3 July – QUT Gardens Point, Brisbane

Behind and beyond the screen: Unpacking the complexity of online life for young adults

A Digital Child x QUT School of Computer Science seminar

The proliferation of digital technology has given rise to concerns over risks such as increased aggression, exposure to explicit content, and excessive (or disruptive) technology use. But the reality of young people’s interactions with technology is far more nuanced than what is often suggested.

Rather than reinforcing common myths about digital technology use and outcomes for young people, this presentation will outline evidence highlighting the complex interplay of attitudes, norms, motivations, expectations, and emotions as they related to digital technology. Research on online disinhibition and its network of associations, motivations and attitudes toward technology (including Generative AI), antisocial and prosocial online peer norms, and emotional reactions to social media will be discussed.

Ultimately, this talk seeks to move beyond simplistic narratives about technology’s harms and benefits, encouraging a deeper understanding of how young people interact with and navigate their digital and social worlds. By unpacking the complexities of online life, not only can we better support healthy youth development in an increasingly digitally connected world, we can also engage in more effective knowledge translation for policy making and interventions.

Register

Our speaker

Dr Jaimee Stuart
United Nations University Institute in Macau
Jaimee Stuart is a Senior Researcher and Team Lead at the United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNU Macau), a United Nations agency and one of 14 global think-tanks. She is an applied cultural and developmental psychologist specialising in digital health and well-being. Her work focuses on computer-human interaction, examining a broad range of issues related to social justice, peace, and development in the context of digital transformation. Jaimee’s research aims to support the creation of safe and secure online spaces for everyone, although her specific focus concerns empowerment for minorities (cultural, religious, gender, and sexual orientation) as well as those who experience inflated risk factors (e.g., exposure to violence, low socio-economic status, displacement). Before joining UNU Macau, Dr. Stuart worked as the Research and Evidence Lead at Pathways in Place, Griffith University, Australia and is an Adjunct at the Schools of Psychology at Griffith University, Australia as well as Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.