Personal statement

Dr Sarah Hodge is a Cyberpsychology researcher whose main focuses are specifically in gaming and gambling.

By exploring the interplay between human factors and game design in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research, she has specifically explored game features (such as loot boxes), decision making and morality, transparency, and overlaps between gaming and gambling.

Sarah also conducts specific work on the player side of HCI research, exploring demographic factors, gaming experiences, digital addiction, engagement, moral development, and nostalgia.

She utilises technology-driven methods to enhance our understanding of HCI by working with interdisciplinary teams of academics, industry partners, local businesses, game developers and designers to create purpose-made games and Virtual Reality simulations for research and education.

Such work and interdisciplinary teams have enabled her to explore how to psychologically support users, develop training and education, specifically focusing on the concepts of digital resilience in children and young people’s technology use.

Currently, she is an Academic Leader (Partnerships and Combined Awards) in the School of Sciences at Bath Spa University.

Academic qualifications

  • PhD
  • CPsychol
  • SFHEA

Professional memberships

  • British Psychological Society

Areas of interest

  • Psychology
  • Applied Psychology
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Educational and developmental psychology
  • Cyberpsychology

Impact outputs:

Hodge, S & Lutte-Eliott, A. (2021). Mindful Resilience River Journey: A practitioner’s guide. Gaming and gambling in children and young people Workshop. Accreditation by Royal Society for Public Health

Hodge, S. (2020) Evidence submitted to Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport for Loot Boxes in Video Games, Call for Evidence. November 2020

McAlaney, J and Hodge, S (2020) House of Commons, Public Accounts Committee Gambling regulation: problem gambling and protecting vulnerable people Seventh Report of Session 2019–21.

Other Outputs

Selected Media Coverage:

The Conversation, The People’s Friend, Daily Echo, University Business magazine, WonkHE, Metro, Huffpost, and BBC.

Broadcast Interviews include the Third Degree (Quiz show on radio 4 on the academic panel competing against the student panel aired June 2020), Wave 105, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC regional radio stations.

TV interview for BBC World News in July 2022 about the impact of social media content made for views. 

Internet Publications: 

McAlaney, J, Arden-Close, E., & Hodge, S. (2023). Technology can play a vital role in limiting online gambling – here’s how. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/technology-can-play-a-vital-role-in-limiting-online-gambling-heres-how-204641 

Hodge, S, (2022). What teachers think of children and young people’s technology use. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/what-teachers-think-of-children-and-young-peoples-technology-use-185232 

Hodge, S, (2021). Video games affect your moral development but only until you’re 18 - new study. The Conversation. Available from: https://theconversation.com/video-games-affect-your-moral-development-but-only-until-youre-18-new-study-142769.  

Hodge, S, (2020). The Psychologist Guide to… [new] university life. The Psychologist. Available from: https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/psychologist-guide-new-university-life.  

Artefacts: 

Melacca, D, Hodge, S.E,. Gatzidis, C, Anderson, E.F,. Taylor, J & McAlaney, J. (2016). Purpose-made game to measure moral decisions. Unreal game engine. 

Parnell, C, Hodge, S E., Walsh, S, Maddocks J, & Ham, S. (2022). Safer Kids VR. Unity game engine.  

Research and academic outputs

Go to ResearchSPAce

Applying psychological theory to in-game moral behaviors through the development of a purpose-made game
book_section

Hodge, S.E, McAlaney, J, Gatzidis, C, Anderson, E.F, Melacca, D and Taylor, J (2018) 'Applying psychological theory to in-game moral behaviors through the development of a purpose-made game.' In: Bowman, D.B, ed. Video games: a medium that demands our attention. Routledge, New York, pp. 108-125. ISBN 9780815376897

Lived experiences of gaming and gambling related harm and implications for healthcare services
article

Kevin, D, Hodge, S.E, Panourgia, C, Hutchings, M and Clelland, K (2024) 'Lived experiences of gaming and gambling related harm and implications for healthcare services.' Journal of Gambling Issues. ISSN 1910-7595

Social norms and goal-setting interventions to promote responsible gambling in low-to-moderate online gamblers: protocol for a four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study
article

Arden-Close, E, Thomas, S, Bush-Evans, R, Wang, R, Bolat, E, Hodge, S.E, Phalp, K and McAlaney, J (2023) 'Social norms and goal-setting interventions to promote responsible gambling in low-to-moderate online gamblers: protocol for a four-arm randomised controlled feasibility study.' BMJ Open, 13. e065400. ISSN 2044-6055

Transparency in persuasive technology, immersive technology, and online marketing: facilitating users’ informed decision making and practical implications
article

Wang, R, Bush-Evans, R, Arden-Close, E, Bolat, E, McAlaney, J, Hodge, S.E, Thomas, S and Phalp, K (2022) 'Transparency in persuasive technology, immersive technology, and online marketing: facilitating users’ informed decision making and practical implications.' Computers in Human Behavior, 139. e107545. ISSN 0747-5632

What’s in the box? Exploring UK players’ experiences of loot boxes in games; the conceptualisation and parallels with gambling
article

Hodge, S.E, Vykoukal, M, McAlaney, J, Bush-Evans, R.D, Wang, R and Ali, R (2022) 'What’s in the box? Exploring UK players’ experiences of loot boxes in games; the conceptualisation and parallels with gambling.' PLoS ONE, 17 (2). e0263567. ISSN 1932-6203

Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of technology on children and young people’s emotions and behaviours
article

Ventouris, A, Panourgia, C and Hodge, S.E (2021) 'Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of technology on children and young people’s emotions and behaviours.' International Journal of Educational Research Open, 2. e100081. ISSN 2666-3740

Is it still double edged? Not for university students’ development of moral reasoning and video game play
article

Hodge, S.E, Taylor, J and McAlaney, J (2020) 'Is it still double edged? Not for university students’ development of moral reasoning and video game play.' Frontiers in Psychology, 11. e1313. ISSN 1664-1078

(A)morally demanding game? An exploration of moral decision-making in a purpose-made video game
article

Hodge, S.E, Taylor, J and McAlaney, J (2019) '(A)morally demanding game? An exploration of moral decision-making in a purpose-made video game.' Media and Communication, 7 (4). pp. 213-225. ISSN 2183-2439

It’s double edged: the positive and negative relationships between the development of moral reasoning and video game play among adolescents
article

Hodge, S.E, Taylor, J and McAlaney, J (2019) 'It’s double edged: the positive and negative relationships between the development of moral reasoning and video game play among adolescents.' Frontiers in Psychology, 10 (28). ISSN 1664-1078