Tim Mainhard

This postdoc project focuses on classroom group dynamics and the development of new ways to study how peer relations and social processes unfold over time in primary school settings. The core of the project is the creation and validation of Momentary Assessment of Peer Sociometrics (MAPS) , a method that combines intensive longitudinal measurement with sociometric approaches to capture changes in social behavior, peer relationships, and classroom dynamics on short time scales. The researcher will work on methodological innovation with clear relevance for educational practice. Main tasks include refining MAPS, designing and coordinating a pilot study in primary school classrooms, and evaluating the new measures in terms of reliability, validity, feasibility, and added value. The project also involves analyzing intensive longitudinal and multilevel data and producing scientific publications based on the findings. The position is based at the Institute of Education and Child Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences at Leiden University . The team combines expertise in social dynamics in the classroom, peer relations, and intensive longitudinal methods, and the project is a collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Supervisors include Tim Mainhard and Fanny de Swart , with Joran Jongerling also part of the wider project team. The advert highlights an international, collaborative research environment with strong links between research and practice. The project sits within a broader scholarly setting in which staff research and teach on the upbringing, education, and guidance of children and young people, and on evidence-informed approaches to supporting their development.