Dr Alexandra Seddon

Alex is currently lecturing on Psychology courses associated with Cognitive and Biological Psychology, Mental Health and Well-being, Research Methods, Health Psychology and working as a personal tutor. Alex’s current research is focused on the associations between media multitasking ability and executive functioning, with future research interests in well-being and technology use. Prior to Alex’s current role, Alex undertook a post-doctoral research project evaluating the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)Senior Employment Advisor/ Employment Advisor training courses, working with the LJMU Nursing and Allied Health IAPT team and the Work and Health Unit (a cross-governmental unit sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Department for Health and Social care) .

Alex Seddon’s PhD looked at: Media multitasking and executive functioning in young adults


Project overview:
Media-multitasking is the concurrent consumption of media through multiple streams .It is a behaviour that is most widespread amongst young adults and has been associated with biases in cognitive processes known as executive functions. The initial aim of the project was to determine the relationship between self-reported frequency of media-multitasking and executive functions. This first study has been completed and the following results were found. There were no relationships between self-report media-multitasking and individuals executive function ability. However, individuals’ trait anxiety was associated with frequency of self-reported media-multitasking, with increased frequency associated with higher levels of anxiety. The second aim of the project will examine which executive functions are the best predictors of media-multitasking performance measured in the lab. The second aim of the project is currently ongoing. Finally, the latter stage of the project aims to test (using an experimental approach) whether prolonged media-multitasking fatigues executive functions (relative to serial engagement with different media). The overall findings from this project will elucidate the cognitive processes involved in media-multitasking, furthering our theoretical understanding.

Degrees

2019, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, PhD
2015, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, Health Psychology M.Sc
2011, Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom, Applied Psychology B.Sc (hons)

Academic appointments

Lecturer, Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2019 - present
Postdoctoral Research Assistant, School of Nursing and Allied Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2019 - 2019
Teaching Support Officer, Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2016 - 2018
Clinical/Clerical Research Assistant, Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, 2015 - 2015