Social science and marketing scholars examine the convergence between entertainment media's narrative and rhetoric messages and their impact on attitudes and behavior. In introducing 18 papers based on the 2002 Annual Advertising and Consumer Psychology Conference. Shrum (marketing, U. of Texas-San Antonio) notes that media effects depend on such variables as individual differences in usage. Contributors present empirical studies and theory relating to such factors as subliminal messages, product placement, lack of exposure to diversity, and fictional vs. factual communication processing.