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 (Director: Professor Jean-Louis van Gelder) is seeking 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, behavioral 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 (i.e., morality, self-control), as argued by dispositional perspectives, or by social and situational influences (e.g., peers, financial hardship), as proposed by sociogenic perspectives. Research into both kinds of perspective has identified hundreds of correlates of criminal behavior, 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 program at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law. The successful candidate will contribute to this agenda by designing and conducting experimental empirical studies on the causes and consequences of short-term mindsets. More specifically, this project focuses on the situational side of STMT: when, how, and for whom do specific contexts activate short-term mindsets, and how does this shape behavioral 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 — for example, by focusing on specific situational triggers, decision making processes, behavior, or the developmental and environmental factors that shape situational sensitivity.

You will join an ambitious interdisciplinary team in Freiburg im Breisgau and collaborate with international researchers in criminology, psychology, and related fields. Together, we aim to push the boundaries of current crime research and build new approaches to crime prediction.

You have

• a completed (or are close to completing) university degree (master’s or equivalent) in psychology (e.g., social, developmental), pedagogy, (empirical) criminology, behavioral 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.

About us

The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (MPI-CSL) is a growing European center for research in criminology, public security matters, and criminal law. The Institute is part of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science – Germany’s flagship research organization.

The Department of Criminology at the MPI-CSL offers a highly interdisciplinary and dynamic research environment in which criminologists, psychologists, sociologists, mathematicians, and computer scientists work together to understand the causes and consequences of criminal behavior and to develop effective interventions for the prevention of crime and the facilitation of offender rehabilitation. The department pushes the boundaries of crime research through the application of innovative methods, developmental theories of crime, and real-world application. It currently hosts three researchers with prestigious individual European Research Council (ERC) grants.

The Institute, with its approximately 150 employees, is located in Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), a dynamic university city with a 900-year history. The city in the trinational border region – Germany, Switzerland, and France – impresses newcomers with its high quality of life and international flair.

Our offer

Our Institute offers unrivalled research conditions, including access to top-notch laboratory facilities as well as access to exceptional specialist libraries and databases, well-equipped workspaces, and comprehensive administrative and academic support. Collaboration with other researchers and international partners at the Institute is a key element of our work. Additionally, there are many opportunities for researchers to design, convene, or participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences.

The position is available from the earliest possible starting date. The position is limited to four years, and it is a fully funded research position with no teaching obligations. The position is full-time (currently 39 hours/week). Remuneration and social benefits are based on the German Civil Service Collective Agreement (TVöD Bund), pay category 13, 65% (see https://oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tvoed/bund/). The salary includes all mandatory social insurance contributions for health care, long-term care, unemployment, and retirement. 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. There are also several daycare spots at a nearby childcare facility.

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 underrepresented in science and research concerning gender, disability, nationality, age, professional and cultural background, family situation, and sexual orientation.

Your application and further information

To apply, please submit your application with the following documents:

1. 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;
2. name and email address of at least one scholar who has agreed to provide a reference for you;
3. your CV, including a list of publications (if any, either as first author or co-author);
4. a writing sample, e.g., your Master’s thesis, a seminar paper, a first-authored journal article, etc.;
5. study certificates and transcripts of records.

Please submit your application via our online application portal.

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. Dr. Jean-Louis van Gelder (j.vangelder@csl.mpg.de) or Dr. Annika Hampel, Recruitment Officer (a.hampel@csl.mpg.de)