PhD-RESEARCHER Adolescent relationships with best friend
(Utrecht), 36 hours per week
Utrecht University

Job description

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Job description
Research Project: Adolescent relationships with best friend: processes of formation, maintenance and dissolution

Project Description
Ithas been documented that adolescent friends are similar in manyrespects: academic achievement (Altermatt & Pomeranz, 2003; Hamm,2000), delinquency (Scholte, 1998; Simons, Wu, Conger & Lorenz,1994; Vitaro, Tremblay, Kerr, Pagani & Bukowski, 1997), smoking andalcohol use (Engels, Knibbe, Drop & De Haan, 1997; Urberg,Degirmencioglu & Tolson, 1998) and pro-active aggression (Poulin& Boivin, 2000). Studies on friendship similarity have addressedtwo questions. 1. Friends can be similar on various dimensions: whichdimensions are the most important similarity dimensions? 2. Are friendsalike because they select or influence each other? In this project wewill study both questions extensively. Additionally, we will raise twoother issues: does the importance of friendship dimensions change asfriendships last longer, and do core personality characteristics ofadolescents predict continuation or discontinuation of friendships?

Thestudy uses data of wave 1 of CONAMORE, and of waves 1 to 12 (spanningthree years) of the ‘Dutch study of relationship linkages anddelinquency in adolescence'. CONAMORE is an ongoing longitudinalmulti-informant study of Utrecht University (first wave ofdata-collection was in september 2001), while the Dutch study will haveits first wave of data-collection in september 2005. Both studies havean extensive five-year longitudinal design, use multi-actorquestionnaire data, have full-recursive designs and study aspects ofrelationships that are known to change and vary across adolescence(conflict, closeness, reciprocity, power/dominance).PhD-RESEARCHER Adolescent relationships with best friend
(Utrecht), 36 hours per week
Utrecht University

Job description

——————————————————————————–

Job description
Research Project: Adolescent relationships with best friend: processes of formation, maintenance and dissolution

Project Description
Ithas been documented that adolescent friends are similar in manyrespects: academic achievement (Altermatt & Pomeranz, 2003; Hamm,2000), delinquency (Scholte, 1998; Simons, Wu, Conger & Lorenz,1994; Vitaro, Tremblay, Kerr, Pagani & Bukowski, 1997), smoking andalcohol use (Engels, Knibbe, Drop & De Haan, 1997; Urberg,Degirmencioglu & Tolson, 1998) and pro-active aggression (Poulin& Boivin, 2000). Studies on friendship similarity have addressedtwo questions. 1. Friends can be similar on various dimensions: whichdimensions are the most important similarity dimensions? 2. Are friendsalike because they select or influence each other? In this project wewill study both questions extensively. Additionally, we will raise twoother issues: does the importance of friendship dimensions change asfriendships last longer, and do core personality characteristics ofadolescents predict continuation or discontinuation of friendships?

Thestudy uses data of wave 1 of CONAMORE, and of waves 1 to 12 (spanningthree years) of the ‘Dutch study of relationship linkages anddelinquency in adolescence'. CONAMORE is an ongoing longitudinalmulti-informant study of Utrecht University (first wave ofdata-collection was in september 2001), while the Dutch study will haveits first wave of data-collection in september 2005. Both studies havean extensive five-year longitudinal design, use multi-actorquestionnaire data, have full-recursive designs and study aspects ofrelationships that are known to change and vary across adolescence(conflict, closeness, reciprocity, power/dominance).

Responsibilities
ThePh.D. candidate will be responsible for conducting a literature reviewof the existing research in this area and together with the researchteam further refine the design of the planned research. The candidatewill contribute to the collection of data on 600 families with at leasttwo children and two (or one) parents. In addition the candidate willbe expected to disseminate the knowledge gained from this projectthrough publishing four research articles in international researchjournals, the dissertation and presenting results at international andnational conferences. The candidate will also follow advanced graduatetraining courses as deemed necessary including advanced statistics andmethodology courses.

Requirements
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Required education/skills: University Graduate
Amaster's degree or equivalent in child and adolescent studies,(developmental) psychology or a related discipline in social sciences.Excellent research and writing skills and experience using statisticalmethodology. A good written and oral command of the English language isalso desired. We are looking for a motivated candidate who has affinitywith psychosocial development of adolescents.

The candidate willbe a part of the nationally recognized Institute for the Study ofEducation and Human Development (ISED), the national research schoolfor developmental and educational sciences in the recognized by theRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). The candidatewill also participate in the local university research instituteISED-Utrecht in the program ‘Adolescent development'. Besides being amember of the research team the candidate will also be expected tofollow advanced courses offered by the national research school ISED.The candidate will also be expected to provide teaching assistance atundergraduate level.
Job type: ENG_Onderzoek/ Advies

Workfield(s):
- Research trainees, non-tenured lecturers, researchers (Scientific discipline: Behaviour and Society)

Organization
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Utrecht University Faculty of Social Sciences

Defaculteit Sociale Wetenschappen in Utrecht verzorgt onderwijs aan ruim4200 studenten. Er zijn zes opleidingen: algemene socialewetenschappen, culturele antropologie, onderwijskunde, pedagogiek,psychologie, sociologie. De faculteit draagt verder ook bij aan drieandere opleidingen, nl. economie, cognitieve kunstmatige intelligentie,en bestuurs- en organisatiewetenschappen. De faculteit participeert inacht onderzoekscholen. Dit brede palet aan opleidingen enonderzoekcentra binnen een faculteit biedt mogelijkheden om inonderwijs en onderzoek te profiteren van elkaars kennis en expertise.Het draagt bij aan het streven van de faculteit een kwalitatiefhoogwaardige bijdrage te leveren aan de oplossing van wetenschappelijkeen maatschappelijke vraagstukken.
Date of entry: 01/03/2005

Conditions of employment
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Estimated maximum salary per month: eur 2000 - 2500

Maximum salary amount in Euro's a month 2394
Duration of the contract: 4 years
Maximum hours per week: 36

Additional conditions of employment:
Theinitial appointment will be made for a 0.9 fte appointment for 1.5years that, with satisfactory completion, will result in an extensionfor an additional 2.5 years. It is expected that the appointee willcomplete all requirements for the Ph.D. degree within this period. Theexpected start date: March 1, 2005. The salary is € 1813 per month inthe first year and is expected to increase to € 2394 per month in thefourth year, for a full time appointment, contingent on satisfactoryperformance

Additional Information
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Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Prof. Dr. W. Meeus
E-mail address: w.meeus@fss.uu.nl

Or mrs. I. Smit-Adan for a more detailed description of the project
Telephone number: +3130 253 4650
E-mail address: i.smit-adan@fss.uu.nl
Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links:
About the organization (http://www.uu.nl)
About the department (http://www.fss.uu.nl)
About the function (http://)

Application
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You can apply for this job before 15-01-2005 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to:

Utrecht University the Faculty of Social Sciences
Personeel & Organisatie
W. Steinbusch
Postbus 80140
3508TC Utrecht
the Netherlands
E-mail address: P.G.M.Steinbusch-Duijkers@fss.uu.nl

URL link to this document: PhD-RESEARCHER Adolescent relationships with best friend