Pre-Conference Half-Day Workshops

The use of virtual reality (VR) is rapidly gaining traction as an innovative tool for emotional regulation and the treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Introducing technology into the practice of psychotherapy requires specialised training, and therapists need to master several key concepts to maximise the benefits of VR. 

This workshop is designed for professionals familiar with cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) for anxiety-related disorders in adults and minors. As such, clinical information about CBT and anxiety disorders will be briefly covered. The primary focus will be on providing hands-on, live demonstrations of VR applications within CBT treatment. The presentation will highlight critical distinctions between effective and counterproductive therapeutic strategies. Clinical examples will be provided to illustrate these concepts in practice. 

The first demonstration will showcase VR´s role in the treatment of OCD, as it provides several practical examples that generalise well to phobias. The second illustration addresses social anxiety disorders, where the integration of VR could require more skills. Additionally, the workshop will cover the integration of VR in the CBT of selective mutism. The conclusion will discuss the relative importance of the feeling of presence in VR applied in therapy and the management of potential unwanted negative side effects induced by immersion in VR (e.g., cybersickness). 

By the end of the workshop, participants will have gained practical skills, increased confidence, and a deeper understanding of how to effectively integrate VR into their therapeutic practice to enhance treatment outcomes. The three workshop leaders have extensive research and clinical experience on the topic with clinical contributions to the development and validation of virtual environments for anxiety disorders and OCD.

The intersection of cybersecurity and human behaviour presents a unique opportunity to enhance cyber defence strategies through multi-disciplinary research - the systematic collection, management, and sharing of high-quality datasets is a crucial first step. As cyber threats evolve, interdisciplinary research integrating psychological, behavioural, and computational approaches is critical. However, progress on research combining human sciences and cyber security is often hindered by fragmented, inconsistent, or inaccessible data. This workshop addresses these challenges by presenting new publicly available cyber+human data, that facilitates collaboration across cybersecurity, psychology, and human factors research communities.

Recognising the role of federally funded research in driving innovation, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has emphasised the importance of increasing public access to scholarly publications and digitally recorded research data. The ODNI’s commitment to scientific exchange, innovation, and commercialisation provides a critical foundation for efforts to improve cybersecurity data accessibility, while safeguarding national security interests. Our approach aligns with this vision, presenting data from over 20 different human subject research experiments focused on understanding decision-making in cyber-attack behaviour.

Data sharing remains a challenge in cybersecurity research, in general. Kouper & Stone (2024) found that 58% of cybersecurity datasets and 89% of analytical tools remain unavailable, limiting scientific collaboration and slowing technological progress. Despite this, studies show that publicly shared data leads to greater scientific impact (Zheng et al., 2018). Human focused cyber data is even rarer.  Performers from the Reimagining Security with Cyberpsychology-Informed Network Defenses (ReSCIND) program will present the research designs, findings, and data funded under this program (https://www.iarpa.gov/research-programs/rescind).

The implications of improved data availability and curation extend beyond academia to government, industry, and public policy. A well-maintained cyber+human dataset repository would enable real-time threat intelligence, support AI-driven adaptive cyber defenses, and facilitate psychological research. Furthermore, by promoting open and ethical data-sharing practices, this initiative aligns with the ODNI’s broader goal of enhancing innovation, strengthening cybersecurity, and accelerating scientific breakthroughs.

As cyber threats grow in complexity, the need for curated, high-quality, and accessible data is more pressing than ever. A multi-disciplinary approach is necessary because the cyber domain combines human cognition, human behaviour, and technology. By addressing long-standing challenges in cybersecurity data accessibility, combined with addressing the gap in a much-needed human focus, this work lays the foundation for a more resilient, adaptive, and human-centered approach to cybersecurity.