Designed Minds: How Digital Technology Shapes Our Mental Health
In our latest EdTech talk, Dr. Nejra Van Zalk, Associate Professor of Design Psychology at Imperial College London explored Design Psychology: an emerging framework that reframes digital design
as a modifiable determinant of mental health. Instead of fixating on screen time, she zoomed in on
how specific design choices, like infinite scrolls, read receipts, or notification badges, shape our attention, social comparisons, and emotional experiences.
The core question: Which design features influence which psychological processes, and how?
Spoiler: They all do. Digital designs are not neutral; they are interventions with measurable impacts
on our minds. The challenge? Most of these impacts are unintentional, born from a gap between psychological knowledge and its application in design.
So, what’s the solution?
Dr. Nejra Van Zalk introduced the Design Psychology model for innovation, which
calls for:
- Explicit psychological intent from the start. No more folk psychology or post-hoc fixes.
- Validation of psychological claims, because assumptions about the user’s mind are baked
into every interface.
- Ongoing monitoring, because psychological impact isn’t static. What works today may not
work tomorrow.
The bigger picture:
Digital design is evolving into cognitive infrastructure. As it increasingly shapes cognition, emotion, and behavior, psychological grounding can no longer be optional. We need accountability, responsibility, and a rethinking of the entire innovation cycle—from digital products to augmented humanity.
A call to action:
Whether you’re a designer, educator, parent, or user, you have a voice. Demand technologies that align with our well-being. And remember: If we can design tech to hook us, we can redesign it to help us.
Missed the talk? Stay tuned for more EdTech events!
