WORKING GROUP LEADER
Interested in: online aggression, cyberbullying, online communities, self-disclosure online, credibility of online information, online civic engagement
Experimental studies on the short-term effects of digital media usage
Introduction
About the working group
This working group investigates the short-term effects of contemporary digital media on subjective experiences of these media as well as on well-being of children, adolescents, and adults. Our research integrates theories from psychology, media studies, and communication studies. These perspectives direct our attention to (inter)individual characteristics, the specifics of online communication and interaction processes, and the importance of affordances across diverse online environments. We therefore aim to capture how socio-psychological characteristics of users and online cues shape the effects of media-related experiences.
Our core methodological approach centers on experimental designs. We employ traditional procedures, such as manipulating stimuli that represent online environments and specific incidents (e.g., cyberaggression), and complement them with newer approaches, especially eye-tracking technology and augmented and virtual reality. We also use qualitative methods to contextualize our findings. This triangulation of approaches is intended to generate rich, complex data.
Our experiments are based on carefully developed designs with strong theoretical grounding and high internal validity, strengthened through cognitive pilot testing. Studies are preceded by power analyses aligned with pre-specified analytical plans and preregistration.
Who we are
Interested in: social media and body image, body positivity, development of measuring scales, digital media and well-being
Interested in: cross-cultural research, statistics and psychometrics, video games and video streaming research
Interested in: cyberhate and online discrimination, ICTs and children and adolescents
Interested in: online and offline aggression, memory recall accuracy
Interested in: media multitasking, cognitive & affective factors in online interaction, online aggression, online research methods, well-being
Interested in: validation of cross-cultural scales; cross-cultural perception and cognition; eye-tracking
Interested in: video games; measurement of gaming experience; online video streaming
Interested in: online anonymity; online self-disclosure
Interested in: statistics and psychometrics; data management
Interested in: statistics and psychometrics; civic engagement; political socialization
Interested in: ICTs and adolescent well-being; literature review and theory synthesis
What we do
Our focus
Our experiments follow several topical areas related to digital media use and effects on users’ experience of these media and well-being. Currently, we focus on several topical areas:
- Cyberaggression, such as peer-to-peer aggression, cyberhate, violent content, or ostracism online
- Appearance social media content, such as portrayals of idealized bodies and body positivity posts, and their effects on users’ body image
- In relation to health, we investigate the assessment of credibility of health-related online information.
- The effect of anonymity online (e.g., on aggression, social attractiveness, attitudes formation)
- Trust in digital environments – specificity of virtual reality
- Gaming – the role of intense gaming experiences and game-related aspects, such as the role of aggressive streamers. In addition to the standard methods, we now explore the use of objective data (both physiological and digital traces of various kinds).
- Multitasking – the effect of media multitasking on prosocial and antisocial behavior
- Čeněk, J., Halámková, D., Caha, J., Lacko, D., Kalenská, P., Stachoň, Z., ... & Šašinka, Č. (2025). Cross-cultural analysis of eye-movement patterns in visual scene perception: a comparison of seven cultural samples. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 28574.
- Krizova, N., Kvardova, N., & Machackova, H. (in press). Empowerment or Pressure? Exploring the Impact of Female Body Depictions in Body Positivity Instagram Posts on Self-Objectification. International Journal of Psychology.
- Lacko, D., Machackova, H. & Slavík, L. (2024). Adolescents' perceptions of the credibility of informational content on fitness and dietary supplements: The impact of banner and native advertising. Journal of Adolescence (August 2024). https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12394
- Kvardova, N., Macháčková, H., & Güleç, H. (2023). ‘I wish my body looked like theirs!’: How positive appearance comments on social media impact adolescents’ body dissatisfaction. Body Image, 47, 101630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101630
- Lacko, D., Machackova, H., & Dufková, E. (2023). Does aggressive commentary by streamers during violent video game affect state aggression in adolescents? New Media & Society, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231182620
- Bedrosova, M., Kvardova, N., & Machackova, H. (2022). Bystanders’ victim blaming and minimizing consequences of weight-based cyberhate attacks: The roles of anti-fat attitudes, body-positive online content, and gender. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38(9-10). https://doi.org/10.1177/08862605221140037
- Galbava, S., Machackova, H., & Dedkova, L. (2021). Cyberostracism: Emotional and behavioral consequences in social media interactions. Comunicar, 29(67). https://doi.org/10.3916/C67-2021-01
Pre-registered studies
- Jaron Bedrosova, M., Muzik, M., & Machackova, H. (2025). Self-uncertainty, group norms, and bystanders’ attitudes toward cyberhate in online news. https://osf.io/cqhj2/overview
- Mužík, M., Machackova, H., & Jaron Bedrosova, M. (2025). "They Just Don't Give Us Enough Credit." How Online Comments Induce National Narcissism. osf.io/nq75p
- Jaron Bedrosova, M., Kvardova, N., Machackova, H., & Matthes, J. (2024). Cyberhate that targets people who are plus-size in the news: Online experiment on bystanders’ assessments and behavioural intentions. https://osf.io/yuhg3/overview
- Kvardova, N., Bedrosova, M., & Machackova, H. (2022). Blaming the victim of the weight-based cyberaggression: The SIDE model perspective. https://osf.io/fecn9
- Hálová, T., Macháčková, H., & Kvardová, N. (2025, June 27). The Effect of Communication Modalities and Self-Disclosure on Perceived Anonymity of Others Online. Retrieved from osf.io/ga8e2
- Shukla, S., Čeněk, J., Vojtěchovská, M., Šašinka, Č., Macháčková, H. (2024). Media Multitasking and Positive vs. Negative Message Framing in Prosocial Engagement: The Moderating Role of Online Prosocial Orientation.
- Shukla, S., Čeněk, J., Vojtěchovská, M., Šašinka, Č., Macháčková, H. (Oct 2, 2024). Task Priority and Online Behavior: Examining Engagement with Anti-Social Media Posts in Media Multitasking Scenarios. https://osf.io/skmjy/
- Švestková, A., Čeněk, J., Vojtěchovská, M., Šašinka, Č., Macháčková, H. (Oct 2, 2024). How do we choose physicians online? Experimental study. https://osf.io/cxra6/
Studies in preparation
- H. Machackova: Contextual factors affecting assessment of online peer aggression
- E. Dufkova: The perception of cyberaggression in adolescence: An eye-tracking study
- N. Kvardova & H. Machackova (2026): Ambivalent messaging within body positivity social media content and self-perceived effects on body image
- F. Kyslik: Players' cognitive fatigue development during prolonged video game sessions