Mr George Farmer
George is a Doctoral Researcher studying technology use, with a focus on video gaming, and the impact of motivations on psychological correlates of well-being and ill-being (including stress).
George aims to use a variety of methodological techniques during his studies including online questionnaire methodologies and experimental methodologies including the sampling of salivary cortisol as a biomarker of stress.
George's first study in his PhD program was an online questionnaire-based study on the impact of video gaming during the first Covid-19 lockdown in England (April-August 2020), specifically measuring whether video game play impacted participant's ability to emotionally regulate their behaviour through a period of social isolation. Motivation for play was also measured and player behaviours were understood through the utilisation of Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and Uses & Gratifications theory (Katz et al., 1974).
Following this, George aims to conceptually replicate this research during non-lockdown conditions measuring a wider variety of technological activities such as social media use, the use of video streaming services, and general Internet use.
Furthermore, two other research studies are planned to complete the research program:
1) utilising salivary cortisol measurement as a biomarker of stress as part of a lab-based video game session to evaluate short-term exposure effects of video games.
2) An examination of video game play-style (i.e., "casual" vs. "heavy" vs. "hardcore" gamers) to assess video game intensity on correlates of psychological well-being.