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Ritika C

@ritikac.bsky.social
64 followers 94 following 45 posts

phd student @ucl @wellcometrust in mental health science. trauma researcher, ex-clinician. promote marginalised voices. been told I've got no chill. cat person. 💻: ritika-chokhani.github.io

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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
academia rarely recognizes this kind of love and community oriented pedagogical practice as a form of scholarship
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Gregory Kohn @kohngregory.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
In the wake of Arday's death, Nathan Cofnas (who led the X mob against him) states his motivation. Beyond whistleblowing, he states that after a 'revolution' removes professors like Arday, it will open opportunities for him to become 'head of the department of eugenics and race science at Harvard'.
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Elon Musk, owner of X, has called the editor of the Economist "a traitor to the West, plain and simple" after her recent interview with him. He now argues that "anyone who opposes remigration is a traitor" Musk has been socialising violence since Aug25: "fight or die, that's what it comes down to"
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Lena Struwe @drgentian.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
"Hence our dismal conclusion: rather than finding that LLMs free us to do a better job of what we were doing before they came along, they shift scientific incentives (and the playing field of academic competition) in ways that compel us to do more and more, faster and faster, less and less well."
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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 12/06/2026
one of the most comprehensive surveys on children’s use of AI--conducted March 18-26, 2026, among 9-17yr olds in the US (N = 1,204)--has been released www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/defaul... highlighting key findings 🧵 "Nearly 9 in 10 kids age 9 to 17 (86%) use/interact with AI"
Nearly 9 in 10 kids age 9 to 17 (86%) use or interact
with AI, including about one in four (24%) who do so
on a daily basis.
Teens use AI more often, but use is widespread even among younger
adolescents, with 81% of 9- to 12-year-olds, 89% of 13- to 15-year-olds, and
92% of 16- to 17-year-olds saying they use or interact with AI. Nearly 3 in 10
teens (29% of 13- to 17-year-olds) and 17% of 9- to 12-year-olds use AI daily.
AI-generated summaries in search engine results are the most widely used
form of AI among 9- to 17-year-olds, with 75% having used or interacted with
them. Just over two-thirds (67%) have used AI chatbots, including 58% of 9- to
12-year-olds, 71% of 13- to 15-year-olds, and 77% of 16- to 17-year-olds.
However, when kids are asked which AI they use most often, ChatGPT is by far
the most frequently mentioned (by 40% of all 9- to 17-year-olds), followed by
Google’s AI offerings, including Gemini, AI summaries, or other Google AI
tools (24%).
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
New preprint from my PhD! We ask whether experiencing complex trauma in early childhood (ages 5 and 7) is associated with "social thinning" (a reduction in various objective and subjective measures of social functioning) in adolescence. Link here: osf.io/preprints/ps... (1/n) All feedback welcome!
osf.io
OSF
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Eiko Fried @eikofried.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
100% worth your 63 seconds if you have my reading speed. sinceyouarrived.world/taken
sinceyouarrived.world
taken.
A web page that tells you what your browser gave away the moment you arrived. No login, no form, no permission. Most pages do this. None of them tell you.
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Molly McKew @mollymckew.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
This plan is absolute madness. Building a data center that is SIXTY SQUARE MILES in mountain west drought land which on paper will raise the temperature of the entire area by 5-12 DEGREES F is mental Unless the reality show is to create an American Aral Sea www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
‘Irresponsible’: backlash as Utah approves datacenter twice the size of Manhattan
Facility would require more power than entire state uses and suck up vast amount of water in drought-stricken area
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Alex Lloyd @dralexlloyd.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
📢 New Research Assistant opportunity at UCL! I’m excited to share a new 18-month Research Assistant opportunity in the Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology at UCL to work on a new project exploring social media, decision-making, and adolescent mental health.
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Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 15/04/2026
📢 We’re looking for a writer to join our team at Our World in Data! What we’re looking for is quite unique: someone who writes excellent narrative articles on large global problems, finds memorable framings to make hard ideas easier to understand, while being genuinely obsessed w/ technical details
ourworldindata.org
We’re looking for a writer
We’re hiring a writer who can make the world’s largest problems understandable to our large Our World in Data audience.
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Eric Shuman @ericmshuman.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Are you an planning on appyiyng for a PhD in psychology in the fall? Want to learn more about the application process and what programs are looking for? Come to our info session!
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Mariko Bennett @nachoriko.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
I defended my PhD 10 years ago today. That was the least remarkable thing that happened that day. Sharing something I wrote about it last year. Since then "the horrors persist but so do we." And with dignity.
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
Libby did a great job here and even managed to get out my love for fantasy!
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Excited to share 1st study of my PhD now published: scoping review of candidate mechanisms for the neurocognitive social-transactional model - the idea that interpersonal trauma in childhood can change how we think/feel/act in relationships, which in turn could affect mental health. Links below 1/5
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Becca Lacey @rebeccalacey.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
I'm currently hiring for a PhD studentship based at City St George's, University of London as part of @equalise.bsky.social 'Family and environmental influences on children's home learning, and inequalities in education and mental health outcomes' Apply here: www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/prospective-...
citystgeorges.ac.uk
Postgraduate research degrees | City St George's, University of London
City St George's, University of London offers a variety of research degrees and has supported pioneering research for more than a century.
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Laurel Joy Gabard-Durnam @laurelgd.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Apologies, here is the right link to apply for postdoc positions in the lab: forms.gle/Hb8rS9hD3BV7... Please repost to help us spread the word!
forms.gle
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Such an important topic!
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
I wrote a blog on applying for UK PhD programs, particularly based on my experience applying as an international student. I also link to other great resources I've found - do share if you think it might be helpful for someone :)
ritika-chokhani.github.io
10 considerations for applying to UK PhD programs | Ritika Chokhani
I provide some tips on applying for doctoral programs in the UK, based on my personal experience as an international student
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Alex Lloyd @dralexlloyd.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
⚠️ Job Alert ⚠️ I'm recruiting a postdoc to work with me and Professor @jonroiser.bsky.social on an exciting new project examining the link between young people's decision-making on social media and their mental health.
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Mark A. Hanson @hansonmark.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
We wrote the Strain on scientific publishing to highlight the problems of time & trust. With a fantastic group of co-authors, we present The Drain of Scientific Publishing: a 🧵 1/n Drain: arxiv.org/abs/2511.04820 Strain: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/... Oligopoly: direct.mit.edu/qss/article/...
A table showing profit margins of major publishers. A snippet of text related to this table is below.

1. The four-fold drain
1.1 Money
Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for
whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who
created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis,
which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024
alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit
margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher
(Elsevier) always over 37%.
Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most
consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial
difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor &
Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American
researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The
Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3
billion in that year.A figure detailing the drain on researcher time.

1. The four-fold drain

1.2 Time
The number of papers published each year is growing faster than the scientific workforce,
with the number of papers per researcher almost doubling between 1996 and 2022 (Figure
1A). This reflects the fact that publishers’ commercial desire to publish (sell) more material
has aligned well with the competitive prestige culture in which publications help secure jobs,
grants, promotions, and awards. To the extent that this growth is driven by a pressure for
profit, rather than scholarly imperatives, it distorts the way researchers spend their time.
The publishing system depends on unpaid reviewer labour, estimated to be over 130 million
unpaid hours annually in 2020 alone (9). Researchers have complained about the demands of
peer-review for decades, but the scale of the problem is now worse, with editors reporting
widespread difficulties recruiting reviewers. The growth in publications involves not only the
authors’ time, but that of academic editors and reviewers who are dealing with so many
review demands.
Even more seriously, the imperative to produce ever more articles reshapes the nature of
scientific inquiry. Evidence across multiple fields shows that more papers result in
‘ossification’, not new ideas (10). It may seem paradoxical that more papers can slow
progress until one considers how it affects researchers’ time. While rewards remain tied to
volume, prestige, and impact of publications, researchers will be nudged away from riskier,
local, interdisciplinary, and long-term work. The result is a treadmill of constant activity with
limited progress whereas core scholarly practices – such as reading, reflecting and engaging
with others’ contributions – is de-prioritized. What looks like productivity often masks
intellectual exhaustion built on a demoralizing, narrowing scientific vision.A table of profit margins across industries. The section of text related to this table is below:

1. The four-fold drain
1.1 Money
Currently, academic publishing is dominated by profit-oriented, multinational companies for
whom scientific knowledge is a commodity to be sold back to the academic community who
created it. The dominant four are Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and Taylor & Francis,
which collectively generated over US$7.1 billion in revenue from journal publishing in 2024
alone, and over US$12 billion in profits between 2019 and 2024 (Table 1A). Their profit
margins have always been over 30% in the last five years, and for the largest publisher
(Elsevier) always over 37%.
Against many comparators, across many sectors, scientific publishing is one of the most
consistently profitable industries (Table S1). These financial arrangements make a substantial
difference to science budgets. In 2024, 46% of Elsevier revenues and 53% of Taylor &
Francis revenues were generated in North America, meaning that North American
researchers were charged over US$2.27 billion by just two for-profit publishers. The
Canadian research councils and the US National Science Foundation were allocated US$9.3
billion in that year.The costs of inaction are plain: wasted public funds, lost researcher time, compromised
scientific integrity and eroded public trust. Today, the system rewards commercial publishers
first, and science second. Without bold action from the funders we risk continuing to pour
resources into a system that prioritizes profit over the advancement of scientific knowledge.
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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 22/12/2025
also, i'm looking for a phd student to join our team at the @aial.ie bsky.app/profile/abeb...
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Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
This is not the first time RFK Jr or his fellow anti-vax travelers conducted a study they knew would harm or kill children in low-income countries. It is a dehumanizing, colonialist model of manufacturing evidence: sacrificing foreign kids for political pseudoscience. www.notus.org/health-scien...
notus.org
CDC to Fund Controversial Study in West Africa on Infant Hepatitis B Vaccines
The study prompted swift outcry from scientists in the U.S. who say it’s “unethical.”
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Dr. Casey Fiesler @cfiesler.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Let me tell you a story. Perhaps you can guess where this is going... though it does have a bit of a twist. I was poking around Google Scholar for publications about the relationship between chatbots and wellness. Oh how useful: a systematic literature review! Let's dig into the findings. 🧵
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being
Felix Eling
3697-3705
Apr 30, 2025
 Education
The Psychological Impact of Digital Isolation: How AI-Driven Social Interactions Shape Human Behavior and Mental Well-Being

Felix Eling

Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Gulu College of Health Sciences, Gulu City, Northern Uganda

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90400265

Received: 13 March 2025; Revised: 22 March 2025; Accepted: 25 March 2025; Published: 30 April 2025

ABSTRACT
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in social interactions has transformed how humans experience companionship, communication, and mental well-being. This review examines the psychological impact of AI-driven social interactions, focusing on virtual assistants, AI chatbots, and digital companions. It explores the benefits, risks, and ethical concerns associated with AI companionship. A systematic review methodology was employed, detailing inclusion criteria, databases searched, and analysis techniques. Findings suggest that while AI can offer emotional relief and support, over-reliance may disrupt real-world social bonding. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, emotional manipulation, and regulatory gaps are highlighted. The study underscores the need for balanced AI integration in human socialization. The study also addresses gaps in previous literature by examining AI’s influence on different demographic groups and cultural contexts.
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Hilarious thread
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Ritika C @ritikac.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
V excited to have 1st study from my PhD out as a preprint. We looked at whether interpersonal adversity in childhood is associated with changes in trust, mentalizing, agency and interpersonal emotion regulation and in turn, with mental health. All feedback much appreciated :) osf.io/preprints/ps...
osf.io
OSF
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Dr Abeba Birhane @abeba.blacksky.app · 25/11/2025
and all of the arguments we made 5 yrs ago in this paper about why the idea of robot rights relies on faulty assumptions about the nature of human cognition and intelligence still hold Robot Rights?: Let's Talk about Human Welfare Instead dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1...
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Sarah Garfinkel @sarahgarf.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
** Recruiting a postdoc ** We are looking for a postdoc to work on emotion, mental health, and interoception, based in London at @ucl.ac.uk in my lab (Clinical and Affective Neuroscience). Part of a large Wellcome Grant (co-led with the brilliant @camillanord.bsky.social)
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Jacques Wels @jacqueswels.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
6 days to go to apply to 2 postdoc positions (3-year and 2-year) at @ucl.ac.uk with @pravpatalay.bsky.social! For all those interested in employment<->health, trade unions & longitudinal methods. Feel free to share. www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPB406/r...
jobs.ac.uk
Research Fellow (x2 posts) at UCL
Apply for the Research Fellow (x2 posts) role on jobs.ac.uk, the top job board for academic positions in higher education. View details and apply now.
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
Here this all is as a story. The Conservatives said they would provide clarity, but they have not as yet. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Deporting legally settled people is ‘broadly in line’ with Tory policy, says Badenoch’s office
Conservative leader’s spokesperson sets out plan to strip the right of indefinite leave to remain from people claiming benefits
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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Katie Lam has made a video - focusing on not giving new ILR grants to people who don't have it But quietly including the Conservative proposal to be the first government since Idi Amin in 1972 to revoke the permanent leave to remain, then expel: she underplays to what extent x.com/Katie_Lam_MP...
x.com
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Sacha Epskamp @sachaepskamp.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Please share! There are still spots available for my 3-day workshop on psychometric network modeling of longitudinal data in Singapore Dec 11 - 13! fass.nus.edu.sg/psy/network-... The workshop can be combined with a workshop Dec 8 - 10 on Foundations, Theory, and Cross-sectional Data Analysis!
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Laurel Joy Gabard-Durnam @laurelgd.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
I continue to believe sharing example materials is useful in academia, so in that spirit, my tenure statements and CV are now available on our Resources for Researchers website (bottom of the New PI page: www.plasticityinneurodevelopmentlab.com/resourcesfor...)
plasticityinneurodevelopmentlab.com
New PI Resources — Plasticity in Neurodevelopment Lab
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Siri Leknes @sirileknes.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
Please RT 2 new positions in the lab as postdoc & PhD! Interested in stress, pain, or reward? This project has it all! We are a friendly but ambitious group. Oslo is a capital city on the fjord & bordered by forest, great urban & outdoors opportunities: 💃 ⛷️ 🚣 🎭 🎶 www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
jobbnorge.no
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (286516) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (286516), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
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Jenny Fielder @jfielder.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
Really excited that my first PhD paper is now out in @elife.bsky.social: Sense of control buffers against stress. This has been a great team effort with Jinyu Shi, Dan McGlade, @docqhuys.bsky.social and Niko Steinbeis, comprising two studies and a total of N=768! Summary thread below 🧵⬇️
doi.org
Sense of control buffers against stress
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