Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences
Netherlands
fellow
Wijnand IJsselsteijn
2024-2025
Home institution
Eindhoven University of Technology
Country of origin (home institution)
Netherlands
Discipline(s)
Computers and intelligent systems
Philosophy
Psychology, psychiatry and psychoanalysis
Theme(s)
Artificial Intelligence
Behavior & Cognition
Democracy, Citizenship, Governance
Digital Society
Fellowship dates
›
Biography
Wijnand was a Distinguished NIAS Lorentz Fellow at NIAS during 2024-2025..
Wijnand IJsselsteijn is a full professor of Cognition and Affect in Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He has an active research program on the impact of media technology on human psychology, and the use of psychology to improve technology design. His focus is on conceptualizing and measuring human experiences in relation to digital environments (immersive media, serious games, affective computing, personal informatics) in the service of human learning, health, and wellbeing. He has a keen interest in the relation between data science, AI and psychology, and works on technological innovations (such as sensor-enabled mobile technologies, virtual environments) that make possible novel forms of human behavior tracking, combining methodological rigor with ecological validity.
Research Project
Psychology and Ethics Of Progressively Lifelike Embodiments in the Metaverse (PEOPLE in the Metaverse)
Virtual reality and augmented reality, known together as eXtended Reality (XR), are now widely used at home, work, and school, offering immersive experiences. When combined with artificial intelligence (AI), XR creates realistic and personalized interactions. Avatars and environments become so lifelike that they are indistinguishable from real ones, making virtual experiences feel genuine and impactful on our real-world behaviors and attitudes.
XR also allows for deep personalisation through extensive tracking of user behavior, providing AI with detailed data for psychological profiling. Companies like Meta see XR as a powerful marketing tool, using this data to create persuasive and tailored experiences. For example, during a virtual political rally, your non-verbal cues could be analyzed to influence your emotions and preferences through techniques like increasing eye contact or mirroring your behavior.
Wijnand IJsselsteijn wants to unpack and analyse the psychological effects and ethical values at stake, and explore a number of innovative ways forward, including methods of psychological inoculation and digital health, ethical foresight analysis, and design interventions towards reflection-oriented user experiences.
Research Interests:
Extended reality ethics; AI-driven persuasion; psychological inoculation; digital wellbeing; immersive technology design