Does social media affect our perceptions of what most people eat, what we choose to eat and our body weight?

Applications are invited from ambitious, self-motivated candidates to undertake a PhD in the field of human eating behaviour. The candidate will join the active research groups of Dr Jason Michael Thomas and Dr Claire Farrow. This opportunity is open to UK and EU students who have at least an Upper Second Class Honours degree (2.1) or equivalent in Psychology or a related subject.

Our social environment has a powerful effect on our eating behaviour. For example, we are more likely to eat foods if we think that the majority of people consume them and are more likely to consume foods if we think they are liked by other people. With the increasing use of social media across the UK (and globally) we are more exposed than ever before to social influence. However, it is unclear whether exposure to eating patterns via social media (e.g. seeing photos of what people eat or reading posts about the sorts of food people like to eat) contributes to our own eating behaviour and body weight. It is also unclear whether we can take advantage of social media to nudge eating behaviour in a healthy direction.

The successful candidate will undertake a series of studies examining whether food-related social media posts contribute to our (mis)perceptions of what and how much others consume. They will examine whether food-related social media posts affect the amount & type of food we consume, and whether long-term exposure predicts body weight. They will also explore whether lean and obese individuals are differentially affected by food-related social media posts and finally examine whether social media can be actively used to have a positive effect on eating behaviour and body weight. The student will use a combination of online and laboratory-based studies using both cross-sectional and experimental designs. There may also be the opportunity to collaborate with local authorities to extend this research into field settings.

Contact
Aston University was ranked 5th out of 94 UK Higher Education Institutions for research in Allied Health Professions (REF 2014) and was ranked 1st for research environment. Additional information about research in the School can be found at http://www.aston.ac.uk/lhs/research/ Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Jason Thomas at: [Email Address Removed] Tel: 0121 204 4899.

Application Requirements:
● Eligible Applicants should hold at least a Bachelor (Hons.) Degree of either 1st Class/ 2.1 or MSc/MRes in a relevant subject.
● EU Applicants will need to demonstrate adequate proficiency in English Language skills, with a minimum overall score of 93 (Internet Based) (with a minimum score in each section of: R: 18, W: 23, L: 19 and S: 19) in TOEFL or IELTS with minimum marks of 6.0 in each section and an overall band of 6.5.
● To apply, please complete the on-line application form at:
http://www1.aston.ac.uk/lhs/research/postgraduate-research/apply/ , choosing Research Full-time Health Sciences September 2017. Please quote Reference: ‘PhD_Oct 2017_Thomas’ on your application.
● The Closing Date for All Applications is: Sunday 9th July 2017.