It is important for those of us interested in the field of Media Psychology to consider first and foremost what this discipline of Psychology is.  Traditionally, it has been seen as the psychologist in the media (such as Dr. Phil or Dr. Ruth).  This is an outdated notion to me.  I see the field as examining the impact that media has on individuals and groups.  It encompasses theories from social psychology, communications, anthropology, sociology, and many of the other psychologies.  Secondly, given the power of media, how can we examine media and its psychology and harness it for constructive purposes across many domains beyond entertainment and education?  We certainly need to be aware of how the media (such as media violence) impacts individuals and groups, but we also need to examine its benefits.  This is where the marriage between media psychology and positive psychology has so much tremendous benefit.   Rather than using media to sell products, how can it be … [Read more...]