Research Unit Media Psychology

Research Interests:
(Right-wing) Extremism and Radicalization • Hate Speech • Entertainment Research

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

MOTRA focuses on analyzing radicalization and extremism in Germany. The Internet Monitoring team at LMU investigates radical and extremist discourse and actors on social media, as well as their impact beyond the digital sphere.

Further information about the project MOTRA.

Duration: 01/2020 - 03/2028

Leadership: Prof. Diana Rieger

Financial support: Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR), Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat (BMI), Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ)

More information coming soon!

ToxicAInment examines how and why toxic social media content is perceived as more acceptable when disguised as entertainment. To achieve this, we combine AI methods with qualitative research and experimental studies.

Further information on the project ToxicAIment.

Duration: 04/2024 - 03/2027

Leadership: Prof. Dr. Yannis Theocharis

Financial sponsor: Bayerisches Forschungsinstitut für Digitale Transformation) (bidt)

The aim of the project is to anchor the AVERA community data trust more firmly in the research community and promote its use. AVERA is the “directory of actors involved in researching the spread of digital right-wing extremist and radical activities, radicalization processes, narratives, and discourses” and records actors with links to right-wing extremist political online communication and their social media accounts, primarily in Germany. The project supports the transmission of data from pilot users with high visibility in the research field.

The project is a collaboration between the GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, the Social Media Observatory at the Hans Bredow Institute in Hamburg, Amadeu Antonio Stiftung - Institut für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft in Jena, University of Tübingen, Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Duration: 04/2025 – 03/2026

Leadership: Heidi Schulze, Prof. Dr. Diana Rieger

Financial support: EU, Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)

To the project website

Leader: Dr. Mark Jungblut

Funded by: German Reseach Foundation