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PhD Candidate

Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Computing Engineering and Media, Horizon Centre for Doctoral Training, University of Nottingham

PhD title: Look beyond the screen: the impact of video games on online and offline social functioning and wellbeing

My doctoral research concerns the impacts of video games on global wellbeing outcomes. Past research in this area focused primarily on the psychological wellbeing of video game players, discounting external factors that load onto an individual’s wellbeing, for example physical health, current life and occupational circumstances. Due to this, the uncertainty of the general public around the use of video games grows. My approach to solve this problem is to reframe how wellbeing is defined and to devise a measuring instrument to probe a wider array of wellbeing outcomes in video game players.

Outside my doctoral work, I have a track record of investigations on the impact of video games and technology on human behaviour, notably using a serious game as navigation training for Alzheimer’s disease patients, the relationship between violent video games and aggression, and the impact of visual perspective on experience of disgust and fear in virtual reality, and using a serious game.

X: @SOlejarnik
ResearchGate:
Google Scholar:

Institute of Artificial Intelligence (IAI)

• Olejarnik S. Z., & Romano, D. (2023). Is playing violent video games a risk factor for aggressive behaviour? Adding narcissism, self-esteem and PEGI ratings to the debate. Front. Psychol. 14:1155807. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1155807
• Olejarnik, S.Z., Mungur, R., & Harris, L. (2024). The experience of intensity and sensation of disgust and fear between visual perspectives in a virtual reality video game. (publication pending)
• Olejarnik, S. Z., & Romano, D. (2024). TTowards the theory of video game impacts on wellbeing: social functioning, mental health, physical health, life circumstances and addiction symptoms. (publication pending)
• Olejarnik, S. Z., & Romano, D. (2024). Developing a global wellbeing scale: the Video Game Impacts Questionnaire (VGIQ). (publication pending)

• Cyberpsychology
• Video game psychology
• Wellbeing
• Social functioning
• Aggression

• MRes Cognitive Neuroscience - University College London (2022 - 2023)
• BSc Psychology (Hons) - University College London (2019 - 2022)

• Investigating cognitive load impacts in cluttered environments using virtual reality - NHS Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust (February 2024 - September 2024)
• Look beyond the screen: the impact of video games on online and offline social functioning and wellbeing - University of Nottingham and ÐßÐßÊÓƵ (September 2023 - September 2027)
• Differences in the experience of fear and disgust between first-person and third-person perspectives in a virtual reality video game - LT Harris Lab, University College London (September 2022 - September 2023)
• The relationship between violent video game choice, self-esteem and narcissism, and aggression dimensions - University College London (September 2021 - September 2022)
• Establishing baseline navigation skills in-vivo and in-vitro using Google Maps and Sea Hero Quest - SpiersLab, University College London (June 2021 - October 2021)

• Youth Socialization online and offline: implications for health and wellbeing, UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/S023305/1 2893605), September 2023 - September 2027, Prof Daniela Romano, Prof Raghu Raghavan, Dr Aislinn Bergin

Past research on the relationship between violent video games and aggression picked up by mainstream media:

• PsyPost -
• Tom's Hardware -
• PresseCitron -
• Femina -
• Outside the Screen podcast -

Current PhD work on the impacts of video games on wellbeing picked up by online media:

• Interview for Outside the Screen podcast -

0000-0002-3020-1044