Senior Research Fellows – Media Psychology Research Center

7 Reasons Why ‘Bluey’ is a Masterclass in Parenting March 21, 2025
Key points I’m a huge Bluey fan, and I’ve been spreading my enthusiasm with mixed success because many people I talk to don’t have toddlers at home anymore and don’t get why I’m so passionate about a “kids’ show.” So, when Leena Tailor reached out about an article for The Hollywood Reporter on Bluey’s success […]
Pamela Rutledge
Why Are We So Lonely? Tackling the Loneliness Epidemic March 19, 2025
Get smart about your digital habits. Try these 8 small hacks to change automatic behaviors to intentional ones and improve real-life connections and well-being. Key Points: Last week, I joined Simone Heng (2023) to discuss the loneliness epidemic with the Harvard Undergraduate UNICEF Club. Loneliness is a complex topic because it is a subjective emotional state that comes […]
Pamela Rutledge
FaceTime, Voice, or Text: What Strengthens Relationships Most? February 18, 2025
KEY POINTS Valentine’s Day seems like a good time to talk about social connection. A lot of things influence how we like to connect with others, from personality and context to the closeness of a relationship. Our formative years also affect what we view as normal, anchoring our perspective and creating an inherent bias in […]
Pamela Rutledge

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