For Immediate Release
Sylvia Williams, Director of Communications
Fielding Graduate University
2112 Santa Barbara Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805.898.2947
sawilliams@fielding.edu

Santa Barbara, CA (July 30, 2007) ...Researchers from Fielding Graduate University, home to the first Media Psychology PhD program, will present findings regarding the expanding definition of media psychology at the American Psychological Association (APA) conference, August 17-20, 2007 in San Francisco.

Under the supervision of faculty member Erik Gregory, PhD, the team surveyed members of the APA Division 46 (Media Psychology) earlier this year. Study goals are to identify how media psychology is currently defined by the psychology community and to identify present attitudes and opportunities found in this emerging field.

Analysis reveals that considerations in psychology are more and more important in understanding media and the human experience, its impact on individuals, society, use in product development, and the impact of media on social change. The study also found that perceptions of media differ with age and gender. In addition active and passive media are prominent among different groups. Interestingly, most respondents named traditional media as primary in their lifestyles. Newer converged devices were considered differently by age group.

Dr. Bernard Luskin, Chairman of the Division 46 Education Committee that helped to launch the research, said, "The team's presentation is truly impressive. It provides a new, thorough and meaningful view of the nature and scope of media psychology. The results build on the 1998 Division 46 "Study of Psychology and New Technologies" and advance earlier conclusions into this new century. The 1998 study is recognized as a major milestone in the emergence of media psychology as a professional specialty," said Luskin.

"Psychologists trained in expert understanding of media psychology now have an extraordinary opportunity to make a healthy, constructive social difference," Gregory said.

Members of the Fielding Graduate University Media Psychology Awareness, Phase II research team include:

• Jonathan Cabiria, Philadelphia. PA
• Jerri Lynn Hogg, West Hartford, CT
• Pamela Rutledge, Newport Beach, CA
• Lynn Temenski, Flushing, NY
• Timothy Wells, Rochester, NY

"The first PhD graduates in media psychology have now completed the program and this new profession is on its dynamic way," said Luskin.

Fielding Graduate University is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA, where it was founded in 1974. It is a world-recognized leader in graduate education, having created one of the first and most successful distributed learning models for mid-career adults. Fielding is an accredited, nonprofit graduate university offering numerous programs within three schools: Psychology, Human & Organization Development, and Educational Leadership & Change. The Fielding community is dedicated to lifelong learning; social justice and change; and innovation in organizations, communities, and society. For more information, visit www.fielding.edu.