Major Theories and Constructs in Media Psychology

Media psychology sits within the broader discipline of psychology. While media psychology topics often overlap with other media-related disciplines, its theoretical foundation in psychological science sets it apart. Media psychology draws on psychology’s rich history of theories and research practices tailored to study human behavior, cognition, and emotions and applies them to mediated experience. Theories used in media psychology reflect explanations for the relationship between media experiences and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. While no list is complete, this chapter describes some of media psychology’s most commonly used theories and related constructs.