Weeks 4 & 5
(Topic for midterm paper due at end of week 4; media psychology response due at the end of week 5)
We’ve completed some deep thinking on R/S as it relates to psychology, so let us turn our attention to some theories of media psychology. Over the next two weeks, we’ll take a very surface look at some key theories within media psychology that particularly relate to the R/S sphere.
There are entire courses (and degree programs!) devoted to media psychology, so this is just a snapshot of some of the key concepts. However, as you read through the materials, consider how what you know about R/S might apply. Think critically about how media could be a mediating factor in what we know about R/S development and R/S in a social context.
Provide a written response to the following question (3-5 pages). Post your write up directly into the forum (no attachments) by Sunday, and then respond to ONE of your classmates by the following Thursday. You’ll need to do some additional research to fully respond to the prompt for this week.
Pick one of the following media psychology topics and argue how this is currently at work within some facet of religious or spiritually-related media. If you do choose to talk about news stories or social media, make sure to provide examples. Be creative here and think critically.
Topics:
Social cognitive theory
News framing
Mental models
Online identity construction
Uses and gratifications
Examples of possible topics include:
-how news about churches is presented in mass media;
-how facets of online identity construction might contribute to how one presents their religious life online;
-how agenda setting might play a role in the debate of topics considered controversial by the church
-how mental models contribute to how we think about, or construct an image of, God.
Be sure to end your paper with a personal reflection on this week’s readings.
Required Reading (start with Rutledge and then read in any order you choose)
Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Media Psychology, 3(3),265- 299.
De Vreese, C.H. (2005). News framing: Theory and typology. Information Design Journal and Document Design, 51-62.
Doster, L. (2013). Millennial teens design and redesign themselves in online social networks. Journal of Journal of Consumer Behavior, 12, 267–279.
Johnson –Laird, P.N. (2013). Mental models and cognitive change. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 25(2), 131-138.
Luo, M.M., Chea, S. & Chen, J. (2011). Web-based information service adoption: A comparison of the motivational model and the uses and gratifications theory. Decision Support Systems, 51, 21-30.
McGloin, R., Wasserman, J. A., & Boyan, A. (2018). Model matching theory: A framework for examining the alignment between game mechanics and mental models. Media and Communication, 6(2), 126-136. doi:10.17645/mac.v6i2.1326.
Pai, P. & Arnott, D. C. (2013). User adoption of social networking sites: Eliciting uses and gratifications through a means–end approach. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1039-1053.
Rutledge, P.B. (2012) Media psychology as a distinct field. In K. Dill’s (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology, 1-38.
Scheufele, D.A. & Tewksbury, D. (2007). Framing, agenda setting, and priming: The evolution of three media effects models. Journal of Communication, 57, 9–20.