What is Cyberpsychology? A Fresh Look at How Tech Shapes and Influences Our Lives
By Rani Sheilagh - Cyberpsychologist | Wellness & Lifestyle Futurist
When people hear the word cyberpsychology or when I mention I am a cyberpsychologist, I often get one of two reactions. The first is an excited, “That sounds cool, tell me more!” The second is a slightly confused smile that says, “Cool, but what is that? I’ve never heard of that before?”
So let’s break it down. (cause cyberpsychology it is cool!)
Cyberpsychology is the study of how technology affects our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and relationships. It is a branch of psychology that explores how our digital and offline lives overlap, influence and reshape each other.
Think about the many ways you connect with the world through a screen. Scrolling through your social feeds. Working remotely. Ordering food. Tracking your steps. Staying in touch with friends and family. Even falling in love online. Cyberpsychology looks at the human side of all this. What it does to our wellness and well-being, identity, focus, creativity and connection.
It is not about the machines. It is about us.
Why Cyberpsychology Matters
We live in a hyperconnected world. Phones, apps, smart devices and AI are stitched into everyday life. It’s exciting, but it also raises many questions:
How do digital spaces change the way we see ourselves?
Can online connection ever really replace being face-to-face?
Why do we keep reaching for our phones, even when we know it is distracting us?
How can we use technology to enhance our well-being rather than drain it?
Cyberpsychology helps us explore these questions (and so many more!). It gives us tools to understand what is happening beneath the surface, and how to navigate being human in the digital landscape with more awareness, balance and joy.
My Path Into Cyberpsychology
My own path here is perhaps a little unusual. My first Masters was in the creative side of technology, back in the early days of the interweb. I then went on to work on visual design, building online games, websites and exploring interaction, fascinated by how humans and technology shape each other.
Later, I returned to study for a Masters in Cyberpsychology, this time to deepen my understanding of the psychological side of our digital lives. I wanted to explore and dive into how technology reshapes behaviour, identity and relationships, and how we can work with it rather than against it.
Alongside my academic work, I have always been entrepreneurial, including many years of wellness and lifestyle ventures. I founded one of the first yoga studios in Dublin, created yoga holidays, blended yoga with surfing, ran workshops and retreats, and developed corporate yoga wellness programmes long before they became mainstream in Ireland. My passion for food, wellness and lifestyle has always run in parallel with my interest in technology, creativity and psychology… and what it means to be human.
Bringing these threads together has seen me exploring not just how tech influences us, but how we can reclaim presence, joy, pleasure and connection in the midst of it all. nd it fuels my commitment to guide others on how to thrive in their own lives, on their own terms.
A Few Everyday Examples
Online identity: The way we present ourselves on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or LinkedIn can highlight certain aspects of who we are. Cyberpsychology looks at how this shapes our sense of self.
Attention and presence: Ever gone online “just for a minute” and lost half an hour? Understanding the design of digital platforms and our own psychology can help us reclaim our focus.
Digital wellbeing (and whole well-being in our lives): From no-phone zones to healthier habits, small shifts can create more balance between on-screen and off-screen life.
Food culture: From online recipe trends to AI-driven food images, cyberpsychology helps us understand how the digital food culture shapes our relationship with food, including what we eat and even how we gather around food.
Workplace culture: Cyberpsychology helps us understand how to build trust, authenticity, collaboration and connection across digital platforms and even in person, whether in the office, working hybrid or remote.
Why It Excites Me and Why it Matters
Cyberpsychology is not about rejecting technology. In fact, it is about embracing it by asking better questions. How do we want to live, love, work, play and eat in a digital age? How do we use technology as a positive tool that supports our human needs for joy, connection, nourishment and growth?
That is why I am so passionate, because at its heart, cyberpsychology helps us shape a future (and a present) that feels more human.
YUMMIE TAKEAWAY
Cyberpsychology is the psychology of our digital lives - of what it means to be human and live in the world today. It helps us understand how technology shapes and influences us, and it gives us practical ways to design healthier, more joyful, more connected lives and ensure that we thrive online and offline.
