There is little doubt that media have a substantial influence on individuals’ lives. American adults spent on average more than 13 hours per day with media. Most of this time is devoted to entertainment, news, and to connecting to other individuals via social media. In this class students will become familiar with past and contemporary theorizing and research in media psychology. Specifically, the class intertwines latest research on the uses and effects of media with research in the cognitive sciences. Topics include an overview of media psychological theories and their historical development, the psychology of narratives and the moral mind, the psychology of video games, and the psychology of smartphones and social media.