Two Postdoc Researchers in behavioral decision science, public policy, and climate action, Technical University Berlin in Berlin, Germany

Feb 15, 2023 | Job Postings, Postdoctoral Students

Two 3-year postdoc positions with Eric Johnson and Elke Weber at Technical University Berlin using cutting-edge behavioral science to design effective policy addressing climate change.

The postdoc position will support a 3-year long Einstein Foundation funded Visiting Fellowship for Prof. Eric Johnson (Center for Decision Sciences, Columbia Business School) and Prof. Elke Weber (Behavioral Science for Policy Lab, Princeton University) who work with the Science of Intelligence Cluster of Excellence at the TU Berlin (where the postdoc will be physically located; hosted by Prof. Oliver Brock) and with the new and emerging Einstein Center Climate Change (hosted by Prof. Ottmar Edenhofer).

The Berlin-based research will utilize psychological theories of how human decisions and actions are shaped by personal experience and by social interactions and norms, drawing on insights in behavioral decision theory and behavioral economics to show that not all choices are the result of rational deliberation. It will test these theories (individually or in combination) in the context of the real-world societal challenge in Berlin-Brandenburg of motivating and implementing climate change action in the transportation and building sector to better understand (and ideally fill) gaps in the theoretical landscape related to rapid and pervasive behavior change. The project will compare and contrast the power of different interventions that derive from insights about the role of personal experience and social processes and norms in different socio-cultural contexts (e.g., Berlin-Brandenburg/Germany vs. NJ/ US vs. Delhi/India) to better understand the determinants and psychological processes that mediate and moderate behavior change.

The postdoc will report directly to either Professor Johnson or Professor Weber, and work closely with one another, and other members of their research groups in the USA.

The position is open until filled, and the review of applications begins on February 10, 2023. Full details and instructions are available below:

Prof. Eric Johnson: https://tinyurl.com/bdzz9e7s

Prof. Elke Weber: https://tinyurl.com/5n78k56h