Strong Foundations and Forward-Thinking in Turbulent Times: A Note from Our Incoming Editors

Abstract

Media psychology is currently well-poised to address some of the most pressing societal questions of our age. How are smartphones and social media usage connected to adolescents’ mental health? What role do traditional and emerging media play in improving public understanding of health and environmental crises? How do advancements in human-machine interaction, such as the integration of conversational agents, robots, and other AI-driven systems, influence user engagement, trust, and social dynamics? Which characteristics of digital platforms may foster – or prevent – political polarization and the spread of disinformation? We believe that research in our field is able to give answers and orientation in complicated times like these. It is our goal to build on a strong foundation and position Media Psychology as one of the best scholarly forums for addressing these timely questions – while simultaneously continuing our tradition of excellent basic research, theoretical advancement, and impeccable methodologies.