How we connect, share and perceive ourselves on social media and its effects on our mental health will be explored at a free public lecture at The University of Western Australia later this month.
Dr Jasmine Fardouly, a senior lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Sydney, will deliver the 2025 Robin Winkler Lecture, Social Media and Mental Health: The Good, the Bad, and the Possible.
Presented by UWA’s School of Psychological Science and co-hosted by the Public Policy Institute and Institute of Advanced Studies, the lecture will look at the latest evidence on the links between social media use and mental health, focusing on body image as well as broader psychological wellbeing.
Dr Fardouly’s research focuses on social influences on young people’s mental and physical health and in particular how social media use may impact users’ body image, mood and eating pathology.
She holds a prestigious Sydney Horizon Fellowship on improving social media for users’ body image via interventions among individuals, social groups, social media influencers and policy initiatives.
Professor Ullrich Ecker, from UWA’s School of Psychological Science, said many young people spent a significant amount of time on social media.
“There are some aspects of this that are concerning, such as exposure to misinformation and detrimental social comparisons that can negatively impact self-esteem and mental health,” Professor Ecker said.
“But research also shows potential benefits, including social connection, identity exploration and access to supportive communities.
“In light of the incoming social media ban, it is important to consider the topic in a nuanced and evidence-informed manner.”
The discussion will cover the kinds of content and online activities that are harmful, those that can be beneficial and the psychological mechanisms that explain these effects.
The talk will conclude with practical ways to improve social media for mental health, from individual strategies to policy changes, to create a safer environment for all users.
The annual lecture commemorates the work of Robin Winkler, a highly influential teacher and researcher whose work was guided by humanitarian values and a relentless questioning of accepted orthodoxies.
The lecture will be held on Monday 22 September from 5.30pm to 7pm at the UWA Social Sciences Lecture Theatre. For more details and to register click here.