Media Psychology
Explaining Media Psychology in 2017
Media Psychology
2017: A Specialty Whose Time is Now.
Source: Luskin/For Good or Evil
Fifteen years ago I wrote an
article titled, “Media Psychology, A Field Whose Time is Here.” Variations
were featured in the National Psychologist and the California Psychologist. My
purpose now is to update and advance that description and definition of media
psychology as it is today in 2017. Technology has evolved dramatically through
the years, psychology has advanced and media psychology has moved into
prominence as an area for research and practice.
Media now saturate our
lives, in the same way that, “a fish only notices the water when it is
gone.” If media communications were suddenly eliminated from our lives, we
would experience a major social and emotional sense of loss.
Media psychology is both
an art and a science. It explores how media affect our sensory and
cognitive processes including how media evokes specific behaviors in
individuals, larger groups or global societies. The large and exciting realm of
effects research (how various news and entertainment media influence audience
perceptions and behaviors, audience demographics and audience numbers) is
central to media psychology. Examples of such influences are:
The formation, maintenance
or change of individual and group stereotypes
On-camera and off-camera, diverse perceptions in diversity and its effects on audiences in storytelling and influencing media perspectives in advertising, in propaganda messages, in learning and education, including utilizing new information to build new skills.
On-camera and off-camera, diverse perceptions in diversity and its effects on audiences in storytelling and influencing media perspectives in advertising, in propaganda messages, in learning and education, including utilizing new information to build new skills.
In 1998, Lilli Friedland and
I co-chaired a special APA Division 46 (Media Psychology) Task Force
Study focusing on media and technologies (B. J. Luskin, Friedland, L., 1998).
Using the Delphi methodology to survey a wide variety of experts, we identified
eleven major areas in which media psychology is fundamental:
·
Writing about media or
performing as expert guests on various media
·
Consulting with media
personnel
·
Researching ways to
improve all forms of media
·
Making new technologies
related to media more effective and user friendly
·
Using new technology in
media to enhance the practice of clinical psychology
·
Most areas of education
or training including delivery by traditional, blended and online methods
·
Developing media
standards
·
Working in commercial
fields
·
Studying the
sociological, behavioral and psychological effects of media
·
Developing media
materials for physically and developmentally challenged populations
·
Developing media
materials for all underserved populations
·
As a result of this study that served as a basis for
broadening the APA Media Psychology Division into The Society for Media
Psychology and Technology, and provided a foundation for new
programs, we were able to start the first Ph.D. program in Media
Psychology and an Ed.D. program in Media Studies at Fielding Graduate
University (www.fielding.edu(link is external)) in Santa Barbara,
California. The programs focused on applying theories in psychology to media
and understanding their impact on human behavior. The media psychology and
media studies programs have been quite successful. There are now many
other programs in media psychology internationally and media psychology courses
are increasingly taught in colleges and universities. In addition, there is now
a significant and growing need in colleges and universities for courses,
certificates, and degree programs in media psychology and media studies as
specialty areas. Media
Psychology is a field whose time is here.
·
Theories
in psychology are fundamental. The specialty of media
psychology flows from applying understood theories in psychology in the
use of pictures, graphics and sound in any form of communications technology
(Luskin, 2002). Media psychology is the interface between the human experience
and all forms of media.
·
Media Psychology poses complex and sometimes unique legal and
ethical challenges for psychologists. As Marshall McLuhan explained, The Medium
is the Massage. Diversity is the basis of a future that is human-centered
and screen-deep given the proliferation of devices from the iPhone to the
stadium marquee to the Dick Tracy-evolved Smartwatch by Apple and its
competitors.
·
One primary dimension of applied media
psychology involves the appearance of psychologists in print, electronic, and
computer-based media and their presentations of information about the
entire discipline of psychology. This group includes psychologists who consult
with the media on various topics, psychologists who produce products for the
media (such as books, films, magazine and journal articles on and off-line),
psychologists appearing on radio or television in various guest and host
capacities, and psychologists who offer on-line services such as education,
advice, counseling information and therapy. Forensic Media Psychology has become a specialty due diligence area in
litigation and various areas of research.
·
New and expanded dimensions of media
psychology that have emerged since the 1998 study include:
·
Those who work with and
within the government, business, and learning industries in the
endless process of adapting hardware and software to meet the various goals of information/communication.
·
Those who apply
psychology in a variety of fields including commerce, education, entertainment,
government, health services, and telecommunications.
·
Media presentations in
institutional settings in pursuit for a variety of purposes including
commercial opportunities.
·
Innovations in distance
learning for purposes related to education and commerce and more.
Media Psychology in a Nutshell:
·
Affects standards of
moral conduct in cultures worldwide.
·
Demonstrates that good
people can also do cruel things.
·
Is a vehicle to global
communication and freedom.
·
Breeds new and sometimes
convoluted language.
·
Applies advantageous
aphorisms.
·
May be used to reinforce
or defuse responsibility.
·
Has the power to
humanize or dehumanize situations, such as in the presentation of war or the
current wave of Al-Qaeda and ISIS Radical Jihadist Islamic Terrorism.
·
The
field of Media Psychology is now formalized. In 2012, the Media Psychology Division 46 of the American
Psychological Association became The Society for
Media Psychology and Technology. Surprisingly, however, media
psychology, though more developed and growing as a specialty field, is still
not well understood by the population at large.
·
Verticals
and Silos. Visualizing media communications in large segments of
society may be easier if we think of different markets as “verticals,” e.g.,
global silos. Silos include commerce, education, health care, entertainment,
telecommunications, public policy and government. Each vertical has its own
followers, organizations and associations.
·
In
addition, media psychology is now foundational in intellectual
property law, new media entrepreneurship and other new fields such as space
psychology and law. I have worked for law firms, assisting in mediations and
dispute resolution cases involving the nexus between media, psychology and
human behavior. I have made presentations to the Astronomical Society about
Space Law. This type of work is an example of “forensicmedia psychology,” mentioned
earlier.
·
·
Source: Luskin/Media
in the Cloud
·
Media Psychology is ubiquitous. In today’s world, media psychology
is an increasing force in social media, telehealth and teletherapy, distance
and online education, including hybrid courses which are both in and out of the
classroom and virtual classrooms. Media psychology is a growing specialty in
entertainment consulting, conducting media interviews, in virtual and augmented
reality applications and therapies, and in consumer products. Media
psychology is a growing factor in brand development, marketing, advertising,
product placement and game theory. Media psychology is central in Cinema,
including film analysis, media assisted rehabilitation, telecommuting communications,
effective public health, public service, and public policy including political
campaigns. It is also applied in medical education and practice and in all
forms of media publishing.
·
Today’s
news media is all about media psychology. The 2016 elections are their
own best example of how initiatives in behavior affect people. In addition, as
noted earlier, the present radical jihadist movement is, to a significant
extent, based and built on the ability to use media to perpetuate fear and influence society and the world
through terrorism. These are only some of the myriad examples that could be
included in an increasingly extensive and up-to-date description of Media
Psychology.
·
The
convergence of media, technology, communication, art and science is
increasingly transforming our world. The “Socio-psychomedia
effect,” is a neologism combining sociology, psychology, media (pictures,
graphics and sound). Media psychology and Media Studies require an
understanding of both physical and emotional aspects of the brain, including the latest theories the psychology
of emotions, control, expression, persuasion, sexuality, and gender. It encompasses the study of believability and
the suspension of disbelief, situational cognition, assessment, learning, mapping, feedback,
reinforcement, mastery, persistence, theories of mastery, success, and failure.
(T. T. Luskin, Luskin, B.J., 1998).
·
Verbal and nonverbal communication through music, sound and images, evoke
human responses that may be understood through media psychology. Luskin’s Three
S Model addresses these distinctive and specialized areas of application
(Luskin, 2002). The S’s are: (1) Synesthetics, the study of stimulating
and combining one sense with another; (2) Semiotics, communication through
identification, manipulation and the use of symbols, including screen design,
iconography, navigation and user interface; and (3) Semantics; understanding
the use, effects and implications of words.
·
·
Source:
Luskin/Luskin's 3 "S" Model
·
The
3S Model. Understanding
synesthetics, semiotics and semantics is pivotal in understanding the
relationship between media, human response and the evolving language of this
new field. New vocabulary such as Emoticon, Screenager, Webhead and Cybrarian
are examples of emerging terms and changing language.
·
The
field of psychology itself is rapidly evolving and expanding. Most of the
emphasis through the years has been centered on modifying various behaviors and
correcting deficiencies through theoretical or applied of clinical psychology.
·
Those who are interested in being involved in the evolution of media
psychology and media studies are encouraged to join The Society of Media Psychology
and Technology, Division 46 of the American Psychology Association as regular,
associate or student members so they can participate and contribute to the
evolution of this specialty.
·
Cable, Satellite, Terrestrial communications, what is now
being called "Over the Top" technologies such as Netflix,
Amazon Video, Sing TV, HBO Now, Showtime, Wherever TV, YouTube, Amazon Prime
and all variations of streaming media applications. Rapid communication, open
market accessible streaming media applications are catalytic engines in
the form of new products. To be successful each requires an
understanding of psychology in addition to much research and study to
compete effectively in the world.
·
New career opportunities and positions are
continually emerging. Among new cohorts of
professionals are writers, producers, programmers, engineers, designers,
directors, artists, cinematographers, public relations and advertising
specialists and others. Media psychology is a sub-specialty in communications,
psychology, and education and media studies is the field of research with focus
on the study of media effects. Courses in media psychology should be included in
the educational programs training professionals in all of these areas.
·
Today’s
educational institutions are in need of faculty and staff who understand higher
concepts in media arts and sciences. Our new media communication tools are
both sensory and intellectual. An understanding of psychology is at the core of
their most effective use. Companies and individuals must understand the
psychology of media to produce compelling products and perform competitively.
·
The emerging scholar practitioner. The (1) scholar, (2) the practitioner and (3) the
scholar-practitioner comprise the range of professionals professionally active
in the field of media psychology.
·
In
summary, new and balanced programs in media psychology require approaches
recognizing that:
·
"A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and
its warriors will have its thinking being done by cowards, and its fighting
done by fools.”