Psychology of New and Emerging Technology

Lab Overview

PsyNET are dedicated to exploring the psychological and societal impacts of living in a rapidly evolving digital society. As part of the emerging field of Cyberpsychology, our research investigates how digital environments including social media, virtual reality, video games, and artificial intelligence shape human behaviour, development, cognition and well-being.

Research areas include social media use and its effects on self-perception, relationships, and mental health; video gaming, examining cognitive benefits, immersion, and potential risks; online gambling behaviours and their psychological underpinnings; human factors in cybersecurity behaviour and risk assessment; and generative AI, exploring its influence on creativity, misinformation, and digital identity.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between psychological research and real-world digital challenges. By examining how individuals engage with technology, we aim to provide insights that inform policy, improve user experiences, and enhance digital well-being and safety. PsyNET’s research aims to contribute towards a deeper understanding of both the opportunities and risks posed by emerging technologies, ensuring that digital advancements benefit individuals and society as a whole.

Research Areas

PsyNET takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining experimental, qualitative, and observational research methods to address key psychological questions related to digital technology use. Our current research areas include:

Self-Presentation & Online Identity: Understanding how individuals curate their digital personas and the psychological effects of self-presentation in online spaces.
Digital Communication & Relationships: Investigating the impact of online interactions on interpersonal relationships, trust, and social connection.
Developmental Aspects of Technology Use: Investigating the use of technology in early childhood and the impact of using touchscreen technology on various aspects of child development.
Mental Health & Well-Being: Exploring the effects of social media, video games, and other digital experiences on mental health, including issues such as anxiety, self-esteem, and addiction.
Digital Inclusion & Accessibility: Examining how technology can empower individuals with intellectual disabilities and reduce digital inequalities.
Personality & Digital Behaviour: Analysing how personality traits influence online engagement, risk-taking, and decision-making in digital contexts.
Gaming & Cognition: Examining the cognitive benefits and potential risks associated with video game use, including problem-solving skills, attention, and social engagement.
Cybersecurity & Human Factors: Understanding how human behaviour influences cybersecurity decision-making and online risk perception.
Generative AI & Digital Identity: Exploring the role of AI in creativity, misinformation, and the evolving nature of digital self-representation.

Lab Lead

Dr Chris Fullwood

Team Members

Current PhD Students

Todd Fletcher: Measuring the Impact of User Acceptance Factors for Cybersecurity Professionals on Security Controls.
Carolyn Freeman: To What Extent Does Generative Artificial Intelligence Extend the Boundaries of the Perceived Self?
Natasha Ikhlaq: Children's Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence.

Collaborations

PsyNET researchers work closely with industry partners, policymakers, and organisations to ensure our findings have real-world impact. Our members have collaborated with and consulted for organisations, including NATO, Studio Lambert, the British Psychological Society, the International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), and Facebook.

Our research has been supported by major funding bodies, including GambleAware, the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (DSTL), Nuffield Foundation, the Norwegian Research Council, the British Scoliosis Research Foundation, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Awan, I., Carter, P., Sutch, H., & Lally, H. (2023). Online extremism and Islamophobic language and sentiment when discussing the COVID-19 pandemic and misinformation on Twitter. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 46(7), 1407-1436.

Carter, P., Gee, M., McIlhone, H., Lally, H., & Lawson, R. (2021). Comparing manual and computational approaches to theme identification in online forums: A case study of a sex work special interest community. Methods in Psychology, 5, 100065.

Chadwick, D. D., & Fullwood, C. (2018). An online life like any other: identity, self-determination, and social networking among adults with intellectual disabilities. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 21(1), 56-64.

Dong, C., Fotakopoulou, O., & Hatzigianni, M. (2024). Chinese early childhood educators’ beliefs and experiences around using touchscreens with children under three years of age. Early Child Development and Care, 1-16.

Fullwood, C., Wesson, C., Chen-Wilson, J., Keep, M., Asbury, T., & Wilsdon, L. (2020). If the mask fits: Psychological correlates with online self-presentation experimentation in adults. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(11), 737-742.

Ilies, I. A., Egan, H., & Mantzios, M. (2019). Comparing state anxiety and mindfulness between mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation whilst controlling for the effect of altruism and boredom. Current Issues in Personality Psychology, 7(2), 109-119.

King, R., & Carter, P. (2022). Exploring young millennials’ motivations for grieving death through social media. Journal of technology in behavioral science, 7(4), 567-577.

O’Connor, J., Fotakopoulou, O., Johnston, K., Kewalramani, S., & Ludgate, S. (2023). Resisting hyperreality? Talking to young children about YouTube and YouTube Kids. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 14639491231166487.

Parke, A., Dickinson, P., O’Hare, L, Wilson, L., Westerman-Hughes, G. & Gerling, K. (2022). Effect of within-session breaks in play on responsible gambling behaviour during sustained monetary losses. Current Psychology, 41, 315-327

Sepp, S., Wong, M., Hoogerheide, V., & Castro‐Alonso, J. C. (2022). Shifting online: 12 tips for online teaching derived from contemporary educational psychology research. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 38(5), 1304-1320.

Spicer, S. G., Fullwood, C., Close, J., Nicklin, L. L., Lloyd, J., & Lloyd, H. (2022). Loot boxes and problem gambling: Investigating the “gateway hypothesis”. Addictive Behaviors, 131, 107327.

Stefanova, V., Farrell, L., & Latu, I. (2023). Gender and the pandemic: Associations between caregiving, working from home, personal and career outcomes for women and men. Current Psychology, 42(20), 17395-17411.