or
Continue with FacebookLooking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here.
This project is no longer listed on FindAPhD.com and may not be available.
Click here to search FindAPhD.com for PhD studentship opportunities
Prof C Abraham, Dr M White
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
The Psychology Applied to Health group based in the University of Exeter Medical School (UEMS) wishes to recruit an additional doctoral student. The successful candidate will join a group of six doctoral students including a student working on a related project focusing on motivation and goals underpinning driving patterns. The Psychology Applied to Health group includes about 20 researchers.
This doctoral studentship would suit a student interested in applied social psychology. Candidates should have a relevant undergraduate degree (2:1 or above) and ideally an MSc qualification. International students must also have IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 7 and above (or equivalent qualification).
This PhD programme is part of a collaboration with Shell UK who are interested in alternative energy sources and future transportation, including driving and use of vehicles with a range of power sources. It is hoped that the research programme will also contribute more broadly to our understanding of attitude-behaviour relationships and the role of attitudes in behaviour change. Professor Charles Abraham will be the lead supervisor for the programme.
Although goal-pursuit models have been applied to driving, these tend to focus on only one or two goal at a time. For example, models of driving style have focused on risk homeostasis, that is, the maintenance of risk levels in the face of perceived threat and safety. Such models have been used to explain why drivers take more risks, including driving faster, in cars that incorporate protective features (such as crumple zones and air bags). Similarly, applications of social cognitive models, such as the theory of planned behaviour, have focused on identifying antecedents of driving intentions and behaviour without considering the multiple goals that can impinge on driving decisions. Initial qualitative research by both Prof. Abraham and Dr. Skippon has revealed that drivers are often pursuing multiple goals simultaneously, some of them complementary, some of them conflicting. For example, driving may serve identity and social goals, and well as transportation goals. Speed and economy may not be prioritized by drivers making transport mode choice. The aim of this doctoral programme is to develop a multi-goal model of driving for personal travel that will allow us to understand driving as resulting from simultaneous pursuit of different goals which have differing relations to one another in varying contexts. We anticipate that this will involve mapping goal hierarchies, goal prioritization, goal conflict, and the relationship between reflective choice and habit. We anticipate the research using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Below are previous by doctoral students working in this area.
Mann, E. & Abraham, C. (2012). Identifying beliefs and cognitions underpinning commuters’ travel mode choices. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, 2730-2757.
Graham Rowe, E., Gardner, B., Abraham, C., Skippon, S., Dittmar, D., Hutchins, R. & Stannard, J. (2012). Mainstream consumers driving plug-in battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars: A qualitative analysis of responses and evaluations Transport Research. Part A, 46, 140-153.
Graham Rowe, E., Skippon, S., Gardner, B. & Abraham, C. (2011). Can we reduce car use and, if so, how? A review of available evidence. Transportation Research: Part A, 45, 401-418.
Gardner, B & Abraham, C. (2010). Going green? Modelling the impact of environmental concerns and perceptions of transport alternatives on decisions to drive. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40, 831-849.
Gardner, B. & Abraham, C. (2008). Psychological antecedents of car use: A meta-analysis. Transportation Research Part F, 11, 300-311.
Gardner, B & Abraham, C. (2007). What drives car use? A grounded theory analysis of reasons for driving among commuters. Transportation Research Part F, 10, 187-200.
Mann, E & Abraham, C. (2006). The role of affect in UK commuters’ travel mode choices: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. British Journal of Psychology, 97, 155-176.
A detailed plan of studies will be developed by the successful candidate in collaboration Charles Abraham and the supervisory team. As part of the application process candidates should submit a brief (maximum 2,000 word) research proposal, suitable for this PhD, identifying the general question(s) the research will address, what methods would be used and how such studies would extend previous work.
CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY, OR AT LEAST MAKE AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. THE AWARD WILL BE FILLED AS SOON AS A SUITABLE CANDIDATE CAN BE FOUND.
This is a re-advert. Previous applicants need not re-apply.
This doctoral studentship would suit a student interested in applied social psychology. Candidates should have a relevant undergraduate degree (2:1 or above) and ideally an MSc qualification. International students must also have IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 7 and above (or equivalent qualification).
This PhD programme is part of a collaboration with Shell UK who are interested in alternative energy sources and future transportation, including driving and use of vehicles with a range of power sources. It is hoped that the research programme will also contribute more broadly to our understanding of attitude-behaviour relationships and the role of attitudes in behaviour change. Professor Charles Abraham will be the lead supervisor for the programme.
Although goal-pursuit models have been applied to driving, these tend to focus on only one or two goal at a time. For example, models of driving style have focused on risk homeostasis, that is, the maintenance of risk levels in the face of perceived threat and safety. Such models have been used to explain why drivers take more risks, including driving faster, in cars that incorporate protective features (such as crumple zones and air bags). Similarly, applications of social cognitive models, such as the theory of planned behaviour, have focused on identifying antecedents of driving intentions and behaviour without considering the multiple goals that can impinge on driving decisions. Initial qualitative research by both Prof. Abraham and Dr. Skippon has revealed that drivers are often pursuing multiple goals simultaneously, some of them complementary, some of them conflicting. For example, driving may serve identity and social goals, and well as transportation goals. Speed and economy may not be prioritized by drivers making transport mode choice. The aim of this doctoral programme is to develop a multi-goal model of driving for personal travel that will allow us to understand driving as resulting from simultaneous pursuit of different goals which have differing relations to one another in varying contexts. We anticipate that this will involve mapping goal hierarchies, goal prioritization, goal conflict, and the relationship between reflective choice and habit. We anticipate the research using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Below are previous by doctoral students working in this area.
Mann, E. & Abraham, C. (2012). Identifying beliefs and cognitions underpinning commuters’ travel mode choices. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 42, 2730-2757.
Graham Rowe, E., Gardner, B., Abraham, C., Skippon, S., Dittmar, D., Hutchins, R. & Stannard, J. (2012). Mainstream consumers driving plug-in battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars: A qualitative analysis of responses and evaluations Transport Research. Part A, 46, 140-153.
Graham Rowe, E., Skippon, S., Gardner, B. & Abraham, C. (2011). Can we reduce car use and, if so, how? A review of available evidence. Transportation Research: Part A, 45, 401-418.
Gardner, B & Abraham, C. (2010). Going green? Modelling the impact of environmental concerns and perceptions of transport alternatives on decisions to drive. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 40, 831-849.
Gardner, B. & Abraham, C. (2008). Psychological antecedents of car use: A meta-analysis. Transportation Research Part F, 11, 300-311.
Gardner, B & Abraham, C. (2007). What drives car use? A grounded theory analysis of reasons for driving among commuters. Transportation Research Part F, 10, 187-200.
Mann, E & Abraham, C. (2006). The role of affect in UK commuters’ travel mode choices: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. British Journal of Psychology, 97, 155-176.
A detailed plan of studies will be developed by the successful candidate in collaboration Charles Abraham and the supervisory team. As part of the application process candidates should submit a brief (maximum 2,000 word) research proposal, suitable for this PhD, identifying the general question(s) the research will address, what methods would be used and how such studies would extend previous work.
CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY, OR AT LEAST MAKE AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. THE AWARD WILL BE FILLED AS SOON AS A SUITABLE CANDIDATE CAN BE FOUND.
This is a re-advert. Previous applicants need not re-apply.
Funding Notes
Funding Notes
The stipend will be £13,726 pa. Tuition fees will be paid at the UK/EU rate. Candidates from countries outside the European Union will be liable for the difference between 'home student fees' and 'international student fees’. If you wish to be considered for this studentship you must confirm that you are able to pay the international portion of the fee. For the 13/14 academic year this is £14,000 but is likely to increase slightly each year. If you are selected you will be required to provide financial assurances.
The stipend will be £13,726 pa. Tuition fees will be paid at the UK/EU rate. Candidates from countries outside the European Union will be liable for the difference between 'home student fees' and 'international student fees’. If you wish to be considered for this studentship you must confirm that you are able to pay the international portion of the fee. For the 13/14 academic year this is £14,000 but is likely to increase slightly each year. If you are selected you will be required to provide financial assurances.
