

Psychology at Sussex 

The School of Psychology at the University of Sussex is one of the largest and most diverse research-intensive psychology schools in the UK with 70+ academic faculty and 90+ PhD students. We were ranked in the top 10 Psychology Schools in the UK in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF) and 91% of our research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent. 

Eligibility

• Candidates must have, or expect to obtain, a First or a high Upper Second Class Honours undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, and/or a Master’s degree in Psychology, Neuroscience or a related discipline.
• The University of Sussex believes that the diversity of its staff and student community is fundamental to creative thinking, pedagogic innovation, intellectual challenge, and the interdisciplinary approach to research and learning. We celebrate and promote diversity, equality and inclusion amongst our staff and students. As such, we welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background.
• This award will pay fees at the Home or International rate. International students must move to Sussex for the duration of the PhD and will not be permitted to register as Distance Learners. The studentship does not include additional funding towards the costs of visas or travel to the UK for International students.

How to apply

Deadline for applications: 10 May 2024 23:59.
Interviews are likely to be scheduled for June 2024
Start date is scheduled for September 2024 but may be later