What is Media Psychology?

Media Psychology is like a tasty soup, a bouillabaisse to be exact. The recipe is a complex blend of fish (i.e. people) and spices (i.e. media). It is important to note that the overall flavor / impact of the soup is strongly influenced by the types and quantities of spices added.

The recipe is as follows:

- Add a generous amount of different types of Fish (i.e. people, groups & cultures)
- Add a “mass” of Spices (i.e. media):
- TV / film / radio
- internet / multi-media / VR
- print
- etc.

Bring to a boil, simmer to blend the flavors and serve with toast if desired. As you interpret the soup’s final flavor, be sure to use your trained palate, paying close attention to the following flavor profiles (i.e. disciplines):

- sweet (i.e. psychology)
- salty (i.e. media studies)
- sour (i.e. sociology)
- bitter (i.e. communications)

Keep in mind, as the food critic (i.e. media psychologist / practitioner) you can interpret the outcome of the soup’s flavor differently simply by placing more emphasis on one or all of the flavor profiles / disciplines.

Now, either you are hungry, wondering what a bouillabaisse is or still wondering “What is media psychology?”

In my opinion, it would be too narrow to view media psychology as anything other than a complex field that overlaps many different disciplines. Because it is not a field that is only touched by “media” and “psychology.” Developing a definition to please everyone has been challenging and a universal one has yet to be developed. For example, The Media Psychology Research Center views media psychology as the interaction between human experience and media. (MPRC, 2008) While The American Psychological Association states that media psychology uses the theories, concepts and methods of psychology to study the impact of the mass media on individuals, groups, and cultures. However they note that this term is too broad. (S. Fischoff, 2005)

I feel that media psychology studies the impact media has on the behavior and emotions of individuals, groups and cultures. However, it is important to note that it does not simply rely on psychological theories for interpretation but rather, “Media psychology works in a multidisciplinary environment of psychology, sociology, communication and media studies.” (Van Wagner, 2008)

Perhaps one reason why defining a universal definition has been so problematic is because academic work has already been done in other disciplines, outside of psychology. (Giles, 2003, P.4) However, another challenge is the interpretation of the “impact” can vary based on the theories applied and/or the theory biases a media psychologist / practitioner may hold, regardless of discipline. Just within psychology, practitioners employing effects theory like Joseph Klapper could interpret a situation differently than Ball-Rokeach and DeFleur who would be employing dependency theory to interpret the situation. (Giles, 2003)

So to put it in simplistic terms for now, Media Psychology is like soup, the ingredients and amounts you add will enhance the flavor, but food critics with varied palates can interpret the flavor differently, providing mixed reviews.

As if we don’t have enough questions to answer about media psychology already. I leave you with one more, we can identify the ingredients and the food critics, but who is the cook?


REFERENCE LIST:

Media Psychology is the interaction of Human Experience and Media. (2008). Media Psychology Research Center. Retrieved July 2008 from http://www.mprcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=64

S. Fischoff. (2005). Media Psychology: A Personal Essay in Definition and Purview. [Electronic version]. American Psychology Association. Retrieved July 2008 from http://www.apa.org/divisions/div46/ and http://www.apa.org/divisions/div46/images/MEDIADEF.pdf

Van Wagner. (2008). About.com. Retrieved July 2008 from http://psychology.about.com/library/bl/bldivision46.htm and http://www.media.hut.fi/~as75120/2005/luennot/mediapsychology.pdf

Giles, D. (2003). Media Psychology. New Jersey:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.