Project Description: Applied Developmental Psychology focuses on how knowledge and research regarding human development can be used to help solve real world problems. Cyber Security focusses on how individuals can protect the devices we all use, and the services we access, from harm. Society’s increasing use of technology for finance, information dissemination, and social interactions is generally beneficial but there are growing risks of unauthorised access to private information. Children are often the most vulnerable to breaches of security so cybersecurity skills development is becoming a fundamental part of every child’s education but little is known about the right educational approach. Preliminary research indicates that children in Scotland are not being taught appropriate cybersecurity skills at the appropriate ages, and this could leave them vulnerable.
This interdisciplinary PhD project will utilise Psychological research into children’s cognitive development, and Cybersecurity research into digital safety and security, to address the overarching applied research question; “At what ages can different cybersecurity skills be effectively taught”? This research will identify the necessary cognitive development underlying cybersecurity skills, culminating in cybersecurity guidance for parents, teachers and children at different age- and curriculum-appropriate levels.
The chosen candidate will: (1) Identify current and recommended cybersecurity skills being taught in Scottish schools and map these practices to requisite cognitive skills. (2) Conduct a systematic literature review on the typical and atypical development of these requisite cognitive skills across childhood. (3) Empirically test a series of hypotheses relating to age, cybersecurity skills and cognitive abilities. (4) write up the research into thesis and aim to publish findings. (5) Create and disseminate evidence-based cybersecurity guidelines for parents teachers and children, and assess the impact of this guidance.
It is anticipated that the output of this research would be of widespread and significant benefit to parents, teachers and children and would lead to improved cybersecurity behaviour. The theoretical underpinning and novelty of the research will contribute to the academic field of Psychology specifically in the area of Child Development, and Cybersecuirty in the area of teaching cybersecurity best practice. It is expected that outputs will be presented at national as well as international conferences and published in scientific journals