• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Media Psychology Research Center

Media Psychology Research Center

Media Psychology: The Psychology of Media Behavior

  • Home
  • About
    • Who We Are
      • Dr. Erik M. Gregory
      • Dr. Pamela Rutledge
        • Dr. Pam/Substack
        • Rutledge in the News
      • Senior Research Fellows
        • Dr. Scott Garner
        • Dr. Marc Giudici
        • Dr. Cynthia Hagan
        • Dr. Jerri Lynn Hogg
        • Dr. Tatyana El-Kour
        • Dr. Sean Thoennes
      • Inspiration
    • What We Do
  • Resources
    • What is Media Psychology?
    • Positive Media Psychology
    • Media for Social Change
    • Expanding Media Literacy for a Transmedia World
  • Journal
  • Contact

What We Do

You are here: Home / What We Do

Assessment & Research

MPRC has a proprietary approach to media technology assessment.  Our research on technology usability goes beyond traditional functionality assessment.  We evaluate the user experience at a psychological level and the social cognitive implications of the user’s environment, self-schema, and understanding of technology.  Therefore, we comprehensively examine eight domains.  These include

  • Cognitive level
  • Developmental stage
  • Visual integration
  • Affective response
  • Social cognition
  • Narrative engagement
  • Self-reflection
  • Comprehension and meaning

Positive Media Psychology

We educate media producers, developers, and marketers so they can create and promote media that emphasizes strengths, values, and positive emotions.

Media Literacy

We advise parents and educators on developing and delivering media literacy and media fluency programs.

Media Psychology Review

The Media Psychology Review is an academic journal published by the Media Psychology Research Center to highlight the intersection of individual and group behavior with media technologies of all kinds. Submissions are welcome on a rolling basis. http://www.mediapsychologyreview.com

Projects

Media Psychology Research Center’s (MPRC) mission is to promote the use of media for positive social change.  MPRC is committed to bringing researchers together with designers, developers, and distributors of all forms of current and proposed media content and platforms.

Sidebar

FOR THE PRESS

Dr. Pamela Rutledge is available for comments on the psychological and practical impact of technology, and media on people and society. Send an email!

SUBSCRIBE
Digital Brains & Behavior by
Dr. Pam Rutledge
 

https://drpam.substack.com/


RSS RECENT POSTS

  • Chatbots and Kids: What Parents Need to Know Now June 27, 2025
    Here's how to talk to your child about AI, starting in preschool. A free downloadable Parent Guide with tips and conversation starters is included. Chatbots are computer programs that use AI to tell stories, offer advice, provide information, or chat with you using text, voice, or video. Popular tools include ChatGPT, Snap's My AI, Replika, […]
    Pamela Rutledge
  • Kids and Chatbots: When AI Feels Like A New Best Friend June 27, 2025
    Kids are forming emotional bonds with chatbots. With digital literacy and parental guidance, kids can use chatbots to support learning and creativity. Key Points When she was younger, my daughter loved reading Warrior Cats, a series of books about the dramatic adventures of wild cat clans with everything you’d expect in a good fantasy: prophecies, heroes, […]
    Pamela Rutledge
  • Hooked on True Crime: Why We Can’t Stop May 14, 2025
    True crime media isn’t just a guilty pleasure—it can fulfill deep emotional and cognitive needs, especially for women. Key Points There’s something oddly engaging about listening to a stranger’s murder while unloading the dishwasher or walking the dog. That’s not a judgment—it’s an observation. The popularity of true crime media, especially among women, has become […]
    Pamela Rutledge

The Media Psychology Research Center (MPRC) is an independent organization dedicated to psychological science as the foundatio of media and technology research, assessment, and education.Our mission is to promote the positive development and use of media and technology.

RESEARCH TO PRACTICE

Ubiquitous technology means we need a better understanding of:

- Digital and Transmedia Storytelling and constructing and sharing additive narratives across media channels
-Participatory and collaborative media
On-demand information access
-The use of technology to promote positive experiences through cognitive and emotional engagement: positive mood inducement, sense of self-efficacy, social connectedness
-Immersive Environments and new arenas for expression and social modeling of new attitudes, skills, social roles, and personal identity
-Human relationships mediated by technology
-Tools and environments for learning across the lifespan
-Psychological, perceptual and cognitive aspects of using technology and understanding usability

Copyright © 2025 · Media Psychology Research Center · All Rights Reserved