WHAT:Millions of people viewed close-up video footage of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s bloody, dead body surrounded by cheering Libyan fighters as his death made headlines. What is the psychological impact of seeing such images? How might this situation compare to the killing of Osama bin Laden, when no pictures were made available?
EXPERTS AND TOPICS:The following experts are available for interviews on media psychology and the effect of individual and collective viewing of shocking, grisly images.
Stuart Fischoff, PhD, professor emeritus of media psychology, California State University, Los Angeles, can speak about all aspects of media psychology, television, movies, Internet and mobile communications, and post-traumatic stress reactions. He is senior editor, Journal of Media Psychology.
Robert Simmermon, PhD, practitioner and writer, Atlanta, can talk about TV network responsibility and psychological impacts of content. He has worked on mass media issues for 25 years and has served on the faculties of Georgia State University and Ball State University.
Frank Farley, PhD, Laura H. Carnell professor of educational psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, and past APA president, can discuss risk-taking, heroes, personality, motivation, children and adolescents, political psychology, health, crime, violence and emotion.
The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists. APA's membership includes more than 154,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
RSS