Prof Anna Cox talks to Dr David Ellis, a psychologist with a keen interest in technology and the data it produces. We talk about how he owes his career to his mum who first suggested that he study psychology at university, how a curiosity to play around with technology lies behind much of his research and the methods that he uses, and the competing demands of academic life. We also touch on his frustration with the reluctance of some psychologists to embrace technology to help answer important questions about the impact of smartphones on our health and wellbeing, and explore the importance of thinking carefully about what data we collect as scientists: the challenge of giving participants control over what they contribute is not straightforward when seemingly innocuous data can hold some surprisingly personal and unforeseen insights about what people are really up to.

Dr David Ellis is an Associate Professor in Information Systems at the University of Bath. His work considers the data that digital technologies collect and how the resulting information can provide insights about individuals and their behaviour, and the impact this technology has on people and society more broadly.

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Music credit: ScottHolmesMusic.com

Producer: Clare Casson