Methodological Innovation in Industry-based Journalism Research: Opportunities and Pitfalls using Psychophysiological Measures

Abstract

ABSTRACT Since the media industry, due to a constantly developing media landscape, demands rapid and regular innovation of empirical methods, methodological innovation become a more compelling problem in industry compared to academic journalism research. This paper exemplifies methodological innovation in industry journalism research by means of a case study: NeuroJour, an industry pilot research project focusing on brain processing of digital journalism. The NeuroJour project involved testing four different psychophysiological methods: Primarily EEG, and eye tracking supplemented by EDA and facial coding – all of which are viewed as promising, innovative approaches to studying the complex and dynamic ways in which audience effects occur. Based on NeuroJour, this paper offers insight into the opportunities and pitfalls of applying psychophysiological measures in industry research on digital journalism, but also into how methodological innovation in industry and academic journalism research can cross-fertilize.