Description du sujet de thèse

This PhD thesis is part of the ANR IDEOPOL project, which examines identity, intragroup, and intra-individual processes that may lead to ideological polarization. The project focuses particularly on political and gender groups.
The doctoral student will mainly contribute to two work modules.
The first will focus on the relationship between defensive (i.e., narcissistic) and secure social identities and intragroup processes of ideological polarization, particularly the regulation of opinion divergence within groups, through observational studies.
The second module will explore the links between defensive and secure identity and intra-individual processes of ideological polarization (i.e., motivated reasoning), using eye-tracking methods.

Doctoral Student's Mission:
The doctoral student will carry out these work modules in collaboration with Gaëlle Marinthe, the project leader, and other consortium members.
In addition to these research tasks, the student is expected to contribute to the scientific dissemination of the work conducted, through writing articles, attending national and international conferences, and participating in outreach and knowledge transfer activities for the general public.
The student will also be involved in supervising Master's students and research assistants participating in the project and will contribute to the academic life of the laboratory.

Profile Sought:
Education:
• Master's degree or equivalent in Psychology (specialization in Social Psychology preferred)
Knowledge and Technical Skills:
• Strong knowledge of major theories in social psychology
• Proficiency in statistical analysis and software (e.g., Jamovi, RStudio)
• Solid understanding of experimental methodology
• Proficiency in scientific English
• Familiarity with research processes and open science practices
• Experience with eye-tracking is a plus
• Experience in behavioral observation is also an advantage
Expected Qualities:
• Good organizational skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and enthusiasm for teamwork
• Good written and oral communication skills

Contexte de travail

The PhD student will carry out their doctoral research at the Laboratory of Social and Cognitive Psychology (LAPSCO – CNRS Joint Research Unit 6024), located on the Carnot campus of the Université Clermont Auvergne, in the city center of Clermont-Ferrand.
LAPSCO brings together 43 permanent staff members and around 100 members in total (including PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, research engineers, etc.). The laboratory investigates the mechanisms of social regulation of behavior and cognitive processes, at the intersection of experimental psychology (social, cognitive, developmental) and integrative neuroscience.
The laboratory is structured into four research teams:
• Cognition, Behavior, and Context
• Social Behaviors and Collective Dynamics
• Physiological and Psychosocial Stress and Well-being
• Social and Cognitive Ethology
And two cross-cutting research axes:
• Embodied Cognition
• Social Humanoid Robotics and Cognition

The PhD student will benefit not only from their own dedicated equipment but also from a dynamic research environment conducive to scientific exchange. The laboratory includes a well-equipped experimental platform with testing booths and various scientific tools (e.g., eye-tracking, virtual reality headsets, EEG), enabling the implementation of innovative studies.
The PhD student will also work in close collaboration with the international partners of the IDEOPOL consortium.

Contraintes et risques

Occasional short-term travel (approximately one week) within France and internationally is expected for participation in scientific conferences.