Dr. Vinney is a scholar, author, and freelance writer who focuses on psychology and popular culture topics. Her research examines how audiences understand, engage with, and respond to popular media.
She has published two books and numerous academic articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Psychology of Popular Media Culture, Social and Personality Psychology Compass, and Review of Communication. Her latest book, Finding Truth in Fiction, was published in 2020 by Oxford University Press.
Dr. Vinney earned a PhD and MA in psychology with an emphasis in media psychology from Fielding Graduate University. Her dissertation investigated how the strength of an individual’s personal identity as a fan impacts one’s meaningful cognitive and affective responses to a favorite television show. She received her BA in film studies from Cornell University.
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