Cyberpsychology and Media Studies: Contemporary Research Directions and Sources of Mutual Inspiration

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the relationship between cyberpsychology and media studies in the perspective of common research fields, main concepts and paradigms as well as analysis methods of selected phenomena related to the media sphere and cyberculture. Cyberpsychology is described in the article as a transdiscipline in the context of (new) media studies and media cultural studies. It has been also presented as a sub-discipline of media psychology and communication. Cyberpsychology represents “media-user based approaches”, because research on main types of media is conducted in relation to their impact on human behaviour. The features of new media, the transition to the interactive network media paradigm and immersive technological environments in the 1980s and 1990s require the use of psychological methods by media experts. Cyberpsychologists, on the other hand, are obliged to use media-based approaches in their research. Within the framework of cyberpsychology focused on the study of digital media user, the mainstream of theoretical and applied research has been distinguished. Its links with other sub-disciplines of psychology and the relevant direction of contemporary research on digital media and cyberculture 3.0 have been indicated.