Overview of Media Psychology as a framework with roots in Positive Psychology. Using media to make a difference by linking research with practice.

1. STUDYING MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY AT FIELDING
WHAT IS IT AND HOW IT WILL HELP YOU
PRUTLEDGE@FIELDING.EDU
Twitter: @pamelarutledge
Linkedin.com/in/pamelarutledge
www.pamelarutledge.com
Dr. Pamela Rutledge

2. (USELESS) DEFINITION
Media psychology applies
psychological science to the
use, development, distribution and
research of mediated communication
and technology

3. STUDYING MEDIA
PSYCHOLOGY WON’T
TURN YOU INTO A
ROCK STAR
BUT IT WILL CHANGE
YOUR LIFE

4. IT GIVES YOU THE TOOLS TO
MAKE A DIFFERENCE

5. TECHNOLOGY IS
EVERWHERE
IT’S POWERFUL
AND IT’S NOT
GOING AWAY

6. HOW WILL YOU WRITE
YOUR STORY?

7. Faculty, Fielding since 2008
• PSY777 Positive Psychology & Media
• PSY533 Foundations of Media Psychology
• MSC566 Brand Psychology & Social Storytelling
• MSC568 Audience Engagement
• Lead Faculty Brand Psychology Certificate and Concentration
• Lead Faculty Positive Psychology Concentration
Areas of expertise:
• Positive psychology applied to media
• The psychology of storytelling/narrative impact
• Decoding consumer behavior
Other stuff:
• Director, Media Psychology Research Center
• Blogger Psychology Today
• Consultant, Author, Speaker
• MBA, Drucker School
• Mom, wife, Eddie Izzard fan
Best dog ever
MY STORY

8. • .
STUFF I DO

9. Goal for Today: One New Idea
MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY:
GETS TO THE WHY

10. HARNESSES THE
ENERGY OF CHANGE

11. BEHAVIORS ARE CHANGING
77% USE
MULTIPLE
SCREENS
75% USE
YOUTUBE
43% WATCH TV
ONLINE

12. DIGITAL NATIVES TAKE OVER
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
2014 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Millennials
Everyone Older

13. DIGITAL CULTURE: A
NEW WORLDVIEW

14. 24/7 CONNECTIVITY
NO HIERARCHIES
PEER-TO-PEER CONNECTONS
CONTENT CURATED
NO FEEDBACK
INFORMATION FLOWS ONE WAY
FROM ONE-TO-MANY TO MANY-TO-MANY

15. EXPECTATIONS SHIFT:
WE LIVE IN A NEW NORMAL
>> Privacy
>> Sharing
>> The use of images
>> Voice
>> Feedback
>> Response time
>> Authenticity
>> Transparency
>> New language & symbols

16. MOBILE
ON-
DEMAND
INFORMATION
24/7CONNECTIVITY

17. 7.2B DOWNLOADS
WORLDWIDE IN
Q1/16
62% for social connection:
WhatsApp
Messenger
Facebook
Piano Tiles 2
Instagram
SnapChat
Candy Crush Jelly Saga

18. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?
Opportunities are everywhere when you show what
media psychology can do

19. START WITH YOUR BIAS:
HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT TECHNOLOGY?

20. >> Less Empathy
>> Depression
>> FOMO
>> Social isolation
>> Addicted to social media
>> Addicted to games
>> Narcissists
>> Low self-esteem
>> Information overload
RESEARCH OR BIAS?

21. SOCRATES: THE
ORIGINAL
TECHNOPHOBE
... this discovery of yours
[writing] will create
forgetfulness in the learners’
souls, because they will not
use their memories...

22. LITTLE HAS
CHANGED

23. BIOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE FOR
SURIVIVAL
ALWAYS SUSPICIOUS OF NEW
STUFF
THE TROUBLE LIES IN
THE BRAIN
MAKES DECISIONS BASED ON
“INSTINCT”

24. LET’S TAKE A
SELFIE

25. SHARED EXPERIENCE
MULTI-SENSORY MEMORY TRIGGER
AUTHENTIC AND PERSONAL
SOCIAL DECAY OR

26. INFORMATION RICH
MESSAGING
• Empowerment
• Social connection
• Identity exploration
• Authenticity
• Normalizing
• Social validation
• Personal
• Presence - mirror
neurons
• Mindfulness
• Gratitude
• Humor

27. Positive Psychology
Linking Research with Practice

28. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY:
NURTURING WHAT IS
BEST
Positive psychology is the
scientific study of what goes
right in life, from birth to death
and at all stops in between

29. POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
AS A LENS

30. WHAT’S LOST VS. WHAT’S GAINED
Applying positive psychology to media

31. WHERE DOES REALITY
FALL SHORT?
• Asking what’s missing misses
the upside
• How can technology meet
fundamental human goals?
• Social connection
• Mastery
• Competence
• Positive emotion
• Meaning & purpose

32. AUTONOMY
MASTERY
RELATEDNESS
SELF-EFFICACY ENGAGEMENT
COMPETENCE
OPTIMISMRESILIENCE
PURPOSE
AGENCY
THE UPWARD SPIRAL OF POSITIVE EMOTIONS

36. EDU-ENTERTAINMENT
FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

37. APPS FOR GRATITUDE

38. TECHNOLOGY FOR
MOTIVATION AND
SELF-EFFICACY

40. MY CURRENT PROJECTS:
PSYCHOLOGY OF TRANSMEDIA

41. Tension
Release
Narrative
Channel
Boredom
Anxiety
NARRATIVE
EXIT POINTS
NARRATIVE
CHANNEL

42. COMMUNICATION STRATEGY:
PLATFORM/CONTENT ALIGNMENT

43. Dr. Pamela Rutledge
PHD, MA AND CERTIFICATES IN MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY
prutledge@fielding.edu
THANK YOU