About Us

The Psychological Society of Ireland's Special Interest Group in Media, the Arts and Cyberpsychology (SIGMAC) explores the scientific study of how humans interact with technology, mass media communication, the arts, and fiction. It also recognises the bidirectional nature of human interaction with these constructs.

Contact Us: mediaartscyber@psychologicalsociety.ie 

Follow us on Twitter using the handle @PSISIGMAC

We’re also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psisigmac/

2024 Update

Special Interest Group in Media, the Arts and Cyberpsychology (SIGMAC) relaunched by the Psychological Society of Ireland

4th November 2024—Established in 2012 by the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI), the Special Interest Group for Media, the Arts and Cyberpsychology (SIGMAC) provides an important and innovative forum for considering the art and science of how people interact with media and technology (1).

Since then interest in this topic area has only grown, with significant societal developments in the role of social media, wearable technologies, experiential technologies like virtual reality and the popularisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

As part of the 2024-2026 PSI Strategic Plan, 'Psychology’s role in an increasingly digital world' was adopted by the Society as a strategic theme (2). This has led to a restructuring of PSI's approach to digitalisation including a commitment to the topic from PSI Council, the relaunch of SIGMAC and active cooperation with other colleagues locally and internationally.

One such collaboration is with the Digitalisation Expert Reference Group of the European Federation of Psychologists' Associations (EFPA) (3), of which PSI is a full member along with the psychological societies of thirty-six other European countries (including all EU States). Psychology has an important role to play in informing digitalisation policy on the Irish, European and international levels, with recent examples such as the AI Act (2024) (4) and the protection of minor guidelines of the Digital Services Act (2022) guidelines to enforce the protection of minors online (5).

PSI Council are very appreciate of the work done by colleagues to date in advancing this important work, including SIGMAC's first chair Dr Brendan Rooney and outgoing chairs Joanne Carroll and Derek Laffan, along with many other colleagues who have supported SIGMAC's work during this time.

Marking the relaunch of SIGMAC on Monday 4th November 2024 at 7pm PSI is delighted to host GAMIAN-Europe's 'The Vibrant Mind: Embracing Mental Health Through Artistry' event, in collaboration with EFPA, SETU Ireland and Bodywhys. The exhibition of 29 artists from across Europe showcases the importance of art in expressing and communicating the nature of mental health. It will run for two weeks until 15th November at SETU Carlow (6).

A related Vibrant Mind webinar focusing on the role of 'Art as a Socio-Psychological Mirror' will take place on Wednesday 6th November 2024 at 11:30am Irish time (7). This webinar, organised by GAMIAN-Europe and EFPA will explore the role of art in processing collective trauma and supporting social change, drawing on perspectives from both experts with lived experience of mental health conditions and psychologists. Speakers include Assim Kalouaz from University College Dublin's Media & Entertainment Psychology Lab (8). Participants will be invited to engage with these themes and contribute to an evolving dialogue about the intersection of art, mental health, and social change.

Everyone is warmly invited to participate in these events, with many more to come. PSI members who are not currently members of SIGMAC are encouraged to join the special interest group and contribute their expertise in the areas of research, policy and practice (9). Those who are interested in this area, but who are not PSI members, are encouraged to stay tuned to PSI's social media and website updates where future opportunities to get involved will be shared.

Dr JF Leader
SIGMAC Interim Chair
PSI Council Member & Honorary Secretary
mediaartscyber@psychologicalsociety.ie

Links

1 - PSI SIGMAC website https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/groups/Special-Interest-Group-in-Media-the-Arts-and-Cyberpsychology 
2 - PSI Strategic Plan https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/footer/Strategic-Plan 
3 - EFPA Digitalisation Expert Reference Group https://www.efpa.eu/digitalisation 
4 - EU AI Act https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence 
5 - EU Digital Services Act (2022) Guidelines to enforce the protection of minors online https://www.efpa.eu/efpa-contributes-european-commission-call-evidence-digital-services-act-guidelines-enforce 
6 - Vibrant Mind event at SETU https://www.setu.ie/events/the-vibrant-mind-exhibition-embracing-mental-health-through-artistry 
7 - Vibrant Mind webinar https://www.thevibrantmind.eu/dettagli-e-registrazioni/art-as-a-socio-psychological-mirror 
8 - UCD Media & Entertainment Psychology Lab https://www.ucd.ie/psychology/research/researchcentresandlaboratories/mediaentertainmentlaboratory/ 
9 - Join PSI SIGMAC https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/groups/Special-Interest-Group-in-Media-the-Arts-and-Cyberpsychology#join

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING GROUP MEMBERSHIP CHARGES:

You will be charged the full membership fee upon application. Should your membership be approved, this will cover your group membership for the rest of the calendar year. Your group membership will renew automatically during the renewal period (between 01 January and 31 March), along with your general PSI membership. Please note, should your application be declined, there are no refunds for your groupapplication fee, as per PSI T&C's: https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/footer/Terms-and-Conditions. Thus, please ensure to read the membership criteria very carefully before making an application to join a PSI group (div or SIG).

Special Interest Group in Media, Art and Cyberpsychology Membership Fee - €10.00

Officers