What We Do – Media Psychology Research Center

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.

Do You Want Your Kids Arguing Like a Politician? April 20, 2026
U.S. politics teaches kids to handle conflict by fighting dirty, not listening and responding with respect. Those lessons won’t serve them well in their own relationships. Key Points: I’m deeply concerned about the role models politics is giving our kids today. My last post, “Why U.S. Politics Looks Like a Bad Marriage,” didn’t tackle how […]
Pamela Rutledge
U.S. Politics Look Like a Bad Marriage April 20, 2026
Psychologist John Gottman identified four communication patterns that predict divorce; all are present in U.S. politics today. Key Points For most of its history, the United States has resembled a quarrelsome but committed couple. We bicker, disagree, and occasionally give each other the silent treatment, but underneath it all there has been a shared sense […]
Pamela Rutledge
We’re Being Played: Propaganda, Memes and War April 1, 2026
Packaging war in meme-driven narratives uses cultural cues to turn combat into entertainment, normalizing violence and influencing how future conflicts are perceived.Key pointsMemetic warfare uses pop culture symbols, like Call of Duty and Captain America, to frame conflict as heroic and morally right.Social media is flooded with memes that glorify military strikes, trivializing violence, and […]
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