Doug is a computational communication scientist, and he adopts media psychological perspectives to research 1) the ways in which adolescents and young adults use digital media; 2) the potential effects that this behaviour can have on their cognition, mental health, and well-being; and 3) the knowledge and skills that enable them to thrive in a digital society.
In his research, Doug employs a range of quantitative research methods, including cross-sectional and intensive longitudinal surveys, online and field experiments, computational data collection (e.g., smartphone tracking, web scraping), and computational analysis techniques like natural language processing and machine learning. He also integrates meta-research approaches, like systematic reviews and meta-analyses, into his work. Doug is committed to open science and, where appropriate, he pre-registers his studies and ensures that data and materials are openly accessible.
He has authored 30+ journal articles, many of which have been published in leading journals like Nature Human Behaviour; Journal of Communication; Media Psychology; Technology, Mind and Behaviour; JAMA Pediatrics; Computers & Education; Behaviour Research Methods, and Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.
