Online Certificate in CyberPsychology – Behavioral Emphasis - NSU (2024)

The psychology of cyberspace is explored through examination of the intersection between psychological theory and the progression of technology in everyday life. The behavioral implications of digital technologies will be explored, with an emphasis on computer mediated communication, online identity and anonymity, impression management, online addiction, telehealth and help-seeking, cybercrime, digital privacy, and information security.

Virtuality explores the artistic, scientific, and clinical application of reality and actuality on human behavior. Diverse and interdisciplinary approaches will be used to explore the intersection between society, culture, technology, and digital connectivity to better understand methods of increasing quality of life and life satisfaction. This course incorporates psychological theories which support the biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, cognition and communication, and mental health care to facilitate the critical examination of how virtual and augmented reality and related technologies are leveraged to improve human functionality and performance.

This course is designed to teach the underlying principles of human cognition (i.e., attention, thinking, perception, intelligence, comprehension, memory, decision-making, problem solving, reasoning), as well as applying cognitive principles to situations where human behavior is influenced by the computer or other Internet-based environments, as well as a comparison of online versus offline decision making. This course deals with understanding how higher mental processes are influenced by technology as a medium. The aim of this course is to inform the student of theories and research in these areas as well as to improve their critical thinking skills for understanding the biological, neurological, social, and other psychological basis for human thought.

This course will introduce students to the psychology of the consumer and the media in an increasingly digital world. Student will examine the relevance of psychology theory and research to understand how social media in particular impacts the social and economic well-being individuals within different societies. Students will explore how consumer preferences are shaped and influenced by the different media available to them, as well as how information is cultivated and delivered to people based on big data sourcing and algorithms that leverage users online activity.

Human-computer interaction (HCI) is an interdisciplinary field that integrates theories and methodologies from computer science, cognitive psychology, human factors, digital learning, and other related areas. The course will cover the basic theory and methods that exist in the field, and use case studies, critical thinking and experiential activities to examine the potential applications of HCI in physical and digital environments.

This course addresses the research and application of psychological knowledge to different areas of (digital) forensics specifically as they apply to the intersection of psychology, sociology, and criminal justice. Classifying cybercrimes and applying forensic psychology to deviant online behavior from criminological and forensic psychological theoretical perspectives will be addressed.

This course offers a broad overview of abnormal psychology and applies concepts to behaviors commonly impacted by digital technologies. Topics may include how to define normal versus abnormal behavior, diagnostic features and etiology of well-established psychopathology, prevalence and treatment of psychopathology and related disorders, critical evaluation of current debates about digital addictions and online self-help, and a focus on the influence of societal and systemic factors.