CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS
Decision Making in Online Dating
This project investigates the factors involved in decision making in online dating choices. For example, males and females employ different criteria in partner selection, although this may be mediated by factors such as an individual’s dating strategy.
Emotional Expression Online
The ways in which we express romantic love has changed over time. This project investigates the variety of ways in which individuals express romantic love and affection online and how this has changed in the age of social media and online dating.
Perceptions of Online Cheating
The Internet has increased the opportunity for individuals to communicate with romantic interests outside of their offline relationships. In some contexts this behaviour has been termed microcheating, although the specific criteria defining it remains somewhat ambiguous. This project assesses peoples’ judgments of online cheating in an attempt to more precisely define this behaviour.
Online Persuasion
Individuals are increasingly using the internet to communicate online with many of their interactions being persuasive. Whilst there is some evidence to suggest that persuasion can occur online it is still unclear as to the underlying mechanisms driving this process. The current study aims to address this by examining individuals’ attention to, and motivations to process, online information.
Validation in Social Media
Many people worldwide make use of social media. The way in which the information we share on social media is received by others (termed validation) has an influence on the way in which individuals interact. This study investigates how we use and manipulate social media and how this is related to self-esteem and personality.
Using Smartphones in Dangerous Situations
Do levels of attachment to mobile phones as defined by mobile phone attachment measures, affect our behaviour towards these in potentially dangerous situations? This study looks at psychological factors likely to affect mobile phone use in inappropriate situations, such as driving or even at funerals.