Psychology professor named editor of new journal that covers human-technology interactions

There is now a device for almost everything, like smartwatches that ensure you never miss a text message and thermostats capable of learning how warm you like your living room.

Given the prevalent use of technology, the American Psychological Association launched a new journal — Technology, Mind and Behavior — that will publish interdisciplinary research on human-technology interactions and how technology affects individual and group behavior. Arizona State University’s Danielle McNamara will serve as the first editor.

“I’m really excited about Technology, Mind and Behavior because I’ve spent my career investigating how technology can reveal mind and behavior, as well as how technology can enhance it,” said McNamara, a professor of psychology. “I do consider myself a psychologist at heart, but my research extends beyond psychology, and is at the intersection of linguistics, computer science, education and technologies. The scope of this journal really captures me as a person.”

McNamara, who was named an American Educational Research Association Fellow in 2018, leads the Science of Learning and Educational Technology (SoLET) lab at ASU. The SoLET lab works to change behavior to improve education by creating freely accessible tools that are designed to improve reading comprehension in developing nations. The SoLET lab has also developed iSTART and Writing Pal, two interactive teaching games for high school students to improve their reading and writing skills.

McNamara also recently traveled to Kazan, Russia, to teach master classes on game-based learning and reading comprehension. McNamara holds degrees in linguistics, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology and also worked in France for five years teaching English. Her vast experience in these different realms positions her perfectly to be the lead editor on such an expansive journal.  

Technology, Mind and Behavior will be published online only and will be both open access and open source, which means the published research studies will be accessible by anyone. McNamara hopes that this journal will become the gold standard in open-access and open-source publishing and emphasizes the importance of transparency, availability and replicability.

McNamara began accepting submissions in October 2019, and the first articles will be published as they become available, most likely during the first quarter of 2020.