Erin Simister

I am a fourth-year Clinical PhD student in the Forensic and Clinical Cognition Lab. I completed my undergraduate degree in Psychology at Flinders University and joined the Forensic and Clinical Cognition Lab for Honours in 2020. My Honours thesis investigated sensitive-content screens for graphic, and potentially distressing content on Instagram and assessed their relationship with elevated risk markers for psychopathology.

My current research aims to better understand how and why sensitive-content screens are helpful vs harmful in driving exposure to, and mitigating the impact of, sensitive content online. I am particularly interested in how information seeking and management of emotions may underpin motivations to uncover screened sensitive images, and whether consequences vary depending on these factors. My research is part of a larger research program which has implications for mental health strategies and policies used by a wide range of social media platforms.

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