About Pam Rutledge

Pamela Rutledge, PhD, is a scholar-practitioner, integrating her expertise in media psychology with 20+ years as a media producer. A member of the faculty at Fielding Graduate University since 2008, Dr. Rutledge teaches in the areas of brand psychology, audience engagement and narrative meaning. Dr. Rutledge consults with entertainment companies, such as 20th Century Fox Films and Warner Bros., on data strategies and audience narratives. Dr. Rutledge has published both academic and popular work, including a text on positive psychology and psychological appeal for fans of the Twilight Saga and resilience in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She has also written book chapters on meaning-making and fandom, transmedia narrative engagement, and positive media psychology. She authors “Positively Media” for Psychology Today and is also a frequent expert source on media use and popular culture for media outlets such as The NY Times, The BBC World and ABC News. She holds a PhD and an MBA.
FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmail

Reap the Benefits of Rewatching Your Favorite Movies

2024-11-24T15:46:14-08:00

Rewatching and sharing favorites improves mood and strengthens connections. Key points Anticipation of familiar scenes triggers dopamine, making rewatching more rewarding. Rewatching holiday movies fosters tradition and enhances feelings of connection across generations. Revisiting favorites lowers cognitive load, increases ease of processing, and reduces stress levels. Familiarity strengthens parasocial connections with media characters, increasing meaning and belonging. Ever found yourself reaching for your favorite old movie or TV show despite knowing every line and plot twist? You're not alone. Rewatching old favorites is a popular activity for many, especially during the holidays, when seasonal classics like It's a Wonderful Life, Love [...]

Reap the Benefits of Rewatching Your Favorite Movies2024-11-24T15:46:14-08:00

Surviving Election Night: 7 Tips to Manage Your Emotions

2024-11-08T07:49:01-08:00

Election results can elevate our stress and make us vulnerable to manipulation. Key points To alleviate stress, avoid hyper-focusing on election coverage, and take breaks to reduce negative emotions. Seek out balanced media sources to avoid misinformation and reduce anxiety. If the election results are disappointing, acknowledge your emotions but don't let them immobilize you. Accept the election results as part of democracy, and stay involved for positive future change. Election night can create a roller coaster of emotional stress as results come in. Pundits will debate, and if the last few weeks are any indication, misinformation and conspiracy theories [...]

Surviving Election Night: 7 Tips to Manage Your Emotions2024-11-08T07:49:01-08:00

How Morning Phone Habits Shape Productivity and Well-Being

2024-10-07T08:28:58-07:00

Small hacks to avoid "first-thing" phone use can improve your mood all day. Key points Checking our phones before we’re out of bed can drain our mental energy and leave us unprepared for the day. Starting the day with negative content can lower our mood, creativity, productivity, and confidence. Social media can be a positive experience when its use aligns with our goals. Do you look at your phone before you’re even out of bed? It’s easy to do. Our phones are portals to a world of information, people, and conveniences. They may also be our alarm, weather forecaster, sleep [...]

How Morning Phone Habits Shape Productivity and Well-Being2024-10-07T08:28:58-07:00

Are Our Kids Anxious or Just Unprepared?

2024-09-16T13:26:47-07:00

Technology strategies that don't teach media literacy will likely fail our kids. Key points Social media amplifies existing challenges like bullying, peer pressure, and FOMO; it does not create them. Less than half of U.S. states have media literacy legislation, leaving many students unprepared. Kids' social development makes them vulnerable to online influence, requiring targeted education. Media literacy is finally getting some long-overdue attention. Whether it’s the rising awareness of political disinformation, the threat of AI, Russian hackers, or cellphones in the classroom, discussions about media literacy are on the uptick. In September, the APA Monitor joined the fray arguing for equipping [...]

Are Our Kids Anxious or Just Unprepared?2024-09-16T13:26:47-07:00

Why Warning Labels on Social Media Won’t Teach Kids to Make Smarter Choices

2024-07-01T12:22:22-07:00

Digital literacy, not fear-based restrictions, is needed to help kids build safe and healthy relationships with technology. KEY POINTS Social media is here to stay; let’s prepare kids to handle the digital world, not shield them from it. Kids need guidance, skills, and a chance to practice so they can develop healthy relationships with technology. Hyperfocusing on social media diverts resources needed to address the scarcity of mental health professionals needed to help teens struggling now. Surgeon General Murthy's call for warning labels on social media has ignited heated discussions all over the Internet. In the face of all this [...]

Why Warning Labels on Social Media Won’t Teach Kids to Make Smarter Choices2024-07-01T12:22:22-07:00

How to Protect Your Brain from Election Stress

2024-06-05T07:09:58-07:00

Eight strategies to build resilience and keep your cool during the elections. KEY POINTS Political conflict keeps stress hormones high with adverse psychological and physical consequences. Social media encourages partisanship and undermines the motivation to discern fact from fiction. Fear of social rejection can increase political group compliance and support for misinformation. Limiting exposure and seeking balanced information sources can reduce stress during election season. Political polarization has worsened to the point where 40 percent of Americans describe politics as a chronic stressor, blaming it for increased depression and anxiety, loss of sleep, greater impulsivity, such as posting social media comments they later regret, and damage to [...]

How to Protect Your Brain from Election Stress2024-06-05T07:09:58-07:00

How to Protect Your Child’s Digital Reputation

2024-05-14T11:30:52-07:00

Our online behaviors shape how others see us and impact future opportunities. KEY POINTS A digital reputation reflects all your online activity, not just the good stuff. Young people can be especially vulnerable to digital missteps. Hitting the “pause” button before the “send” button can short-circuit online behaviors fueled by emotions. A big part of our world is online and will continue to be so, whether it’s social connection, entertainment, inspiration, professional pursuits, or problem-solving. The first impression we make on others (and vice versa) is often online. We live in a search engine culture with information about people, things, and events [...]

How to Protect Your Child’s Digital Reputation2024-05-14T11:30:52-07:00

How Granfluencers are Breaking Stereotypes on TikTok

2024-03-28T10:28:09-07:00

Senior TikTok stars are captivating viewers by being funny, smart, and real. KEY POINTS Although it still skews young, there has been a 57% rise in Boomers on TikTok since 2021. Granfluencers' warmth, authenticity, and refusal to "act their age" attracts followers from all generations. Virtual eye contact on TikTok fosters trust, comfort, and emotional ties. Granfluencers break stereotypes, modeling healthy aging, body positivity, and vitality. Now that I’m "Gamma," I am gaining a new perspective on aging. Between professional pressures, social norms, stereotypes, and those sticky, internalized beliefs, it isn’t easy being totally comfortable with aging. But, just as [...]

How Granfluencers are Breaking Stereotypes on TikTok2024-03-28T10:28:09-07:00

AI Doesn’t Change Why Kids Should Learn to Code

2024-03-22T10:32:13-07:00

Coding prepares kids to be better problem-solvers in the real world. KEY POINTS Coding nurtures problem-solving and creativity in kids. Young coders gain early math and literacy foundations through non-tech play. Middle-childhood coding bolsters logical thinking, spatial reasoning, and team skills. Is coding a necessary competency that kids need to learn? Or does the large specter of AI on the horizon and some grim prognostications have you questioning if signing your kid up for summer coding camp is even relevant? The doomsayers argue that since AI can code better than a human, human coders won’t be needed. That’s a baby-and-bath-water [...]

AI Doesn’t Change Why Kids Should Learn to Code2024-03-22T10:32:13-07:00

Beyond Bans: How Can Teachers Tackle Social Media at School?

2024-02-29T06:08:36-08:00

Turning digital challenges into educational opportunities through empowerment. KEY POINTS Restricting devices in schools doesn't solve the broader issue of teaching kids to use technology responsibly. Engaging students in conversations about social media encourages critical thinking and safe online behaviors. Collaboratively developed rules and consequences about device use can improve student compliance. Educators are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to technology in the classroom—especially smartphones and social media. They are under pressure to use educational technology to make assignments and materials readily available, communicate with parents, distribute information, create engaging content for students, provide support, and [...]

Beyond Bans: How Can Teachers Tackle Social Media at School?2024-02-29T06:08:36-08:00

Contact

  • Fielding Graduate University
    2020 De La Vina Street
    Santa Barbara, CA 93105

  • admissions@fielding.edu
  • 1-800-340-1099
  • 1-805-898-4026
  • Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Pacific)
  • Washington DC Office
    4200 Connecticut Ave. NW BLDG 44, STE 200A
    Washington, DC 20008

Schools & Centers

Admissions

Resources

Quicklinks

Upcoming Events

View Calendar
Go to Top