Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster

Dr. Rebecca Tukachinsky Forster is an Associate Professor at the School of Communication, Chapman University, specializing in media psychology, parasocial relationships, and intergroup communication. Her research explores media effects on identity, well-being, and social dynamics.

• Education: BA (Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel), MA (Haifa University), PhD (University of Arizona)

Research Interests: Dr. Forster investigates how media consumption shapes emotional connections with characters, racial/health stereotyping, and narrative persuasion. Key areas include parasocial jealousy, cancel culture, and media literacy interventions.

Article Trends: Recent work focuses on parasocial relationships in youth, cross-political narrative persuasion, and visual framing of social issues. Her studies employ meta-analyses, experimental designs, and content analysis across digital platforms.

Advising & Collaboration: Dr. Forster mentors students in research projects published in journals like Psychology of Popular Media and Journal of Media Psychology. Her students contribute to studies on parasocial dynamics, Instagram representation, and public health communication.