Funding

Competition funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

PSH50650126

Start dates

October 2026

Application deadline

16 January 2026

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three year PhD to commence in October 2026. 

The PhD will be based in the Faculty of Science and Health within the School of Psychology, Sport and Health Science, and will be supervised by Dr Juliane Kaminski, Professor Bridget Waller and Dr Annika Bremhorst.

Candidates applying for this project may be eligible to compete for one of a small number of bursaries available. Successful applicants will receive a bursary to cover tuition fees for three years and a stipend in line with the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26).Bursary recipients will also receive a £1,500 p.a. for project costs/consumables.

Costs for student visa and immigration health surcharge are not covered by this bursary. For further guidance and advice visit our international and EU students ‘Visa FAQs’ page.

Please note, these funded PhDs are only open to new students who do not hold a previous doctoral level qualification.

The work on this project could involve:

 

  • Data collection with adult humans testing their perception of dogs’ facial movements and ear shapes.
  • Testing key hypothesis following from a publication showing that dogs have evolved facial movements for eyebrow movement which humans find very attractive.

The domestication of dogs is one of the most significant events in human history, yet the precise mechanisms behind the development of the dog-human bond remain unclear1. While theories range from proactive human selection to self-domestication in wolves2, we propose a novel idea: that humans' unconscious preferences for emotional cues during social interactions with wolves drove the evolution of traits in dogs that mimic human-like communication3. These features, we argue, triggered nurturing responses in humans and laid the foundation for the unique human-dog relationship. Our previous research identified a key adaptation—the Levator anguli oculi medialis muscle, which allows dogs, but not wolves, to raise their inner eyebrows in a way humans find particularly appealing4. This movement resembles a human expression of sadness, potentially evoking a nurturing response5. We also suggest that these facial movements mimic human "ostensive cues," further fostering human-dog communication3. This project will test the hypothesis that these facial features, along with ear morphology, evolved due to human sensitivity to specific cues. By exploring how humans perceive dogs’ facial expressions and ear shapes, we aim to deepen our understanding of how these traits contributed to domestication and the enduring bond between humans and dogs.

 

 

Entry requirements

You'll need a good first degree from an internationally recognised university (minimum upper second class or equivalent, depending on your chosen course) or a Master’s degree in an appropriate subject. In exceptional cases, we may consider equivalent professional experience and/or qualifications. English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

 

The ideal candidates will:

  • Demonstrate a passion for experimental psychology. 
  • Have experience with quantitative data collection with human participants.
  • Have knowledge of dog behaviour and theories on dog domestication and the dog-human bond. 

 

How to apply

If you have any project-specific questions please contact Dr Juliane Kaminski (juliane.kaminski@port.ac.uk), quoting the project code.

When you are ready to apply, please use our . Make sure you submit a personal statement, proof of your degrees and grades, details of two referees, proof of your English language proficiency and an up-to-date CV.  Our ‘How to Apply’ page offers further guidance on the PhD application process.

Please also include a research proposal of 1,000 words outlining the main features of your proposed research design – including how it meets the stated objectives, the challenges this project may present, and how the work will build on or challenge existing research in the above field.

If you want to be considered for this funded PhD opportunity you must quote project code PSH50650126 when applying. Please note that email applications are not accepted.