We study how media shape moral judgment, behavior, and well-being across the lifespan.

By integrating cognitive and moral psychological approaches, our work examines the fundamental mechanisms through which media influence social attitudes - from the stories children consume to the moral appeals used in extremist propaganda. Using experimental and quantitative content analysis methods, we investigate how entertainment media can foster altruism and personal well-being, but also how the same processes can be leveraged to justify harm, exclusion, and violence.

We are located in the Department of Communication at The University at Buffalo, State University of New York.