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Dr. Kathrin Karsay

Communication Scientist, KU Leuven

I am an Assistant Professor at the Department of Communication at the University of Vienna (Austria). I dedicate my professional life to exploring, researching, and sharing knowledge on how to successfully navigate the mediated world we live in.

LATEST PUBLICATIONS

Gell, S., Engel, E., Heiss, R., & Karsay, K. (2023). Social media influencers and adolescents’ health: A scoping review of the research field. Social Science & Medicine, 116387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116387

Noon, E., Maes, C., Karsay, K., & Vandenbosch, L. (2023). Making the Good Better? Investigating the Long-Term Associations Between Capitalization on Social Media and Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction. Media Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2023.2227941

Matthes, J., Stevic, A., Koban, K., Thomas, M. F., Forrai, M., & Karsay, K. (2023). Fear of Missing Out, Reflective Smartphone Disengagement, and Loneliness in Late Adolescents. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 26(10), 731-738. http://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2023.0014

CV

CURRICULUM VITAE

My academic journey started at the University of Vienna, where I received my doctoral degree in 2018. I worked as a pre- and post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Communication until my maternity leave in 2019.

 

I then found my way to Belgium, first as a post-doctoral fellow funded by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), then followed by an Assistant Professor position  for Media and Health Communication at the School for Mass Communication at KU Leuven. Since September 2023, I'm an Assistant Professor for Entertainment Research at the University of Vienna.

My research interests focus on the effects of entertaining digital and mass media on the societal and individual level. Within the past years, I have developed three major lines of inquiry. These closely interconnected strands of research center on (1) stigma and stereotypes in entertainment media, (2) challenges and effects of mobile connectivity in everyday life, and (3) the increasing role of digital celebrities in today’s media environment

 

I'm currently involved in research projects dealing with digital disconnection, mental health portrayals on social media, and the role of health influencers. I have received several awards and grants for my research, with projects and publications that you can learn more about below.

Academic Positions

09/2023

Assistant Professor for Entertainment Research

09/2021

Assistant Professor for Media and Health Communication

2020–2021

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

2019–2020

Research Fellow

2018–2029

Postdoctoral Researcher

2013–2018

Predoctoral Researcher

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication

KU LEUVEN

Leuven School for Mass Communication Research

Belgium

KU LEUVEN

Leuven School for Mass Communication Research

Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)

Belgium

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication

Education

RESEARCH

Publications by Topics

Current Research Projects

2013–2018

Doctoral Degree, Dr. phil.

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Austria
Title of Dissertation: Objects of Desire. Content and Effects of Sexualizing Media.
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Matthes

2009–2012

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Austria
Title of Master thesis: Effects of conservative political advertising on implicit and explicit attitudes.
Supervisor: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Matthes

Co-Supervisor: Dr. Florian Arendt

Master's Degree, Mag.phil.

2008–2009

University Degree French Language

UNIVERSITÉ SORBONNE NOUVELLE

Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3, Paris, France

2006–2009

Bachelor's Degree

UNIVERSITY OF SALZBURG

Department of Communication Studies, University of Salzburg, Austria

RESEARCH

Reseach

I've been lucky to work with smart and caring colleagues, mentors, and supervisors throughout my career. Since September 2021, I've been leading my own research team. 

Together with my two doctoral students, Elien Beelen and Lise-Marie Nassen, we're investigating the role of mobile media in everyday life and its interrelations with our health and well-being.

 

Elien's dissertation investigates social media's representations of mental health and mental illness and potential effects on attitudes, perception, and stigma of mentally ill.  Lise-Marie's dissertation focuses on disconnection practices in an ever-connected society and its associations to psychological well-being.

Within the FWF research project "Health Influencers in Social Media" (PI Raffael Heiss), I am supervising Sascha Gell and Elena Engel in their research on health misinformation and food marketing. 

Clicking on the links above will lead you to my publications

TEACHING

TEACHING
  • Psychology of social media lecture (2021/22, 2022/23) 

  • Evidence-based health communication seminar (2021/22, 2022/23)

  • Quantitative seminar  (2021/22, 2022/23)

  • Uitdagingen in de communicatiewetenschappen [Challenges in communictaion science] (2023)

KU Leuven

  • Communication research methods (2015, 2016, 2017) 

  • Communication research seminar (2014, 2015)

  • Tutoring & teaching assistance (2010-2011)

University of Vienna

GRANTS AND AWARDS

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Grants (selection)

2023

Grant for the Project: “Digital Well-being in an ‘Always-on’ Society: Investigating the Interrelationships Between Digital Disconnection and Psychological Well-being”. Funded by the KU Leuven Special Research Funds; Principal Investigator

2021

2020-2023

Grant for the project: “Health Influencers on Social Media: Who They Are, What They Post, and How They Affect Adolescents’ Health” Funded by the FWF Austrian Science Fund, PI: Raffael Heiss; Co-Principal investigator

                                   

Grant for the project “Social media use and adolescents’ well-being”. Funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), PI: Jörg Matthes, Co-author

2019-2021

FWO junior postdoctoral fellowship for the project: “Digitizing Joy: The Role of Smartphone Use in Capitalizing Positive Life Events and Adolescents’ Psychological Wellbeing”                      

2019-2021

Grant for the project: “Perfect picture, imperfect life? The relationship between personalized Instagram use and subjective life satisfaction – A linkage analysis.” Funded by the Society of Communication (ÖGK) for innovative research in communication science. In collaboration with Brigitte Naderer and Christina Peter, Principal investigator

2018-2019

Grant for the project: “Perception and effects of disclaimer labels on fashion images on body image.” Funded by the Vienna Municipal Department of Women’s Affairs (MA 57) and Women’s Health (MA 24). In collaboration with Brigitte Naderer and Christina Peter, Principal investigator

2018

Grant for the project “Top slicing and contestable funding in the broadcast media market”. Funded by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, ORF. In collaboration with Raffael Heiss; Principal Investigator

2017

Research Award by the Department of Communication, University of Vienna, Austria. In collaboration with Desirée Schmuck; Co-Principal Investigator

Awards

2023

Reviewer Award awarded at the European Conference on Health Communication by the European Journal of Health Communication

2021

2019

Top Student Paper Award, International Communication Association (ICA) Children, Adolescents, and Media Division, as a co-author of Sarah Devos, Steven Eggermont, & Laura Vandenbosch. 

                                   

ICA Kyoon Hur Dissertation Award, International Communication Association (ICA), Mass Communication Division. 

2018

Award of Excellence, Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. 

2018

Sowi-Doc.Award, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Vienna.

2017

Top 3 Student Paper Award, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s (AEJMC) Communication Theory and Methodology Division.

2009

Best Bachelor Thesis Award, Department of Communication Studies, University of Salzburg, Austria.

Image of a research award booklet
Outreach

OUTREACH / THIRD MISSION

Contact

CONTACT

Dr. Kathrin Karsay

University of Vienna

Department of Communication

Kolingasse 14-16

1090 Vienna

https://publizistik.univie.ac.at/

Reach out via email

Find me on Twitter

My Google scholar

ORCID ID

ICA Mobile Communication

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