About
Darren is a Chartered Health Psychologist with a PhD in Cognitive Science. His expertise spans cognitive science, complex systems theory, and mathematical modelling as tools for understanding complex psychological and social systems. His research integrates functional contextualism, evolutionary psychology, and quantum cognitive models to explore the nature of consciousness and intelligence, with particular relevance to the AI alignment problem and the emergence of artificial general intelligence (AGI)—a major societal and public health challenge.
At Swansea University, Darren’s work bridges theory-driven modelling and applied health research. His academic interests also include psychophysiology (interoception and vagal functioning), categorisation models of cognition, data visualisation, and psychological therapies—especially acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). He leads multidisciplinary projects using AI to identify predictors of ill health and wellbeing and to inform early interventions, with the aim of improving outcomes while reducing cost pressures in health and social care systems, including the NHS. He has also developed policy briefs for Welsh Government and in collaboration with the NHS at the intersection of health and AI.
Alongside this applied research, Darren develops evolutionary game-theoretic and quantum-informed accounts of prosocial behaviour models, examining how morality, empathy, trust, and social norms can emerge and stabilise in human groups as well as artificial life.
Darren created ACTing Minds, an ACT-based computer game, and regularly writes for wider audiences, including blogging for Psychology Today. He has edited several books, including The Textbook of Health and Social Care (SAGE), Broadening the Scope of Wellbeing Science (Springer), Visualization Psychology (Springer), and The Observer-Centric Universe, Quantum Mechanics and the Path to AGI Alignment (Springer).