In the Psychological Insights for Understanding COVID-19 series, international experts introduce important themes in psychological science that engage with people’s unprecedented experience of the pandemic, drawing together chapters as they originally appeared before COVID-19 descended on the world.

This book explores how COVID-19 has impacted our relationship with media and technology, and chapters examine a range of topics including fake news, social media, conspiracy theories, belonging, online emotional lives and relationship formation, and identity. It shows the benefits media and technology can have in relation to coping with crises and navigating challenging situations, whilst also examining the potential pitfalls that emerge due to our increasing reliance on them. In a world where the cyberpsychological space is constantly developing, this volume exposes the complexities surrounding the interaction of human psychology with media and technology, and reflects on what this might look like in the future.

Featuring theory and research on key topics germane to the global pandemic, the Psychological Insights for Understanding COVID-19 series offers thought-provoking reading for professionals, students, academics and policy makers concerned with the psychological consequences of COVID-19 for individuals, families and society.

Ciarán Mc Mahon, Ph.D., is a director of the Institute of Cyber Security, author of The Psychology of Social Media (Routledge), and co-author of Cyber Security ABCs: Delivering Awareness, Behaviours and Culture Change (British Computer Society).