PhD Position (f/m/d) | Short-Term Mindsets and Crime: An Experimental Approach

The Department of Criminology at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, seeks to recruit for a PhD position (f/m/d) "Short Term Mindsets and Crime: An Experimental Approach" from the earliest possible starting date.

Your profile

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate with a strong interest in experimental and interdisciplinary research on crime, decision making, and human cognition. You will join an international and interdisciplinary team to advance a cutting‑edge research program on the role of short‑term mindsets in crime, with a particular focus on experimental methods to study situational influences and state‑level short‑term mindsets.

The ideal candidate has a background in psychology, criminology, behavioural science, or a related field, and a strong interest in experimental methods with ecological validity.

The challenge

Why are some people more likely to commit a crime than others? Answers to this question can be grouped into two broad views. Criminology has long debated whether crime is best explained by stable traits (e.g., morality, self‑control) or by social and situational influences (e.g., peers, financial hardship). Research into both kinds of perspective has identified hundreds of correlates of criminal behaviour, yet it remains unclear how these different influences interact in real time, why crime propensity fluctuates across situations, and how some individuals avoid crime even in highly criminogenic environments.

A recently proposed theory, Short‑Term Mindsets Theory (STMT; Van Gelder & Frankenhuis, 2025; Van Gelder et al., 2025), offers a new way forward by unifying the many fragmented predictors of crime. STMT proposes that these diverse influences are connected through an underlying mechanism, namely Short‑term mindsets (STM): the degree to which individuals focus on immediate vs. long‑term outcomes. Understanding how this focus emerges, fluctuates, and can be shifted can provide criminology with a powerful framework for explaining and predicting crime.

This PhD position is part of the Short‑Term Mindsets research programme at the Institute. The successful candidate will contribute by designing and conducting experimental empirical studies on the causes and consequences of short‑term mindsets, focusing on how specific contexts activate short‑term mindsets and how this shapes behavioural outcomes. Using innovative approaches (e.g., virtual reality studies, smartphone applications, and potentially mobile laboratory data collection in real‑world settings), the project will experimentally manipulate situational triggers to test whether they shift individuals’ momentary (state) STM, and in turn influence decision making. A related question is who is most sensitive to situational STM activation, and why. People differ in how strongly their cognition shifts in response to criminogenic cues, and some of this variation may reflect adaptive responses shaped by the environments in which they grew up. There is scope to develop your own research ideas within this framework.

You have

• A completed (or close to completing) university degree (master’s or equivalent) in psychology, pedagogy, criminology, behavioural economics, sociology, or a similar discipline.
• A background in statistics.
• Experience with experimental research.
• A strong interest in crime research and novel research methods.
• A highly collaborative attitude (you value teamwork).
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills.
• Excellent social and communication skills.

Ideal candidates are committed to open science and transparent research practices. Speaking German is an asset but not a prerequisite for the position.

Our offer

The position is available from the earliest possible starting date. It is limited to four years, fully funded, with no teaching obligations. It is full‑time (currently 39 hours per week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (TVöD Bund), pay category 13, 65% (salary includes all mandatory social insurance contributions). The work location is Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). We are committed to ensuring a positive work‑life balance and offer flexible work options as well as generous opportunities for personal and professional development, including free in‑house German language courses. Several daycare spots at a nearby childcare facility are available.

The Max Planck Society is an equal‑opportunity employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applications are particularly welcome from persons with backgrounds that have so far been under‑represented in science and research concerning gender, disability, nationality, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, and sexual orientation.

Your application and further information

• A motivation letter (max. one page, 10‑pt Times New Roman), including an explanation as to how your interests and profile match the project goals and selection criteria.
• Name and email address of at least one scholar who has agreed to provide a reference for you.
• Your CV, including a list of publications (if any, either as first author or co‑author).
• A writing sample, e.g., your master’s thesis, a seminar paper, a first‑authored journal article, etc.
• Study certificates and transcripts of records.

The deadline for applications is 20 May 2026. Applicants will be informed in the week of 1 June 2026 whether they are invited for an interview. Online interviews with shortlisted candidates are currently planned for June 2026.

Questions may be directed to Prof. Dr. Jean‑Louis van Gelder ( ) or Dr. Annika Hampel, Recruitment Officer ( ).