Social Psychology of New Media

Theories of social psychology can be applied to our understanding of how new media is produced, marketed, resisted, adopted and consumed. This module highlights these key stages in the developmental trajectory of new media and introduces relevant theories, while considering issues such as why some technologies succeed where others fail, how marketers should promote new technology, which services are likely to become tomorrow's killer applications and what goes through the minds of new media adopters.
This module is devoted to the psychological aspects of computer-mediated communication (CMC) and human-computer interaction (HCI). Theories and empirical research from communication, psychology, human-computer studies are used to explore:
psychological factors that influence interpersonal interaction when mediated by technology
social-psychological consequences of internet use from both positive and negative aspects
social responses to communication technologies
uses and effects of unique technological features