Let us tell you a bit more about the field we’re in and why we do what we do. If you’re still confused about what Media Psychology is, why it’s important, or how it can help you, you’re in the right place.
What It is
Media Psychology is a new discipline of psychology, having only become legitimized in 1986. It originally came about as the way to ensure an accurate portrayal of psychology in entertainment media, but its purpose has come to evolve far beyond its initial objective.
Whether we know it or not, media, technology, and all that these words encompass have great influence on our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Media Psychology is the study of the implications of these things. It uses psychological principles to investigate the co-dependent relationships between technology, media content, user perceptions, and user responses, because each individual part constantly evolves in response to the others.
There is currently no limit to the boundaries of media psychology. Anything that falls under this broad field of thought – whether it be social media, mobile technologies, the news, the Oculus, or the Metaverse – is of interest to media psychologists. The concerns of the field are constantly evolving alongside media and the technological climates.
Why It Matters
How often do you pick up your phone each day? Log on to Instagram, or Facebook? Watch the news? Our guess is, that it’s quite often. But how many of times do you have intent behind those actions? How often do you note how these things make you feel afterwards? Or how they shape your perceptions of yourself and the world?
We were taught how to use technology, but we weren’t taught how to make sure that technology doesn’t use us. We weren’t taught how to optimize our time using media, or how to use media and technology to satisfy our goals.
We are living in a time where we are watching rapid advances in media and technology development take place before our very eyes. Regardless of whether we think that we have it under control, it is important that we become conscious of our media consumption and learn how these mediums can complement our lives and experiences, not complicate or define them.
Let us help you help yourself. If you haven’t already, use the Join the Club form below to sign up to learn more about how to apply media psychology to your own life.
