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Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. - Fielding Graduate University. Corona Del Mar, CA, US

Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D.

Professor Emerita - Media Psychology | Fielding Graduate University

Corona Del Mar, CA, UNITED STATES

Rutledge focuses on identifying human motivations, behavioral triggers & instinctive drives to inform messaging & data strategies

Spotlight

Media

Publications:

Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. Publication Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. Publication Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. Publication Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. Publication Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D. Publication

Documents:

Selfie Empowerment: The Positive Side of Selfies The Power of Story - Social Storytelling

Videos:

Dr. Pamela Rutledge on the Zoom Boom in Cosmetic Surgery

Audio/Podcasts:

Social

Biography

Dr. Pamela Rutledge is a scholar-practitioner, integrating her expertise in media psychology with 20+ years as a media producer. She applies behavioral, social and neuroscience to understanding the impact of media content and technology design and anticipating audience behaviors. Rutledge focuses on identifying human motivations, behavioral triggers and instinctive drives to inform messaging and data strategies that deliver actionable insights.

In her capacity as a professional media psychologist, Dr. Rutledge consults with a variety of clients; data science team member at 20th Century Fox Films, persona development for the Oprah Winfrey Network, audience insights for Warner Bros., persona-based narrative strategies to disrupt terrorist messaging in social for the US Dept. of Defense, persuasive narratives to shift brand strategies for Saatchi and Saatchi, and the integration of human motivation into data strategies for Panoramic Data Visualization.

As faculty at Fielding Graduate University, Dr. Rutledge designs and teaches courses on brand narratives and transmedia storytelling, and audience engagement and segmentation through persona development. Her academic research focuses on the use of meaning making and narrative theory to understand the human and social experience and use of media and technology platforms. She has a particular interest in promoting the ethical use of media and technology design and content based on the tenets of positive psychology.

Dr. Rutledge speaks internationally and has published both academic and popular work on audience narratives, multi-platform engagement, the impact of mobile media, and qualitative research. She has contributed three chapters to the International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. She is also the author of: Transmedia Psychology - Creating Compelling and Immersive Experiences; The Psychology of Mobile Technologies; Augmented Reality - A Brain-Based Model for Interactive and Immersive Media; and Bridging Research and Practice: Using Proactive Narratives in a U.S. Department of Defense White Paper Assessing and Anticipating Threats to US Security Interests.

Dr. Rutledge acts as an expert witness in litigation related to audience and fan behaviors, is a blogger for PsychologyToday.com and is also a frequent expert source on media use and popular culture for media outlets such as The NY Times, The BBC World, UK Guardian, ABC News, Time, and the Wall Street Journal.

Industry Expertise (4)

Entertainment

Social Media

Research

Media - Broadcast

Areas of Expertise (10)

Trust in Information

Applied Narrative

Persuasive Messaging

Positive Psychology Applied to Media

Qualitative Research and Analysis

Audience Engagement

Media Psychology

Brand Storytelling and Brand Meaning

Persona Development

Fear Behavior and Pandemics

Accomplishments (2)

Distinguished Faculty Award (personal)

(2011) University of California Irvine Extension

Early Career Award for Contributions to the Field of Media Psychology (professional)

(2014) Recipient of the Early Career Award for Contributions to the Field of Media Psychology

Education (3)

Fielding Graduate University: Ph.D., Media Psychology 2008

Fielding Graduate University: M.A., Media Psychology 2007

Claremont Graduate University: M.B.A., Finance and Accounting, with honors 1988

Affiliations (11)

  • American Psychological Association : Member
  • Society for Consumer Psychology : Conference paper reviewer 2011-13
  • American Psychological Society : Member
  • International Communications Association : Conference paper reviewer 2007-15
  • The Society for Media Psychology and Technology Division : Member; Chair Finance Committee
  • International Association for Positive Psychology : Member
  • American Psychological Society
  • European Journal of Social Psychology, Article Reviewer 2011-present
  • Journal of Mass Media Communications, Article Reviewer 2011-present
  • Journal of Media and Popular Culture, Article reviewer 2013-present
  • Editor, Media Psychology Review http://www.mediapsychologyreview.com

Media Appearances (13)

The darkly soothing compulsion of 'doomscrolling.'

BBC  

2021-03-03

The darkly soothing compulsion of 'doomscrolling.' By Jessica Klein. (March 3, 2021). BBC.

How Covid-19 has changed social media habits

VOX  

2021-03-01

How Covid-19 has changed social media habits. By Rani Molla. (Mar 1, 2021). VOX.

How coronavirus vaccine selfies help fight the battle against misinformation.

CNET  

2021-01-29

How coronavirus vaccine selfies help fight the battle against misinformation. (January 29, 2021). By Erin Carson. CNET

Why All Parents Should Think Twice Before Posting Photos of Their Kids Online

FATHERLY  

2021-01-20

Why All Parents Should Think Twice Before Posting Photos of Their Kids Online (January 20, 2021). By Adam Bulger. FATHERLY.

3 Ways to Stop ‘Doomscrolling’ for Your Mental Health This Week

LIFESTYLE  

2021-01-11

3 Ways to Stop ‘Doomscrolling’ for Your Mental Health This Week. (January 11, 2021). By Sinclair Ceasar III. MSN.com LIFESTYLE.

Data Privacy Is an Illusion in Today’s Social Media World – An Interview with Dr. Pamela Rutledge

Financial Sense  

2020-08-03

Data Privacy Is an Illusion in Today’s Social Media World – An Interview with Dr. Pamela Rutledge. (August 3, 2020). Financial Sense.

Is there such as thing as too much screen time right now?

Mic  

2020-04-02

Is there such as thing as too much screen time right now? (April 2, 2020). By AJ Dellinger. Mic

Lockdown was supposed to be an introvert’s paradise. It’s not.

MIT Technology Review  

2020-04-02

Lockdown was supposed to be an introvert’s paradise. It’s not. (April 2, 2020). By Abby Ohlheiser. MIT Technology Review.

Sextortion: The Online Scam That's Blackmailing Teens

Parentology  online

2020-03-03

“They are increasingly prevalent, growing by nearly 250% in 2018 alone,” says Dr. Pamela B. Rutledge, Director Media Psychology Research Center. The good news, Rutlege says, is that “While there are some examples of real extortion involving theft of nude photos or videos, most are hoaxes that have no basis in reality.” In most cases, the only information they actually have is you or your teen’s email address. But they are still dangerous. If the sender cannot get your teen to pay a ransom, Rutledge says the next hope is that they will accidentally open malware included in the email. This can allow them access to the device’s webcam.

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Why watching historical dramas is good for you according to psychologists

CBC Television  online

2020-03-02

According to media psychology experts, Dr. Pamela B. Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in California as well as faculty in the media psychology program at Fielding Graduate University, and Dr. Shira Gabriel, an Associate Professor of Psychology at SUNY, University at Buffalo, there are positive psychological benefits to watching your fave historical drama including improved mental health, social connections and even listening skills in kids.

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Teenagers are discovering that the world of YouTube fan fiction can have a dark, sexual, and violent side

Insider  online

2020-02-03

"In a parasocial relationship, the audience comes to feel that the personality is a friend and they experience the person as if they were in a reciprocal relationship, rather than a one-sided one," media psychologist Pamela Rutledge told Insider in a previous article.

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'You' fans think Joe is a psychopath, but mental health experts say they're wrong

Business Insider  online

2020-01-14

One reason it's difficult to pinpoint a single mental health condition for Goldberg is the simple fact "You" was created for television, according to Pamela Rutledge, a social scientist who researches the intersection of media, human behavior, and neuroscience.

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Here's why it feels so good to watch those Hallmark holiday movies

NBC News  online

2019-11-15

As for the absence of cinematic wow factor that's become a "hallmark" of these movies (sorry, had to), there's a reason why we're so forgiving of it. "The lack of reality at all levels, from plot to production, signals that the movies are meant to be escapism entertainment," Rutledge explains. "The genre is well-defined, and our expectations follow. This enables us to suspend disbelief."

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Event Appearances (6)

Positive Media Psychology

Psychology Colloquium - 2021  Virtual

Presence and the Impact of Personality

Digital Hollywood Conference - 2019  Los Angeles, CA

Data Strategy and Narrative

Variety Data Innovation Symposium - 2019  Los Angeles, CA

Media Psychology: What It Is and How to Use it

Credible Partners Conference - 2017  Baltimore, MD

Brand Story as Virtual Reality

Media Summit - 2016  New York, NY

Presidential Panel The Internet of You: Selfie Empowerment

American Psychological Association National Convention - 2015  Toronto, ON

Articles (9)

In Search of the Hero: Qualitative Analysis of Audience Response to The Predator Trailer

Real Characters

Rutledge, P. (2021) In Search of the Hero: Qualitative Analysis of Audience Response to The Predator Trailer. In K. Shackleford & K. Walker (Ed.), Real Characters. Fielding University Press.

Positive Media Psychology

The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology

Rutledge, P. (2020). Positive Media Psychology. In J. Van den Buick (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

Qualitative Research

The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology

Rutledge, P. (2020). Qualitative Research. In J. Van den Buick (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

Long-form Interviewing

The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology

Rutledge, P. and Hogg, J. L. (2020). Long-form Interviewing. In J. Van den Buick (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. New York: Wiley-Blackwell.

You Can Learn a Lot by Listening: Use narrative analysis to understand the “why” in consumer behavior trends

The Actuary

Rutledge, P. (2019). You Can Learn a Lot by Listening: Use narrative analysis to understand the “why” in consumer behavior trends. The Actuary, April/May.

Transmedia Psychology: Creating Compelling and Immersive Experiences

Routledge Companion to Transmedia Studies

Rutledge, P. (2019). Transmedia Psychology: Creating Compelling and Immersive Experiences. In M. Freeman & R. R. Gambarato (Eds.), Routledge Companion to Transmedia Studies. London: Routledge.

Media Psychology: What You Need to Know and How to Use It

Practical Psychology in Medical Rehabilitation

2017 Media technologies can offer many advantages to medical rehabilitation when sensitively matched to people’s strengths and constraints. Achieving this effective pairing to help practitioners and patients achieve their goals is at the heart of media psychology. The purpose of this chapter is to provide practitioners with context and examples to facilitate the implementation of media technologies into their practices and professional lives.

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Social Networks: What Maslow Misses

Psychology Today

2011 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model, developed in 1948, resonates across many disciplines, from business, technology and education to its field of origin, psychology. It speaks to potential and to positive conceptualizations of human motivation.

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What is media psychology? And why you should care

Media Psychology Research Center

2010 Psychology is key to understanding the implications of technology. Consequently, it seems like it should be pretty straightforward to define media psychology. For some reason, though, it’s not.

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