Halbrook, Yemaya - PG Researcher Profile

Research interests

Yemaya's research focuses on the link between video gaming and well-being. In essence, this project looks at how connected a gamer feels to a game, what motivates them to play, and if specific factors of social gaming have particular impacts on well-being.

Project Supervisors

Dr. Aisling O'Donnell, Professor Rachel Msetfi

Project Title

Press Start to Play: A Self-Determination Theory Approach to the Relationship Between Video Games and Well-Being

Project Description

Video games are ever becoming increasingly popular across all age groups and cultures. It is important, then, to determine what effects this popular activity has on an individual's well-being. In particular, social video gaming has grown exponentially since the development of the first video game Tennis for Two in 1958. These developments in the video game industry greatly increases the ways gamers can interact with each other as well as the detail provided to the non-player characters (NPCs) in the video games themselves. Research is therefore imperative to analyse how these advancements are impacting gamers' everyday lives. This project employs the self-determination theory approach which states and individual must meet the needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in order to achieve a high-level of well-being.

The overall aim of this project is to employ this theory in order to determine if there is a way to optimize how a video game impacts well-being, both for academic as well as game industry purposes.

Conference Presentations

Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. Video games and their impacts on well-being: A review. CyberPsychology 24th Annual Conference, Norfolk, Virginia, June 2019.

Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. Friends who game together, stay together: A self-determination theory approach to social video gaming on social well-being. CyberPsychology 24th Annual Conference, Norfolk, Virginia, June 2019.

Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. Video games and their effects on well-being: A review ReachOut Ireland—Technology for Wellbeing Conference, Dublin, Ireland, November 16th, 2017.

Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. Video games and their effects on well-being: A review. International Society for Research on Internet Interventions: Making e/mhealth Impactful in People’s Lives, Berlin, Germany, October 11th, 2017.

Published Manuscripts

Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. (2019). When and how video games can be good: A review of the positive effects of video games on well-being. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 14(6), 1096–1104. doi: 10.1177/1745691619863807

Senan, S., Msetfi, R. M., El Keshky, M., Halbrook, Y. (2019) The relationship between perception of control and mood: The intervening effect of cultural values in a Saudi Arabian sample. PLoS ONE 14(8): e0220509. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220509

Teaching

Tutor and Teaching Assistant, Psychology Department, University of Limerick

• Undergraduate Modules: Psychology and Everyday Life (PS4031), Practical Psychology I (PS4041), Social Issues (PS4032)
• Postgraduate Modules: Advanced Analysis II (PS6032)

Module Co-Ordinator and Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick

• Cognitive Psychology
• Research Methods I
• Research Methods II
• Abnormal Psychology
• Intermediate Statistics
• Introduction to Psychology
• Applied Psychology

Memberships

• European Society for Research on Internet Interventions
• International Society for Research on Internet Interventions
• Psychological Society of Ireland
• Centre for Social Issues Research (CSI-R; University of Limerick)

Awards

Winner of Dissertation Award by the APA Media Psychology (Division 46)