Media Psychology Matters

Who Wants a Little More Reality?

Pamela Rutledge — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:41:49 +0000

Kids with augmented reality planets

Previously published on Psychology Today.com “Positively Media” ———-

Sometimes when new technology is introduced, you get a glimpse of the future. The iPad was like that for me. Now Samsung is introducing the Galaxy Tab (tablet) on September 2. This time, the glimpse of the future comes from [...]

Research Survey Launched: Social Media Profiles and Influence on Body Image

Pamela Rutledge — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:48:10 +0000

Social media has changed how people get information and communicate in many ways. We are not just consumers of media. With social media and new technology and tools, we also can easily make, change, and share media.

There are images everywhere generated by commercial activity and a wealth of research looking at the impact [...]

Prosocial Augmented Reality: Celebrating Youth Achievement

Pamela Rutledge — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:20:33 +0000

Where you look matters. Media producers count eyeballs and show you what you will watch. Let’s celebrate achievement, such as the fifth grade chorus from Staten Island, instead of spending our time and money consuming media about outliers, like LeBron James’ basketball contract, or irresponsibility and bad behavior, like Lindsay Lohan’s substance problems and [...]

Media Psychology: No Easy Answers (or Careers)

Pamela Rutledge — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:13:51 +0000

I frequently get requests for information about how to pursue interests in the field of media psychology. I am always honored to represent the field and share my views and advice. The following is typical of several letters I have received recently.

I am currently completing my last year as an undergraduate in psychology. [...]

Online Safety: Educate not Legislate

Pamela Rutledge — Fri, 28 May 2010 01:23:04 +0000

Previously published in Psychology Today “Positively Media.”

Facebook’s recent privacy control changes have triggered a big response of concern, indignation, and pages of analysis. One thing you have to love about social media, when people are ticked off, you find out pretty fast. Facebook is doing some rhetorical back-pedaling but when people are angry, [...]

Social Media Addiction: Engage Brain Before Believing

Pamela Rutledge — Sun, 23 May 2010 17:58:55 +0000

Previously published in Psychology Today “Positively Media.”

When you see the headlines about social media addiction, take a deep breath. Exhale. I know this sounds radical, but don’t go by the news articles. Find the actual study and read it. Don’t just read the results; see how the researchers define what they are measuring. [...]

AR for Business Cards: Barcode Becomes iCode

Pamela Rutledge — Sat, 22 May 2010 01:15:13 +0000

I love augmented reality (AR)*. I love the unseen potential and the mind warp of converging realities. While I readily confess to being a tech-nerd, I am not particularly well-versed at the really technical end that drives all this new technology.

I have been trying to figure out an easy way to get AR [...]

Augmented Reality: Real Life with Toppings

Pamela Rutledge — Fri, 21 May 2010 02:53:52 +0000

Published previously on Positively Media Blog on Psychology Today.

Care to try on a dress, take your picture in a virtual Mardi Gras mask, or figure out what size box you need to ship a package—from your computer? You can with augmented reality (AR). There is a virtual dressing room at Tobi.com* virtual city [...]

The role for vigilantes: A little duct tape and plastic sheeting and all’s right with the world

Pamela Rutledge — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:51:32 +0000

by John & Pamela Rutledge

A version of this article was published on PsychologyToday.com in the blog “Positively Media.”

Dexter is a Showtime series about a serial killer with a code. He only kills the bad guys who deserve it. We love Dexter precisely because he finds bad guys and kills them before they [...]

Mapping the Crisis in Haiti Using a Cognitively Effective Display of Data

Pamela Rutledge — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:07:19 +0000

Edward Tufte would be proud. This is an example of a brilliant use of social media and a cognitively effective display of the kind of data that social media can generate. Ushahidi are mapping crisis information from Haiti. They have integrated various data input sources, SMS, email, or web, and visually translated it onto a [...]