Charisse L’Pree

Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies

Associate Professor; Affiliated Faculty

Charisse L'Pree

352 Newhouse 2




Charisse L'Pree Corsbie-Massay's work focuses on how media affects the way we think about ourselves and our perceptions of others. Trained in social psychology and critical media studies, L'Pree's work examines the intersection of communication and psychology to assess how media images and narratives affect viewer identity, attitudes and behaviors, and how individuals use traditional, new and interactive media to express themselves and connect with others. Her current research investigates the psychological effects of intersectional identities and the media's role in personal and social identity conflict.

As an actively interdisciplinary scholar, L'Pree has collaborated with researchers across a wide variety of disciplines including psychology, communications, anthropology, sociology, political science, medicine and engineering.

Prior to joining the faculty at Newhouse, she held teaching and research positions at the University of Southern California and Loyola Marymount University. Her research has been funded through the National Institutes of Health, the California HIV/AIDS Research Program and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

In her most recent book, "20th Century Media and the American Psyche: A Strange Love" (Routledge, 2021), L’Pree bridges media theory, psychology, and interpersonal communication by describing how our relationships with media emulate the relationships we develop with friends and romantic partners through their ability to replicate intimacy, regularity and reciprocity.