Laramie Taylor

Education

• Ph.D., Communication, University of Michigan, 2005
• B.A., English and Education, Brigham Young University, 1997 (summa cum laude)

About

Laramie Taylor studies the uses and effects of traditional and new media, with a particular focus on how people use and are influenced by entertainment media. Dr. Taylor specializes in the study of how media influences social perceptions and behavior, including effects related to romantic and sexual relationship beliefs, gender roles and stereotypes, violence, and perceptions of real and idealized bodies. For the last 10 years, Dr. Taylor has also studied fans of fictional texts, celebrities, and sports teams and athletes, working to understand the social and text-based motives of fanship. Dr. Taylor received his PhD from the University of Michigan in 2005.

Research Focus

Professor Taylor investigates and analyzes media uses and effects, with a focus on the ways that media use influences factors related to social interaction. Recent studies of his, for example, have examined how exposure to different types of media messages influence the traits people find attractive in potential romantic partners, how some personality traits predispose people to become fans of fictional texts, and the ways in which stories can persuade people to live healthier lives.

Publications

• Taylor, L. D., & Acic, I. (2021). Sports fans and magical thinking: How supernatural thoughts connect fans to teams. International Journal of Sport Communication, 14(4), 474-490. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2021-0046

• Taylor, L. D. (2021). Eudaimonia, hedonia, and fan behavior: Examining the motives of fans of fictional texts. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 15(2), 264. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000270

• Taylor, L. D., Alexopoulos, C., & Ghaznavi, J. (2016). Touchy subjects: Sex in the workplace on broadcast, cable, and internet television. Sex Roles. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s11199-016-0642-x
• Taylor, L. D. (2015). Investigating fans of fictional texts: Fan identity salience, empathy, and transportation. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 4(2), 172–187.
• Ghaznavi, J., & Taylor, L. D. (2015). Bones, body parts, and sex appeal: An analysis of #thinspiration images on popular social media. Body Image, 14, 54–61.
• Taylor, L. D. (2015). Men's sexual selectivity, romantic confidence, and gender ratios in the media. Journal of Men's Studies, 23(1),107–113.
• Taylor, L. D. (2013). Male partner selectivity and romantic confidence and media depictions of partner scarcity. Evolutionary Psychology, 11, 36–49.

Teaching

Laramie Taylor teaches courses in media, including Introduction to Communication (Communication 10y), Introduction to Mass Communication (Communication 140), Media Entertainment (Communication 144), Media and Health (Communication 165), and Mediated Communication Theory and Research for graduate students (Communication 250). Recently, Dr. Taylor has also offered special seminars in media involvement and fanship. Dr. Taylor is involved in developing online instructional resources to supplement university courses.

Awards

• Top Paper Award, Peace and Conflict Communication Division, NCA, 2016.
• Innovative Learning Technology Initiative Award, 2015
• Provost’s Hybrid Teaching Award, 2013