PhD Studentship in Neural Mechanisms of Behaviour in Financial Marketplaces

This project is being advertised as one that is in competition for a fully funded studentship. The successful candidate would work with the proposed supervisor to put forward an application to the ESRC South-West Doctoral Training Partnership.

We are inviting applications for a PhD position in the field of neuroeconomics, focusing on the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying market behaviour. This exciting project will combine behavioural economics with cutting-edge neuroscience techniques, predominantly EEG (electroencephalography), to explore how brain activity influences financial decision-making, consumer choices, and market dynamics.

Project Overview

In traditional economics, models of market behaviour often assume rational decision-making, but a wealth of evidence from behavioural economics shows that human decisions are far more complex, influenced by cognitive biases, emotions, and social factors. In this PhD project, we aim to delve deeper into these processes by studying the neurophysiological responses that accompany economic decision-making in real-time.

Specifically, the successful candidate may use tools such as EEG, skin conductance, eye-tracking and behavioural testing to track (neuro-)physiological and observable activity during a range of market-related tasks, such as:

1. Buying and selling decisions in financial markets
2. Consumer choices under uncertainty
3. The effects of social influence, like herd behaviour and market bubbles

This interdisciplinary research will combine experimental paradigms from behavioural economics and/or behavioural finance with neuroimaging techniques to provide insight into how neural processes drive key economic behaviours.

The successful candidate will be part of a dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment at the University of Bath, with access to state-of-the-art facilities for neuroimaging and experimental psychology. The student will receive comprehensive training in EEG methodology, behavioural experiment design, and advanced data analysis techniques.

It is envisaged that the work will yield practical applications and there are opportunities for candidates to engage with stakeholders and, potentially, work with them to deliver practical applications.

Please contact Neal Hinvest for more information (n.hinvest@bath.ac.uk).

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