Claire Shields
Environmental Cyberpsychologist
I’m a UK-based researcher exploring how digital technologies — especially generative AI — shape perceptions of environmental impact. My work examines why tools like ChatGPT feel ‘clean’ or immaterial, and how this psychological distance affects behaviour and attitudes toward sustainability.
Research Focus
My current focus is on the overlooked environmental cost of AI and digital life — from data centre emissions to e-waste — and why these impacts are often cognitively minimised or ignored.
Key themes include:
- Psychological distance and digital environmental harm
- Moral disengagement and green identity in digital behaviour
- Communication and framing of AI’s ecological footprint
I’m interested in how people justify or overlook the environmental consequences of everyday digital actions, and what this means for meaningful behaviour change.
About Me
I’m currently completing an MSc in Psychology, with a background in Computer Science and experience leading digital learning projects across higher education.
My work bridges the gap between technology and human cognition, using research to inform better design, education, and ethical AI integration.
Claire Shields 