Cyberpsychology. New perspectives on media studies and their users

Nationwide Scientific Conference, Cracow, April 19-20, 2018

Pedagogical University of Cracow, Media Research Center of Cracow

Cyberpsychology (cybernetic psychology) is a relatively new area of research concerning on relationships between humans and technologies in the psychological perspective. It can be assumed that it emerged from a subdiscipline of psychology, such as media and communication psychology, or is its specific area related to the Internet, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), user experience, artificial intelligence, communication between Human-computer, Avatar-person, Robot-man, immersion, telepresence, 3D experience and the influence of digital representations of people and the environment on real attitudes and social behavior.

With the dynamic development of new technologies based on interactivity, virtualization, networking, digitalism, hypertextuality, convergence and online communications in real-time. There was also a specialization in cyberspace, mainly due to five main criteria:

a/ Type of medium: hence we distinguish: Internet psychology, video games psychology, psychology of virtual reality;

b/ Problem/issue: users experience, cyberbullying, pathological use of new technologies, artificial intelligence, multiplication of online identity;

c/ Strategy of medium use: immersion, telepresence, networking, virtual communication, etc.

d/ Applications: online counseling, psychological diagnosis and therapy, online support groups; E-learning and distance learning, the influence of data digitalization, digital repositories and e-services on the life of modern human;

e/ Meta-level: social attitudes and behaviors towards new technologies: cyber-exclusion (psychological causes and effects), cyberbullying, etc.

Because of the association of cyberpsychology with other subdisciplines of psychology we can point to the following exemplary phenomena:

–            Developmental psychology: the influence of high technology on the development of the child in linguistic, communication, cognitive, emotional and social aspects; Role of digital media in intergenerational communication;

–            Cognitive psychology: multitasking and efficiency in processing and memorizing information;

–            Social psychology: the influence of technology on social communication processes, the expression of emotions and feelings, building relationships; out of unfavorable problems: Internet aggression;

–            Clinical psychology: the role of new technologies in diagnostics and psychological therapy; etiological determinants of pathological media use;

–            Health psychology: prophylaxis of regressive, hazardous and self-destructive behavior in cyberspace;

–            Neuropsychology: impact of media experiences (multicode, polymodal) on the activation of brain centers and neuronal pathways;

–            Educational psychology: the importance of digital learning environments for the development of a specific type of skills, competencies and knowledge, digital repositories of knowledge and information and their role in the transfer of ideas and personal development of individuals;

–            Cultural psychology: cultural conditioning of media communication and networking.

The miniaturization, economic availability of new technologies and their mobility and compatibility with other digital media, in turn contribute to the development of:

A / Characteristic problems associated with the media exhibitionism and voyeurism;

B / Cyber surveillance associated with cybercrime, cyber control, cyber-sex and cyber-erotica;

C / Visibility, media transparency;

D / Narcissism, transformation ideology and selfie culture (self-made man);

E / Disconnected society;

These are the main issues of the conference. The conference is addressed to researchers which scientifically and practically are dealing with connections of psychology and media. We are waiting for applications from 20.06.17 to 1.03.18. Please send your application (name, affiliation, academic title, subject matter, abstract) to: obm@up.krakow.pl with a note: cyberpsychologia.

Post-conference publication is planned. The conference fee is: 360 zł.