Senior Research Fellows – Media Psychology Research Center

The Real Costs of Trade Wars: Lost Hopes & Dreams April 21, 2025
When markets drop, it's not only our 401Ks that disappear—it's our future stories. No amount of financial doomscrolling can appease our anxiety or offset the grief for lost hopes and dreams. Key Points Doomscrolling during financial crises is deeply personal—it’s your future on the line. Compulsive balance-checking is driven by anxiety, loss aversion, and […]
Pamela Rutledge
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

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