Chapter 1

Chapter Summary

Chapter one addresses two main areas. The first is “What is media?” and the second is “What is media psychology?” These two questions set up a foundation for the rest of the material in the book. It introduces the concepts of media effects, media processes, and media literacy which are common topics tackled in courses of this type. Included are some examples from the history of media, with an emphasis on how media has changed through the years. In like manner, there are some essential aspects of the history of media psychology described.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 2

Chapter Summary

Chapter Summary: Chapter two covers the main theories that are explored in the area of media psychology. While this is a long list, there are a few theories not tackled in this chapter because they are better addressed in one of the targeted subject area chapters. For example, behaviorism is not included here but is included in the chapter on advertising. Psychoanalytic theory is not included here but is discussed in both the chapters on audiences (chapter 9) and the chapter on the social nature of media (chapter 12).

Below each of the theories listed is defined. If you need further help understanding the theory, go to YouTube and do a search on that theory name. Almost every one of these will yield multiple videos, most of them quite good.

Flashcards

Chapter 3

Chapter Summary

The purpose of chapter three is to introduce readers to the types of research methods associated with the social sciences. Communication, Psychology, and Media Psychology are all considered fields within social science and academic study within these fields share two of the most common research methods. Quantitative research ‘quantifies’ data through numbers or numerical values, while qualitative research examines non-numerical to examine feelings, opinions or experiences. Research can incorporate both types of research by using what is called a ‘mixed-method’ approach. Regardless of the type of research method used, it is imperative that all research and researchers follow standard ethical guidelines.

The application of communication and psychology to the way we interact with media and technology has produced the need for research in the field of media psychology. It all begins with asking questions. Using the right research method provides verifiable answers to these questions. Answering questions through empirical research provides a strong foundation for other social science researchers, maybe even you, to build upon.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 4

Chapter Summary

This chapter explores some of the ways media positively influences us and our behavior. Positive media psychology is a relatively new field of study, which examines our relationship with media and our accountability for the choices we make because of viewing or using media. Media is a powerful influencer and our interaction with it can affect our moral judgment, cognitive processing, prosocial behavior, awareness of social issues, and even our health and well-being.

The study of legacy media (i.e., radio, television, newspapers, etc.) effects on our prosocial behavior has been conducted since the late 20th century; however, in the 21st century, research has shifted to digital media effects on prosocial behavior. A great example of this is the Prosocial Behaviors in the Digital Age project undertaken by the Cornell Center for Social Services. According to their website (https://socialsciences.cornell.edu/prosocial-behaviors-digital-age), the project has generated millions of dollars in grant funding and resulted in almost 100 publications.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 5

Chapter Summary

This chapter works together with chapter six to discuss the concepts surrounding social justice and the media. Prejudices and discrimination begin and end with all of us. We may find ourselves avoiding people who are different in some way than we are, yet it is our differences that make us who we are. Although many of our differences, such as age, gender, or physical ability are illustrated through negative stereotypes online and in the media, they do not completely define who we are and what we can learn from each other. A great example of this is inspirational speaker Nick Vujicic (https://nickvujicic.com), who was born without arms or legs.

Human rights and social justice have been increasingly in the media and public spotlight. The Human Rights Watch (website below) issues an annual World Report where users can access the human rights report card for any country. The events or issues are listed for and may be clicked on to reveal more detailed information. For example, if you were to look up France you would see that in October 2020, the “European Commission flagged that the efficiency of civil justice has deteriorated in recent years and that France adheres to media pluralism and independence, despite a surge of online and offline threats against journalists” (para. 2).

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 6

Chapter Summary

This chapter continues discussion of social justice and the media by looking at race, ethnicity, and religion. These topics are in the forefront of our society and our media. The way racial, ethnic, and religious groups are represented and depicted in the media has a direct effect on how we view these groups and how we view ourselves. It is also how stereotypes and stereotypical characters are created and cultivated. A great example of this is the stereotype of Arabs or Middle Eastern men portrayed in media as villains, oil sheikhs (princes), or riding off into the desert sunset on the back of a camel.

The term BAME, which stands for Black, Asian, or minority ethnic, has long been used in sports to describe non-white players (Davies, 2020). Throughout the years, especially in the sport of football (soccer), BAME players underrepresent the racial and ethnic diversity of their fans and have had to deal with extreme criticism, disrespect, and overt displays of racism. Fan interaction with social media has only intensified the problem. On the heels of an explosive interview with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge about racism within the British Royal Family, England’s narrow loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 football (soccer) championship, watched on television by 35 million fans, resulted in racial harassment and abusive tweets and posts against the 19-year-old Black player who failed to score the winning goal and two of his Black teammates. Although relatively silent on his family’s controversy, ‘president of England’s Football Association,’ Prince William used Twitter to denounce social media users racial. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram responded by removing over 1,000 tweets, posts, and user accounts.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 7

Chapter Summary

This chapter acquaints readers with how concepts and theories from consumer psychology and media psychology are demonstrated in the current marketing, advertising, and branding media landscape. In addition, this chapter discusses persuasion principles applied to mediated appeals. Beginning with a Freudian overview that characterized consumer goods as fulfilling basic human desires, advertising transitioned to a more scientific pursuit under John B. Watson and Ernest Dichter. This wave of persuading buyers has been referred to as deficit marketing because advertisers tended to accentuate the inadequacies of consumers and then explained how their products would fill the void. Deficit marketing is still widely utilized today.

Social cognitive theory (SCT) provides another foundation for understanding persuasive messages. Viewing mediated models interact with a product imparts identity and motivational cues to consumers. More recently, advertisers employing SCT have reversed course and chosen to construct ads that show consumers with agency and knowledge aligning with their products. This has been referred to as empowerment marketing. Narrative is a pillar of any persuasive appeal. It follows that advertisers fluctuate between portraying the product or the consumer as the hero of story in their ads. Humans are wired for story. That is, we process information consciously and subconsciously in a story framework. Savvy companies select branding strategies that are socially relevant, consistent, and convey an engaging story the consumer is invited to identify with.

Further outlining the media persuasion outlook, this chapter explores the emergence and popularity of product placement, celebrity endorsements, and social media influncers. Mediated influence typically travels a central or peripheral route of persuasion. The central route encourages cognitive unpacking of logical messages of an appeal, while the peripheral route pervades consumer consciousness with as little elaboration as possible. In addition, the persuasion principles of Robert Cialdini are examined in reference to how advertising, marketing, and branding appeals succeed or fail.

Finally, this chapter showcases the insights companies use from the growing neuromarketing field. Consumers often make buying decisions unaware of subconscious interactions with ads. Neuromarketers design campaigns that primarily appeal to oldest and most commanding region of the brain. In addition, companies such as Amazon use carefully constructed buyer personas, artificial intelligence, and computer learning to map out consumer experiences from beginning to end. This chapter will offer insights into what the future of advertising and persuasive appeals might look like.

Flashcards

Chapter 8

Chapter Summary

Chapter eight looks at multiple ways information can be used to manipulate or misinform the public. From the earliest uses of propaganda to today’s current digital landscape, examples are provided to illustrate how media context and content may be used to alter human behavior. Online deception, especially fake news and deepfake videos, use emotion and relevance to induce social media and internet users to create and spread incorrect and sometimes inflammatory viral content.

Rapid changes in communication and media technology, especially recent years, has resulted in changing the ways we use and interact with media. While the majority of users interact with media in a positive way, we need to be aware of the various ways media and technology are used in negative ways. Monitor changes in communication and media technology. Understand the power of your digital footprint, or the information available about your online activity. Protect your personal information through adjusting privacy settings in the applications you use.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 9

Chapter Summary

The study of audiences begins with a question about what exactly the nature of an audience is. There is a sense in which we are all members of an audience but are also all creators of content. Figuring out our various roles in this context is a challenge.

This chapter explores various aspects of the scholarly literature that engage the topic of audiences. When reading this chapter, pay particular attention to the vocabulary that is specific to this area of study.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Articles to read (you can search for these on Google Scholar):

  • Livingstone, S. (1998). Audience research at the crossroads: The 'implied audience' in media and cultural theory. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 1(2), 193-217.
  • Giles, D. C. (2002). Parasocial interaction: A review of the literature and a model for future research. Media Psychology, 4(3), 279-305.
  • Green, M. C. (2021). Transportation into narrative worlds. Entertainment-Education Behind the Scenes, 87.
  • Cohen, J. (2001). Defining identification: A theoretical look at the identification of audiences with media characters. Mass Communication & Society, 4(3), 245-264.
  • Tukachinsky, R., & Stever, G. (2019). Theorizing development of parasocial engagement. Communication Theory, 29(3), 297-318.
  • Click to view external links

Chapter 10

Chapter Summary

This chapter discusses some of the negative elements associated with media including violence, cyberbullying, terrorism, pornography, and addiction. The impact of violence in media has been long debated by scholars who are far from inform agreement. However, established theories such as moral panic theory (MPT), general aggression model (GAM) and excitation transfer theory (ETT) present guideposts. These theories coupled with continued research offer promise for unraveling the layers of seemingly endless factors and arriving at a consistent coherent perspective. While violence in media cannot be considered benign, the specific effects, severity, and duration are still ongoing subjects of scholarly inquiry.

In a highly connected social media framework, some utilize the freedom and functionality to embarrass, harass, severely criticize, or terrorize others. This chapter explores how cyberbullying, although related to traditional bullying, affords more opportunities to perpetrators, and amplifies the impact for survivors. Furthermore, this chapter discusses how social media furnishes cutting edge border-defying tools that terror groups utilize to recruit and engage followers.

Young people inhabit an internet landscape rife with pornography. This has been observed to impact attitudes towards sex which may fuel sexism and misogyny. In addition, porn may promote unhealthy sexual behaviors and cause young people to develop unrealistic and/or negative assumptions about body image. This chapter discusses these themes.

Finally, this chapter explores how media behaviors can become addictive. Although addiction studies involving substance abuse are well established, researchers are not all in agreement that impulses to consume media products such as video games or pornography should be classified the same way. Nevertheless, scientists and practitioners continue to formulate an accurate understanding of how media behaviors may hook consumers and engender harmful outcomes.

Flashcards

Chapter 11

Chapter Summary

This chapter describes the psychology of the video game medium. One of the most important and misunderstood aspects of gaming is player/gamer identity. The reason for confusion is often owed to the underestimated complexity of identity construction and maintenance inside and outside of a game. In-game identity comprises all the character or avatar producing mechanisms games have and how players respond to them. Out-game identity refers to how a player or gamer perceives themselves and how society identifies them.

While once considered the exclusive hobby of socially awkward teen boys, gaming is now a mainstream social activity enjoyed by millions worldwide. This chapter reveals the prevalence of gaming and discusses why it has become so popular and still growing. Video games engage audiences in three primary areas: narrative, parasocial interaction, and gameplay. In games these elements converge to provide an immersive experience that invites the player to continue. Moreover, players and gamers may experience a sense of flow or timelessness while engrossed in a game. This is because of the capacity of video games to present an intriguing, challenging, yet achievable game objectives.

The future of gaming holds promise in several areas. First, the early sexism, misogyny and marginalization of minorities that characterized the video game industry and various fandoms continues to erode. Players are diverse and game characters have begun to reflect this. Second, as the popularity of gaming grows players and gamers are no longer be conceptualized as fringe out-groups but part of the mainstream. This may be observed in the burgeoning e-sports business that has attracted early investors such as sports moguls Michael Jordan and Robert Kraft. Finally, ever evolving technology suggests that gaming will become more integrated into daily life. The future will be gamified in new and compelling ways.

Flashcards

Chapter 12

Chapter Summary

At the heart of this chapter is the recognition that all media is social. The purpose of media is to expand the scope of our social boundaries. No matter what kind of media you are talking about, its ultimate purpose is to allow you to communicate with others beyond your face-to-face environment.

Next to social is the concept of parasocial. Parasocial recognizes that while we communicate with others whom we don’t actually know, that communication is still deliberate, meaningful, and impactful. This textbook is actually an example of parasocial communication in that you are getting to know the authors, their thoughts, and their expertise, but we who wrote this book don’t know you at all. Additionally, it is entirely unlikely that we (the authors) would ever meet you or come to know what you are thinking as you read our words.

That doesn’t mean that you, the reader, don’t matter to us or that we don’t care what you think or what you take away from reading our material. It just means that on a practical level we are unable to know our readers who are possibly using this book while taking a course, or reading it as a part of their own development as a media psychologist.

In the same way, the media personalities with whom you might establish a parasocial connection might feel the same way that we feel about our readers. The key aspect of “parasocial” is that the relationship is not reciprocated on an individual level, but that doesn’t mean that the communication is never on the radar of the media figure. Your favorite singer is doubtless paying close attention to which songs her or his fans love and which they are not as fond of…and will use that information to develop set lists for concerts as well as considering what music to produce next. So while parasocial relationships are not individually reciprocated, they might be reciprocated in this broader sense.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 13

Chapter Summary

Chapter thirteen looks at post-pandemic life which has embraced some standard pandemic practices. For example, videoconferencing has become a new ‘normal’ and remains quite popular. It is still being used in every area of post-pandemic life, including education, doctor’s appointments, and religious services. Corporations have realized the value of videoconferencing in reduced overhead costs and employees have realized the value of working from home. Reliance on digital technology has also resulted in a resurgence of cultural movements. The need to address social justice reform and racial inequality have been pushed to the forefront of social consciousness through social media unrest and viral mobilization.

The increased digital centricity of our global society has resulted in many unexpected consequences. One of them is an increase in loneliness and mental health issues. While we love the convenience of ordering groceries or watching church services online, the mental challenges dealing with a reduction in human contact can be overwhelming. Along with academic scholars and medical professionals, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have both published articles and blogs relative to mental health awareness.

Flashcards

Further Reading

Chapter 14

Chapter Summary

Building on the previous chapters, chapter 14 takes a comprehensive look at the future of media psychology through the eyes of one of the foremost scholars in the field. David Giles examines multiple challenges in media psychology, including technological change, competition from emerging fields like cyberpsychology, and the need to keep media psychology distinctively based in psychological theory. The distinctiveness of media psychology will increase with innovative application of psychological theory to media use and the inclusion of evolving research theories and methodologies.

The study of psychology and the field of media psychology are constantly evolving. Media psychology has become a mirror in which cultural shifts are reflected. A renewed cultural focus in diversity and sexual objectification has influenced the direction of research in all areas of psychological study, especially where media and media framing are involved.

Flashcards

Further Reading