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PSY 355-01 Psychology & Media in the Digital Age


Schedule & Assignments
This page was last modified February 2, 2023

 Note: Links to online journal articles will work if you are accessing the Internet from a Le Moyne College computer.
I. Introduction & Orientation: Basic Overview of Media Online & IRL
Wed, Jan 18
Class 01
 		General Introduction & Themes about the Self (pdf)
Mon, Jan 23
Class 02
 		Defining What "Media" Means: General & Contemporary Meanings (pdf)
 		Meyrowitz on "Multiple Media Literacies" (1998) [LMC]
Wed, Jan 25
Class 03
 (a) Some Media Terms & Concepts (detailed notes: pdf) [outline]
(b) Behavioral Addictions & Media I  (Notes on Irresistible Prologue & Chs.1 2 & 3)  

Alter (2017) Irresistible: Prologue & Chs. 1, 2, & 3 (pp. 1-90)
Mon, Jan 30
Class 04

 Trends in Media Use: Historical, National, International: 1800-2022 (pdf version, 8 pp.)

Discussion of Social and Other Media Use by class

 •••• Group Presentation Choices due today •••
including

• PEW Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet (April 7, 2021)
• PEW Social Media Fact Sheet  (April 7, 2021)
Wed, Feb 01
Class 05
 Human Psychology & Culture from the Media Ecology Perspective I
 		Strate (2004) [Selections] • Try at least to read the text that has been highlighted in yellow.
Mon, Feb 06
Class 06
 Human Psychology & Culture from the Media Ecology Perspective II

   • Print & Techno-Digital Culture (Outline)
II. History and Themes: Media from the Ecological & (Neuro-)Psychological Perspective
Wed, Feb 08
Class 07 		Evaluating Claims: Science & Moral Panics (see reading on right)

Last part of class dedicated to Group Presentation Planning 		Moral Panics {Wikipedia}
 Moral Panic: Who Benefits from Public Fear {Psychology Today, 20150720}
 Lewandowski & Cook (2020) The Conspiracy Theory Handbook
Mon, Feb 13
Class 08 		What Do We Do with Media Online and IRL (In Real Life): Notes

 Last part of class dedicated to Group Presentation Planning
 		 TBA
Wed, Feb 15
Class 09 		Studying Psychology and Social Science (Research Methods) [Outline]
 		Giles (2003, pp. 14-27) [sent by email]
\Mon, Feb 20
Class 10 		The Extended Self & the Cognitive Psychology of Human Multitasking (Outline)
Clark & Chalmers (1998) [LMC via jstor]
Wang et al (2015) Summary

Wed, Feb 22
Class 11 		Behavioral Addictions and Media II & Discussion of Irresistible, Chs. 4-9

Group Presentation Planning in Part 2 of class

•••• Take Home Test distributed ••••
 		Alter (2017) Irresistible: Chaps. 4-6, 7-9
Mon, Feb 27
Class 12		 Discussion of the Media Then and Now Project

•••• The Media Then and Now: Report and Reflection due today••••


III. Topics in Media Ecology and Psychology
Wed, Mar 01
Class 13
 		Neuropsychology of Contemporary Media I • Light (Outline)

 		Hamilton & Grabowski (2013)
 on Cognitive Distraction [at this link]
Shocat (2012) [pdf link at bottom of abstract]
Mon, Mar 06
Class 14
 		Neuropsychology of Contemporary Media II
Automobile as a Digital Device   (Outline)

Part 2 of class dedicated to Group Presentation Planning



Wed, Mar 08
Class 15		 The Notion of "The Spectacle" • Living in the World of the Spectacle: Notes [Outline]
Part 2 of class dedicated to Group Presentation Planning

 •••• Completed Take Home Test due today ••••
 		The Society of the Spectacle {Wikipedia}
 Kellner (2003) Media Culture and the Triumph of the Spectacle (pdf, 18 pp)

March 13-17 Spring Break

Mon, Mar 20
Class 16

 		Group 1 Celebrities, Fandoms, and Audiences: How We Relate to Media Personalities
Wed, Mar 22
Class 17

 		Group 2 Disinhibition Online: Cyberbullying, Trolling, and Self-Revelation

Mon, Mar 27
Class18

 		Group 3 Privacy & Surveillance: Is Technology Intruding in Our Lives Too Much?

Wed, Mar 29
Class 18
 		Group 4 Ethnicity and Difference: How Media Shape Our Perceptions of One Another in a Diverse and Multiracial Society

Mon, Apr 03
Class19
 Presentation by Michael Sgro (LMC '97) • Founder & Director of Michael Sgro Leadership Coaching
  • A former Psychology major at Le Moyne, Michael has had extensive experience with both digital media and higher education. In an interactive exchange, he will offer the class perspectives on the use of digital media for career advancement and strategies for entering into the adult work community.

Wed, Apr 05
Class 20
 		TBA


Apr 07-10 Easter Break

Wed, Apr 12
Class 21
 		The Psychology of DISNEY I • Disney as a media corporation
 		Disney.Com: The Home of All Things Disney [look around]
 Disney Animated Films {Wikipedia}
Mon, Apr 17
Class 22		 The Psychology of DISNEY II  • Creating a national mythology? Princesses & Talking Animals
 		Judd (2015, July 8; Updated 2017, June 14). A conversation with the psychologist behind 'Inside Out'
Ornstein (2006, Dec 24). What's wrong with Cinderella? New York Times Magazine. [LMC]

Wed, Apr 19
Class 23
 Group 5 Violence in the Media: Traditional vs. Online Media
Mon, Apr 24
Class 24
 Group 6 Consumer Behavior: How Online Media Influence Buyers and Help Sell Products
Wed, Apr 26
Class 25
 Group 7 Fake News? Propaganda, Politics,and Media Manipulation
Mon, May 01
Class 26
 Sexuality Online Notes on Sexuality Online (pdf format)
Delavi et al (2013) on "sexting" [LMC]
Drouin et al (2013) on "sexting" [LMC]
Wed, May 03
Class 26
 Sexuality Online (cont'd)


Mon, May 08
Class 27
 Last Class: Discussion of the experience of 12-hours of digital abstinence & of other topics in the course.
•••• 12-Hour Digital Media Abstinence Project report due today ••••

•••• Reflection Paper on Group Presentation due by 5 pm, Friday, May 12 ••••