Research Mission
My research is driven by the question of how digital media influences adolescent development. By integrating neuroscience, psychology, and communication, I seek to uncover both the risks of problematic media use and the opportunities for digital tools to support healthy outcomes.
KYLIE WOODMAN
FALCIONE
RESEARCH UPDATES
ACADEMIC PATH
My Journey
Communication PhD Candidate
Expected Graduation June 2026 | University of California Santa Barbara
I am completing her doctoral degree in Communication at UCSB, where my dissertation examines the reward structures in video games that contribute to their addictive potential.
MA Communication
2023 | University of California Santa Barbara
My master’s research focused on longitudinal risk factors for gaming disorder, integrating self-report measures and neuroimaging data to triangulate predictors of vulnerability among adolescents.
BS Psychology | BA Communication
2019 | University of Alabama, Birmingham
As an undergraduate, I worked with Dr. Christina Rodriguez on research examining empathy in children and parents and was mentored by Dr. Timothy Levine on persuasion and communication.
EXPERTISE
Core Competencies
Analytical Skills
Research Methods
Public Speaking
Teaching
