PhD position in Psycholinguistics at University of Groningen in Netherland 2019

Published: 08 Jun 2019 430 views

The University of Groningen invites applications for a PhD position in Psycholinguistics: late-life depression & language learning from Interested students to study at the university.

The aim of the PhD project is to assess the effect of foreign language learning on the cognitive flexibility of healthy seniors and older adults who experience mood problems or have been diagnosed as late-life depression (LLD) patients.

The PhD project and the Vidi project as a whole are embedded within the Bilingualism and Aging Lab (BALAB: www.balab.nl), currently hosting 2 other PhD projects on the topic of bilingual aging and 5 Master and Research Master projects. While the PhD position is one of two PhD positions embedded in the Vidi project Language Learning Never Gets Old: Foreign language learning as a tool to promote healthy aging (PI: Merel Keijzer).

It has been suggested that foreign language learning can boost the cognitive flexibility of elders, most pertinently early-stage Alzheimer patients or those seniors suffering from depression (Antoniou et al., 2013). This study therefore targets seniors (n=50; 65+) who experience mood problems and compares their cognitive flexibility and wellbeing following a cognitive language learning intervention to that of healthy seniors (also n=50). The PhD project also compares foreign language learning as a therapy to other forms of cognitive intervention, most notably music training and creative workshops. It does so on the basis of behavioral cognitive tasks as well as eyetracking data as a proxy of cognitive effort. As part of this project, it is important that sociolinguistic variables such as motivation and attitudes are also incorporated in the design.

For a detailed project proposal, please email the PI of this project and envisaged supervisor Merel Keijzer: [email protected].

How to Apply