Elliot Panek

Elliot Panek is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama, directing the master’s program in Journalism & Creative Media. His research focuses on sociological and psychological perspectives of social media, including online community dynamics, media addiction, and political polarization. He has published extensively in top-tier journals and authored Understanding Reddit, analyzing the platform’s social structures. His work bridges media studies with behavioral psychology, addressing topics like narcissism in social media use and pandemic-era communication patterns. Panek teaches courses on social media, research methods, and film history, mentoring Ph.D. and undergraduate students.

• Research Highlights: Social dynamics of Reddit, media addiction, texting while driving, and hyperpartisan news consumption
• Media Coverage: Featured in The New York Times, Time.com, and The North Korea Times

His grants and advising emphasize applied research in digital sociology, with a focus on longitudinal studies of online communities. Panek’s lab explores evolving media behaviors and their societal impacts, leveraging computational methods for content analysis.