The OU PRIME Lab in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma is directed by Professor Glenn Leshner. The lab is a cutting-edge media psychology research and teaching laboratory devoted to investigating how individuals cognitively and emotionally process and react to different types of media messages in advertising, entertainment, and journalism across a broad spectrum of technological platforms, such as television, computers, and smartphones. By incorporating equipment for measuring psychophysiological data, such as cardiac activity, skin conductance, and facial expression coding, in addition to eye tracking, self-report, and memory measures, the lab (4100 in Five Partners Place on campus) is capable of providing critical, precise, and holistic data for the evaluation and understanding of media psychological processes and effects. The lab is also a training ground for students to learn about media psychology and experimental research.
In the PRIME Lab, we have several projects running at any one time. The capabilities of our lab allow us to host a range of studies related to our focus on health communication. Ongoing projects include measuring and analyzing message effects in relation to tobacco use, PSA design strategies, and processing interactive message features.