Research Unit Media Psychology

Information

Prof. Dr. Diana Rieger has held a Research and Teaching Chair (FLB) in Communication Studies since October 2018. Prof. Rieger and her team focus intensively on issues of political communication, media use, and media impact in their research and teaching. The lab has two main focuses:

(1) Extremism and Radicalization

In numerous current research projects, the team is investigating various aspects of radicalization (e.g., the role of social and alternative media, group dynamics, and influencers), right-wing extremism (e.g., presentation and activity on TikTok and Telegram), and hate speech (e.g., disguise through humor). The focus is particularly on long-term radicalization dynamics and the perception and impact of problematic online content.

(2) Entertainment Research

A second focus is the question of the influence of digital media (offers) and their effect on the well-being and entertainment experience of recipients. The focus is primarily on the role of one's own life situation (e.g., biographical resonance), well-being (e.g., through relaxation and resilience), and situational aspects of media reception (e.g., media multitasking).
Methodologically, the FLB relies on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, ranging from computational methods with big data to qualitative interview studies and psychophysiological measurements.

Research Projects