Digital Technologies and Wellbeing: What Does Current Research Show? Lecture for UHK Students

How can we understand the impact of media and new technologies in a time when the online environment increasingly shapes our interpersonal relationships, our identities, and public discourse?

This lecture introduces current research trends in internet and new media studies, focusing on selected topics that resonate within the public sphere. It will primarily explore the effects of digital technologies on individual and societal wellbeing – including mental, physical, and social dimensions. These impacts will be illustrated through specific research topics (e.g. cyber aggression) and a variety of methodological approaches (e.g. experimental and longitudinal research).

The lecture will highlight both the positive and negative aspects of the digital environment. It will be delivered from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining insights from media studies, sociology, psychology, and other social science disciplines. The aim is to demonstrate how current research can respond to pressing societal challenges and contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of technology in our lives.