| Project Supervisor | Nejra Van Zalk |
| Institution & Department | Imperial College London – Dyson School of Design Engineering |
| Research Area | RA1: Global Health Innovation |
| Project Start Date | September 2026 |
| Project Duration | 3 months |
| Application Deadline | 4th June 2026 |
| Working Pattern | Full-time (5 days per week over 3 months) |
| Working Arrangements | Hybrid |
| The student will typically be expected to be on campus at the Dyson School of Design Engineering approximately 2-3 days per week, depending on availability and project needs. These in-person days will be used for supervision meetings, collaborative discussions, and engagement with the wider research environment. The remainder of the time can be conducted remotely, allowing flexibility for focused tasks such as reading, screening, data extraction, and writing. Regular check-ins will ensure continuity and support regardless of location, and communication will be maintained via email and/or online meeting platforms. | |
| How to Apply | View Guidance Here |
Project Description
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Digital technologies—from social media platforms and AI-driven interfaces to digital health tools—are now deeply embedded in everyday life, shaping how people think, feel, and behave. While adjacent fields such as human–computer interaction, behavioural science, and digital mental health have generated substantial insights into user outcomes, there remains a critical gap: a systematic understanding of how specific design features and affordances influence underlying psychological mechanisms.
This project, “Mapping the Mechanisms,” seeks to address this gap by conducting a structured literature review that consolidates and organises existing evidence on what is here termed design psychology. The central premise is that digital design features (e.g., notifications, feeds, personalisation, interaction loops) exert their effects on mental health and behaviour through identifiable psychological mechanisms such as attention, reward processing, social comparison, habit formation, and decision-making. However, the literature examining these mechanisms is currently fragmented across disciplines, making it difficult to build cumulative knowledge or inform evidence-based design principles.
Aims
The project has two primary aims:
- Conceptual mapping: Identify and categorise key psychological mechanisms through which digital design influences user cognition, emotion, and behaviour.
- Evidence synthesis: Systematically review empirical studies linking design features (or affordances) to these mechanisms and associated outcomes.
The work will contribute to existing framework development by PI, by helping to co-produce preliminary integrative evidence connecting digital design features → psychological mechanisms → mental health and behavioural outcomes.
Context
This work sits at the intersection of several rapidly evolving domains:
- Human–computer interaction (HCI)
- Digital mental health
- Behavioural science and cognitive psychology
- AI and algorithmic systems
Despite growing concern about the psychological impacts of digital environments, current research often focuses either on outcomes (e.g., wellbeing, engagement, addiction) or on high-level platform effects, without systematically unpacking the role of design. This project responds to increasing calls for more mechanistic, design-sensitive approaches to understanding digital technology’s psychological impact.
Anticipated Contribution
The project will make three key contributions:
- Theoretical contribution: It will provide one of the first structured syntheses of “design psychology” as a coherent field, clarifying terminology and conceptual boundaries.
- Methodological contribution: It will demonstrate an approach to systematically reviewing cross-disciplinary evidence organised around mechanisms rather than domains or technologies.
- Practical contribution: It will lay the groundwork for actionable design principles, informing future research, intervention development, and policy discussions around responsible technology design.
For the academic team, this project will serve as the foundation for a larger existing programme of work, including a potential manifesto or perspective paper and future empirical studies. The intern’s work will directly contribute to a publishable literature review and the development of a novel conceptual framework.
Internship Details
This internship is based at the Dyson School of Design Engineering, a highly multidisciplinary environment that brings together engineering, design, behavioural science, and digital technology. The School focuses on tackling real-world problems, making it an ideal setting for a project on design psychology, which sits across multiple fields.
The student will work in a collaborative and research-driven environment, with regular supervision and feedback, while also being encouraged to take ownership of their work. The internship may be conducted in a hybrid format, with access to Imperial’s academic resources.
This is a research-focused project, involving reading, synthesising, and organising complex literature, as well as contributing to the development of a new conceptual framework. The work is exploratory, so students should be comfortable engaging with open-ended questions and interdisciplinary material.
Expectations are proportionate to a doctoral researcher, including meeting agreed milestones, maintaining organised records, and actively participating in discussions. Prior expertise in all areas is not required—guidance and support will be provided throughout.
Overall, the internship offers a supportive yet intellectually challenging experience, with opportunities to develop research skills, contribute to an emerging field, and gain exposure to multidisciplinary thinking at the intersection of psychology, design, and technology.
Internship Structure
Month 1: Scoping and Search Strategy Development – Activities:
- Conduct initial scoping searches across databases (e.g., PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, ACM Digital Library).
- Assist in refining research questions and inclusion/exclusion criteria.
- Develop and test systematic search strategies (keywords, Boolean strings).
- Begin screening titles and abstracts.
Outputs: - A documented search strategy (reproducible and transparent).
- A PRISMA-style flow diagram (initial version).
- A preliminary annotated bibliography of key papers.
Month 2: Screening, Extraction, and Coding – Activities:
- Conduct full-text screening of selected studies.
- Extract relevant data (e.g., design features, psychological mechanisms, outcomes, study design).
- Contribute to the development of a coding framework for classifying mechanisms.
- Begin synthesising patterns across studies.
Outputs: - A structured database of included studies.
- A coding framework for psychological mechanisms.
- Summary tables linking design features to mechanisms and outcomes.
Month 3: Synthesis and Writing – Activities:
- Assist in synthesising findings into thematic categories.
- Contribute to visual mapping (e.g., conceptual diagrams linking design → mechanisms → outcomes).
- Draft sections of the literature review (e.g., methods, results, or thematic sections).
- Participate in discussions on interpretation and implications.
Outputs: - Draft text for inclusion in a journal article or report.
- A conceptual framework diagram.
- A short summary report highlighting key findings and gaps.
Overall Internship Outputs– by the end of the 3 months, the student will have contributed to:
- A curated and reusable literature database for future research.”
- A systematic or structured literature review manuscript (in preparation for submission).
- A conceptual framework.
Anticipated Benefits for the Student
This internship is designed to provide training aligned with doctoral-level research competencies, while remaining accessible to students at different stages.
Research Skills
- Conducting systematic and semi-systematic literature reviews
- Developing and documenting reproducible search strategies
- Screening and selecting studies using clear criteria
- Data extraction and qualitative coding
- Synthesising interdisciplinary evidence
Conceptual and Analytical Skills
- Understanding and applying psychological theory to digital contexts
- Identifying and categorising mechanisms across diverse literatures
- Developing integrative frameworks
- Critically evaluating research quality and limitations
Academic Writing and Communication
- Writing for academic publication
- Structuring literature reviews and arguments
- Translating complex findings into clear conceptual models
- Presenting findings visually (e.g., diagrams, tables)
Transferable Skills
- Project management and time planning over a defined period
- Independent working with regular supervision
- Collaborative research and feedback integration
- Attention to detail and data organisation
- Interdisciplinary thinking
Professional Development Opportunities
- Exposure to emerging debates in digital technology and mental health”
- Insight into early-stage research programme development
- Experience contributing to a potential publication
- Mentorship and feedback from an academic supervisor
Skills, Experience and Knowledge Requirements
Essential Requirements:
- Current doctoral student (or equivalent research training at postgraduate level)
- Background in psychology, behavioural science, HCI, digital health, or a related field
- Strong academic reading and critical analysis skills
- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
- Clear written communication skills
Desirable Requirements:
- Basic knowledge of PRISMA or similar reporting standards
- Prior experience conducting literature reviews or systematic reviews
- Familiarity with reference management software (e.g., Zotero, EndNote, Mendeley)
- Experience with qualitative coding or thematic analysis
- Interest in digital technology, mental health, or design research