The Use of Media in Media Psychology

Media psychologists have theoretical interests in both people and media, yet research investments considerably favor subjects over stimuli. An analysis of 306 studies, taken from the journal Media Psychology over the last 10 years, and from the most cited media experiments in other journals, shows that studies invested in tens of thousands of human subjects but the studies used small samples of media material that were often narrow and unrepresentative. The vast majority of experiments (65%) used single examples of media messages per condition yet they discussed large categories of real world media experiences. Analysis of specific selections showed that media represented in research are less variant, nuanced, and idiosyncratic than media found in the real world. Two categories of solutions are discussed. First, new statistical solutions promote more attention to media repetitions analyzed as random factors. Second, we review the advantages of uncommon research designs that emphasize stimulus investments, including single subject designs that collect intra-individual data and that construct unique models using the entirety, rather than samples, of messages that people experience.     

Multidimensions of Media Multitasking and Adaptive Media Selection

This study identifies 11 basic cognitive dimensions of media multitasking behaviors based upon resource theories. These dimensions provide a conceptual framework to help compare and synthesize media multitasking studies. In addition, using 2 empirical data sets, we examine how these cognitive dimensions interact with each other to predict choices of media multitasking behaviors in daily life in an adaptive manner to conserve limited mental resources. A systematic understanding of the multiple cognitive dimensions of media multitasking behaviors has the potential to foster theory‐guided designs and more mindful selection of media tasks, technologies, and environments to curb negative consequences of media multitasking and utilize its benefits.     

Media Appropriateness

This study assesses a scale measuring appropriateness of media for a variety of organizational communication activities and then compares seven media across six organizational sites. The ranking of media were face-to-face, telephone, meetings, desktop video and videoconferencing, voice mail, text, and electronic mail. Although information exchange and socioemotional relations dimensions emerged, the first provided a parsimonious solution. Multidimensional scaling placed traditional media in separate clusters, and new media together with some instances of text and phone, along interpersonal-mediated and synchronous-asynchronous axes. The appropriateness of face-to-face and meetings did not change over time, whereas ratings of phone and text (to some extent) and new media did. Appropriateness of new media was weakly associated with use. finally, there was very little evidence of social information processing influence on appropriateness, except for organizational newcomers’ratings of the newest medium, desktop video.     

Media Reviews

Rape Crisis , 87 minutes, color, 16mm and all video formats. Rent, $125; sale, 16 mm $875, video, $475. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Comedienne , 82 minutes, color, 16mm and all video formats. Rent, $150; sale, $1200 16mm, $595 video. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
La Operucion 44 minutes, color, 16 mm and all video formats. Rent, $65; sale, $595 16 mm, $395 video. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Sudden Changes: Post–Hysterectomy Syndrome , 29 minutes, color, all video formats. Rent, $50; sale, $295. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Ecstasy Unlimited: The Interpenetrations of Sex and Capital , 60 minutes, color, all video formats. Rent, $90; sale, $350. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Holy Terror , 58 minutes, color, 16mm and all video formats. Rent, $100; sale $895 16mm, $595 video. Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community , 87 minutes, color, 16mm and all video formats. Rent, $125; sale, $1200 (16mm), $695 (video). Cinema Guild, 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.     

Media Reviews

SOCIOBIOLOGY: DOING WHAT COMES NATURALLY.
WOMEN: THE HAND THAT CRADLES THE ROCK.
ON A PAR, NOT A PEDESTAL: WOMEN IN THE CORPORATION
STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT LESBIANS.
WOMAN-LOVING WOMEN.     

Media reviews

Abstract

Dr. H. James Lurie, reviewer of the videotape “Sybil's Plight” is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine, in Seattle. His expertise in the development of training and educational audio-visual materials, as well as his long teaching experience with both primary care physicians and family therapists, makes his assessment especially valuable. The importance of family concepts in the treatment and management of patients and families who must cope with chronically disabling medical illnesses has reached a new level of concern, and has resulted in renewed interest in the fields of consultation-liaison and family medicine.

—I.A.

Sibyl's Plight, black and white videotape, Library, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.     

Media Reviews

EVERYBODY RIDES THE CAROUSEL (Parts I, II and III)
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
STARLETS, HARLOTS AND HOLLYWOOD: BAD GIRLS OF THE SILVER SCREEN (1981) Lottie Da Productions.
THE EMERGING WOMAN     

Media reviews

Abstract

Dr. Maurizio Andolfi is Director of the Family Institute in Rome, Italy. He was trained in family therapy in the United States and now frequently returns to give seminars and demonstrations of his particularly gifted systems approach in the treatment of families, and in supervision of family therapists. Dr. Joel Bergman, a member of the senior faculty at the Ackerman Family Institute, reviews two of Andolfi's videotapes dealing with the supervisory process, and illustrated by actual clinical material.

The mirroring and reduplication of patterns often occurs when systems interface. Family dynamics repeat themselves across generations, and therapists and therapeutic teams easily become enmeshed in the powerful intricacies of family systems. The work of Andolfi highlights the importance of using the therapist's self-experience to illuminate and effect change in the family interactions, and the awareness of the contextual complexities of the supervisory process provides further possibilities for more enlightened intervention.—I. A.     

Media reviews

Abstract

To Have and to Hold: A Film about Men Who Batter Women, by Mark Lipman. New Day Films, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 1982. 16mm color film: $350.00 purchase price, $35.00 rental. 3/4″ videocassette: $300.00, purchase only.     

Audience Personality and the Selection of Media and Media Genres

The impact of personality characteristics (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism) on audiences' use of movies, television, and radio, and on genre preferences within these media was explored. Extraversion was associated positively with in-home movie viewing and with listening to urban, jazz-classical, and pop-rock music. Neuroticism was associated positively with pop-rock music listening. Psychoticism was associated negatively with watching romance and comedy films, but this relation was moderated by an interaction in that the impact of Psychoticism was most powerful among those who were also high in Neuroticism. Follow-up analyses evaluating the impact of personality within groups defined by gender and race were also carried out. The results point to the potential of incorporating audiences' perceptions of the gratifications offered by particular media into further research. These perceptions, which are likely to vary across audience groups, may contribute to how personality factors are expressed in media behavior.     

Youth Media Lifestyles

In this article, the concept of “media lifestyles” is adopted in order to develop a comprehensive approach toward youth engagement in communication media. We explore how 503 Dutch eighth grade students with full access to new technology combine a broad range of media by focusing on their engagement with media while taking various contexts of use into account. Four different media lifestyles of media omnivores, networkers, gamers, and low‐frequency users are described. Furthermore, we show how the methodology we used is able to provide more insight into how the distinguished media lifestyles were codetermined by particular media, functions and social contexts. Finally, the implications for the Uses & Gratifications theory are discussed.     

Predictors of Multitasking with Media: Media Factors and Audience Factors

In this research, multitasking with media is defined as an audience behavior that combines media use with another non-media activity. This study examines (a) the prevalence and patterns of multitasking among 14- to 16-year-olds and (b) the media and audience factors that predict such behavior. Consistent with previous research, this study found that youth frequently multitask with media. Both (a) ownership of media in bedrooms as a media factor and (b) sensation seeking as an audience factor were found to be significant predictors of multitasking with media. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are further discussed.     

Masturbation and the Media

This paper explores the important role the media play in informing young people about masturbation. A pilot study of focus groups with twenty-two young Australians aged between 14 and 16 explored what they know about sex and sexuality, and where they have found that knowledge. This paper reports on their knowledge about masturbation. Although researchers agree that masturbation can be a positive part of healthy sexual development, most young people reported that they received very little positive information about it from their parents or in formal sex education in school. These young people’s discussions around this topic were largely ambivalent, but also highly complex due to the varying levels and types of information that they receive. In this context the media play a vital role in providing information about masturbation through books and magazines for young women, and television comedies for young men.