Psychology of the Web & Therapeutic Interventions in Cyberspace

What is it about online communication that reduces otherwise respectful people to attack strangers? Then again, a shy person may finally “come out” online, authentic with her likes, dislikes, and standpoint. People undergo therapy in virtual realty (such as Second Life) and some even use synthetic therapists. How does therapy change when a client can redesign the office to reflect her mood? It’s a fascinating new era. The digital age provides a variety of options for clients and therapists to pursue their paths online.

This introductory level course explores these therapeutic aspects of cyberspace and consists of three chapters from telemental health expert Dr. Suler’s 2016 book Psychology of the Digital Age: Humans Become Electric. The chapter on Cyberpsychology Architecture describes eight dimensions for understanding the positive and negative psychological qualities of any type of digital environment. The chapter on the Disinhibited Self covers one of the most essential concepts in cyberpsychology: the online disinhibition effect, which is the tendency for people to say and do things online that they wouldn’t ordinary say or do in-person, for better or for worse. The third chapter on Electric Therapeutics applies the eight dimensions of cyberpsychology architecture for understanding the personal growth potentials of technology, including self-help activities, interventions conducted by clinicians, and artificially intelligent psychotherapists. Additional resources and references are provided for further study, but they are not part of the course.

“The most innovative psychotherapies in cyberspace will probably not be those that attempt to duplicate an in-person meeting, but rather those that take advantage of invented synthesized environments.”
– Dr. John Suler