Position Overview

Decades of research have demonstrated that autobiographical memory is highly malleable: simple conversation can reshape memories or even plant entirely false memories of events that never happened. This can have devastating consequences, particularly in legal settings. This malleability is a seemingly universal feature of the human condition. Despite this, false memories are generally regarded as – at best – a side effect of a flexible memory system. The ERC-funded FRAME project (Functional, Reliable & Adaptive Memory Errors) explores a different possibility: that the construction of false memories is functional and adaptive in and of itself. FRAME is founded on the idea that memory did not evolve to act as a recording device. In many situations, there may be a functional and adaptive tendency to sacrifice accuracy in favour of another outcome, such as improved wellbeing or social cohesion. The FRAME project will use experimental, quantitative methods to develop a new model of false memories that accounts for potential downstream benefits of memory distortion.

We are seeking two enthusiastic researchers to join the FRAME team to conduct research on two distinct and well-defined lines of enquiry:

Project 1: Wellbeing & false memories

It is well established that autobiographical memory exhibits a positivity bias and that happiness is an adaptive state and a significant predictor of longevity. Individuals have been shown to misremember events in a self-enhancing way, recalling receiving everything from better grades to lower cholesterol test results than they really did. There is some cross-sectional evidence that misremembering may be associated with happiness, but these studies are all correlational and only assess relatively minor memory distortions, not the formation of entirely false memories. This project will investigate whether false memories are causally related to wellbeing (e.g. whether inducing false memories can improve wellbeing and whether correcting naturally occurring false memories reduces wellbeing). This project will require a particular interest in human research ethics and experimental design, as well as individual differences.

Project 2: Social cohesion & false memories

There may be no greater adaptive consideration for human beings than the demands of living in larger, more cooperative societies that are distinct from any of our ancestors or primate relations. Therefore, natural selection likely favoured genes that encouraged more pro-social motives and behaviours, as social integration improved survival. This project will explore causal evidence that memory malleability can improve social relationships, increase empathy, and preserve social identity (e.g. assessing whether co-witness “contamination” in a standard eyewitness paradigm can lead to enhanced social cohesion amongst witnesses). This project would benefit from a creative researcher who is interested in designing novel false memory paradigms to assess social dynamics in innovative, ethical ways.

Naturally, both projects will require close attention to ethical considerations and will contain work packages specifically related to ethics meta-science (e.g. investigating participant experiences in these studies, effectiveness of debriefing methods, etc.).

Research Team & Environment

These positions are part of the European Research Council (ERC) funded research project FRAME: Functional, Reliable & Adaptive Memory Errors. The PI and lead supervisor is Professor Gillian Murphy, who leads the Everyday Cognition Lab at the School of Applied Psychology, UCC. The co-supervisors will be Professor Samantha Dockray (wellbeing project) and Dr Elizabeth Schneider (social cohesion project). The broader FRAME group includes post-doctoral researchers and a research support officer.

The School of Applied Psychology is a dynamic, research-active School. There is a strong, supportive community of PhD researchers in the School, with a dedicated shared office space. This 4-year structured PhD will allow candidates to take modules of their choice from across the university, as well as opportunities to gain experience in other areas beyond their research project (e.g. teaching, community engagement, etc.).

Key Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities of the successful PhD candidates will include:

• Performing research with responsibility and integrity.
• Providing weekly updates to the research team.
• Presenting research findings at key international conferences and publishing in high-impact journals.
• Completing required PhD coursework, participating in group meetings and contributing to the general activities of the research group.
• Participating in Education and Public Engagement activities, as required.
• To carry out any additional duties that may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Start date: October 2026 preferred.

Eligibility criteria

Essential:

• A minimum qualification of a 2.1 honours BA/BSc or MA/MSc in psychology.
• Knowledge and experience in cognitive psychology, experimental design, and statistical analysis.
• Candidates should be highly self-motivated, able to demonstrate initiative and have a desire to learn, and able to work as part of a multidisciplinary research team.
• The successful candidates will be highly analytical and motivated with good interpersonal and organisational skills and will be self-managed and achievement oriented.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English suitable for conducting research, presentations, and publications.