Cyberpsychology - PSY00042H
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2025-26 |
Module aims
Technology has undoubtedly become ubiquitous in 21st century living and psychological research has become more and more interested in how people behave online, the implications on wellbeing when using technology, and importantly, when technology can be beneficial and when its use can become problematic.
During this module we will look at research and theories which attempt to help us understand these issues. We will consider online interactions and self-presentation, how technology can be used for therapy, and the positive and negative aspects of gaming.
Each session will consist of a lecture delivered by Dr Sally Quinn followed by student tasks and activities (mostly small group discussions).
Module learning outcomes
- To be able to explain different types of online social interaction and their effects on other factors such as wellbeing and friendships.
- To be able to identify how using different technology platforms can lead to problematic use and to also explain what types of people are more 'at risk'.
- To be able to explain how technology can be used as a tool to encourage positive behaviour change and be critical of its limitations.
Module content
- Introduction to Cyberpsychology
- Online self-presentation
- Social consequences of online interaction
- Online romantic relationships
- VR as a therapeutic tool
- Online platforms and behaviour change
- Problematic internet use
- Psychosocial effects of gaming
- Violent video games and aggression
- Revision
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100.0 |
Module feedback
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.
Indicative reading
Most of the reading for this module will either be academic journal articules or chapter from The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology (Attrill-Smith, A., Fullwood, C., Keep, M., & Kuss, D. J. (Eds.). (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology. Oxford University Press.