confessions of a media psychologist: pamela rutledge
TRANSCRIPT
TRUE CONFESSIONSPamela Rutledge, PhD, MBA
of a media psychologistRoy Lichtenstein artwork
?WHAT IS MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY
?
Definition:
Media psychology (n.) applies psychological science to the use, development, distribution and research of mediated communication andtechnology
Media psychology is the application of psychological science to the use, development, distribution and impact of media technologies
Say what?
MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY IS A STORYlove
^
LOVEResearch + practice
PASSIONExploration
CURIOSITYInnovation
PERSEVERANCEInsight
CREATION Solutions
Media psychology is your ability to have a positive impact on individuals and society through the creative and insightful application of psychology to the continually evolving world of media and technology.
How will you write YOUR media psychology story?
TRUE CONFESSIONSof a media psychologist
.
What’s My Story?Faculty, Fielding since 2008• Currently teaching:• PSY533 Foundations of Media Psychology• MSC566 Brand Psychology & Social Storytelling• MSC568 Audience Engagement• Lead Faculty Brand Psychology Certificate and Concentration
Areas of expertise:• Positive psychology & media• The psychology of storytelling/narrative impact • Applying fundamentals
Other stuff: • Director, Media Psychology Research Center• Blogger Psychology Today• Consultant, Author, Speaker• Nerd/Geek• Fan of British mysteries and Eddie Izzard• Located Southern California
Best dog ever
• It’s not about the tools.
• Stories are our primary meaning-making device
• Media isn’t going away, so we should learn how to use it well
GET TO THE ‘WHY’
Rutledge: Revisiting Maslow
Primal goals drive human behavior – social connection is at the core of all survival mechanisms.http://www.pamelarutledge.com/2011/11/08/social-networks-what-maslow-misses/
Research Areas
• Brand Psychology & Audience Behaviors– Brand as Meaning
• Schemas, mental models, metaphor & archetypes• Visual cues, image
– Storytelling• Narrative structure/emotional dynamics of story• Brand story – capturing core values in story
• Creating a multi-platform (transmedia), participatory eco-system
• Applied Positive Psychology: Positive media solutions– Behavior change, attitude change, positive emotions– Media impact: self efficacy, agency, social connection, identity
CONTENT RESEARCH
Story is the intersection of cognitive, social & neuro psychologies
Story links emotion & sensory memories to experience, creating meaning
Best Practices for Brand/Content Fit
• Brand meaning can be applied to platforms
• Delivery mechanism frames meaning, influences narrative altering:– Emotional triggers & responses– Social context & meaning
Dr. Seuss artwork
ACHIEVEMENT
STABILITY
INDEPENDENCE & FULFILLMENT
BELONGING & ENJOYMENT
Ruler
Outlaw
HeroMagician
Everyman
Lover
Jester
CaregiverCreator
Innocent
Sage
Explorer
Archetypes
ACHIEVEMENT
STABILITY
INDEPENDENCE & FULFILLMENT
BELONGING & ENJOYMENT
Ruler
Outlaw
HeroMagician
Everyman
Lover
Jester
CaregiverCreator
Innocent
Sage
Explorer
Archetypes?
Helping people and society grow and flourish
POSITIVE PSYCH
Media: Dual Pathways of Influence
• Technology creates new opportunities with greater reach
• Personalizable, targeting needs• Shift assumptions toward agency and self-
determination to facilitate beliefs & behavioral change with long-term adoption
Access Belief Change
Behavioral Change
Theoretical Premise: Upward Spiral
• Confidence
• Interaction• Feedback
• Mastery• Agency• Engagement
SELFIE RESEARCH
Exploring the Positive Side of Selfies
Premise: Selfies put the user in control. Control increases agency. Therefore, does the act of selfie-taking have cognitive and emotional benefits?
Preliminary Findings• N=108• Potential cognitive bias:
– “my friends do it a lot, but I don’t”• Most common:
– documenting events– feeling good about looks– entertainment value (bored)
What is the “movie” experience?
MOVIE RESEARCH
TRUE CONFESSIONS
Pamela Rutledge, PhD, [email protected]
www.mprcenter.org
Thank YouRoy Lichtenstein artwork