PhD Scholar (Behavioral Sciences)

Now Hiring: **PhD Scholar (Behavioral Sciences) at TAPMI** Do you ever struggle to make sense of statements like “there’s a 30% chance of rain tomorrow”? You’re not alone—just 22.8% of people show risk literacy (Allianz Survey, 2020). This everyday example points to a much broader challenge: In finance and other high-stakes contexts, risk is everywhere, and understanding it is key to making informed decisions. If you are curious about how people interpret risk—and want to shape the tools and research that help them do it better—this your opportunity to explore this PhD program. Join an exciting international collaboration between the T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), India and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development (MPIB), Germany! Focus: Behavioral Sciences – Risk literacy and risk communication Affiliation: TAPMI–Max Planck Partner Group PhD Program: TAPMI Doctoral Programme Location: T A Pai Management Institute, Manipal, India Stipend: As per T A Pai Scholarship Guidelines Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2025 Duration: 4–5 years (Full-time doctoral position) Your Responsibilities: Design, develop, and validate a psychometric scale for risk literacy Conduct literature reviews and meta-analyses Design behavioral experiments Collaborate internationally on interdisciplinary research Present at academic conferences and contribute to publications Your Profile: Master’s degree (or equivalent) in economics/finance, management, psychology/cognitive science, mathematics or related fields Strong literature review and scientific synthesis skills Programming & analytical skills (e.g., Python, R, etc.) Keen interest in behavioral research and financial decision-making What We Offer: Structured PhD supervision in an interdisciplinary, international environment Scholarship: ₹35,000/month (first 2 years), ₹40,000/month (next 2 years) Short-term funded research visits at MPIB, Berlin and the Harding Center for Risk Literacy Funding through other RA positions Contingency grant of ₹1,00,000 for conference travel Access to research databases and journals, and funding available for data collection To Apply: Email the following in a single PDF to rpc.tapmi@manipal.edu CV Academic transcripts & certificates (UG & PG) One-page statement of purpose (motivation & research interests) One academic writing sample (e.g., Master’s thesis/project report) PhD application form About the Partner Group This project shall be mentored by Dr. Kavitha Ranganathan (TAPMI) & Dr. Felix G. Rebitschek (MPIB/University of Potsdam). The partner group also includes researchers from TAPMI, MPIB’s Center for Adaptive Rationality, and the Harding Center for Risk Literacy at the University of Potsdam. Deadline: June 30, 2025 | Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. For queries: kavitha.ranganathan@manipal.edu https://www.tapmi.edu.in/phd-doctoral-programs/ Show more Show less