Gästforskarseminarium med Thao Ha

Välkommen till ett seminarium med gästforskaren Thao Ha, på besök från Arizona State University. 

The Development of Adolescent Romantic Relationships in the Digital Age

Adolescence is a formative period marked by the profound experience of romantic relationships and the feeling of love for the first time. Emerging technologies, including social media, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI), have fundamentally transformed how adolescents connect, communicate, and form romantic relationships. Grounded in developmental theory, I will discuss how these technologies can foster positive connections while also exposing adolescents to the risks of digital dating abuse. Furthermore, I will discuss how these experiences predict adolescents’ future mental health and relationship experiences, highlighting the benefits and complexities of love in the digital age.

About Thao Ha:

Dr. Thao Ha is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, and principal investigator of the @HEART lab. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from Radboud University Nijmegen. Dr. Ha studies how adolescents learn how to navigate novel, complex, and sometimes quickly changing relationship dynamics, both in real life and in digital spaces, with implications for their long-term social-emotional development. Her work has been supported by several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH; NIMH, NIDA, NIAAA), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), and various foundations. Dr. Ha was a visiting scholar at Stanford University and has received early career awards, such as the APS Rising Star Award and the ISSBD Young Scientist Award.

Seminariet är öppet för medarbetare på Högskolan Väst. För mer information, kontakta Ylva Svensson.