10. Implicit theories of gender/ sex, gender expression and psychosocial adjustment among non-cisgender populations

Host

University of Copenhagen

Duration

36 months

The research

This research project aims to:

1. Characterise the variety of understandings (i.e., implicit theories) aboutgender/ sex among people who are not cisgendered
2. Examine how implicit theories of gender/ sex relate to individual choices, including whether and how to alter bodily characteristics and express gender identity, and
3. Examine how (mis)alignment between implicit theories of gender/ sex between the individual and significant others (including family, support networks and health professionals) shape emotional experiences and outcomes of the choices that they make

This project will draw on mixed methods to produce a triangulated and valid understanding of implicit theories of gender/ sex among those who identify outside traditional male-femalebinaries. Interviews will explore in detail the various understandings of gender/ sex among individuals who do not identify as cis-gendered and will be used as the basis for generating new scales to capture implicit theories of gender/ sex in ways that are meaningful for gender minority populations. Survey work will validate new scales and explore the correlates and consequences across time and in response to internal (e.g., bodily changes) and external forces (e.g., experiences from social networks, health professionals, and institutions). Secondment to IHLIA LGBTI Heritage will facilitate co-creation and dissemination materials and work toward a community-sensitive scale.

Your experience

Candidates should have:

• A Master’s degree in psychology or a neighbouring field related to the research project
• Familiarity with the relevant academic
• Excellent higher education track record and scientific curiosity
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research designs and treatment of resulting data
• Knowledge and experience with relevant data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, R, NVivo)
• Strong analytical skills and problem-solving abilities
• Strong academic writing skills
• Fluent spoken and written English

 In addition, the following experience would be helpful, but not essential: 

• Knowledge of variations of sex characteristics and issues facing gender diverse  
• Experience with outreach, stakeholder engagement and community involvement

The position

The Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen is one of the leading psychology departments in Northern Europe and covers a broad range of psychological approaches and disciplines in research and teaching. The Department has over 100 members of staff, and over 50 PhD students. The research of the department is organized in three broad sections with associated post-graduate (PhD) students and postdocs. The sections are “Clinical, Health, and Humanistic Psychology”, “Cognition and Neuropsychology”, and “Social, Cultural, Organisational, Personality and Educational (SCOPE) Psychology”. This project will be situated within the SCOPE section under the supervision of Prof. Thomas Morton. Research withinSCOPE covers theoretical and applied topics and spans multiple methodological perspectives, including qualitative, quantitative, laboratory and field research.

For further information about the Department, including research groups and researchers, please see: psychology.ku.dk.

For more information about the PhD programme at the University of Copenhagen, see: psychology.ku.dk/phd_programme/