title: Missed Programs (You Can't TiVo This One): Why Psychologists Should Study Media.
abstract: Media psychology involves the scientific examination of the cognitive processes and behavior involved in the selection, use, interpretation, and effects of communication across a variety of media (e.g., via the Internet, television, telephone, film). Media are central to people's lives, with projections indicating that an average person spent over 3,515 hours using media in 2012. New technologies are increasing the importance of media. Data from two content analyses demonstrate the underrepresentation of media psychology in mainstream psychological literature and in undergraduate and graduate psychology course offerings. We argue for the importance of a psychological approach to the study of media because of its presence in people's lives and because psychologists use it in their research and their choices may affect the external validity of their findings. We provide a useful framework from which psychologists can approach the study of media, and we conclude with recommendations for further areas of scientific inquiry relevant to psychological science.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University at Newark Okdie.2@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Bradley M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Okdie
authors.affiliation: Department of Communications, The Ohio State University.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Ewoldsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Knowledge Media Research Center, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Muscanell
authors.affiliation: National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA.
authors.forename: Rosanna E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Guadagno
authors.affiliation: Center for Academic Excellence, Bellevue University.
authors.forename: Cassie A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Eno
authors.affiliation: School of Communication, The Ohio State University.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Velez
authors.affiliation: Department of Communications, East Tennessee State University.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.affiliation: National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, Mississippi State University.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Mally
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication and Journalism, Auburn University.
authors.forename: Lauren Reichart
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Smith
keywords: media; media psychology; mediated communication; philosophy of science