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Please join the Graduate Program in Communication, Culture and Media and the Department of Communication for our next external colloquium featuring Mary Beth Oliver, PhD, from Penn State University! Refreshments will be served.

The Potentials and Complexities of Using Inspiring Media for Social Good

Feeling inspired, moved or touched by media messages has generated considerable research within the last several years. This research demonstrates that inspiring media portrayals have the potential to enhance feelings of connectedness with others, facilitate motivations for altruistic behaviors, and diminish stigmatization, among other beneficial outcomes. At the same time, not all individuals feel inspired by such media portrayals, nor do all outcomes associated with heightened feelings of “inspiration” necessarily result in “prosocial” outcomes. This talk with provide a model under development to capture the processes and complexities of using inspiring media for purposes of well-being and social good.