Theories of News Effects and Persuasion in Media

Media Effects

Impact of news on public perception and behavior.

Agenda-setting theory

Media coverage influences public issue importance.

Transfer of Salience

Shift of issue importance from media to public.

Need for Cognition

Interest in actively seeking and processing information.

Framing

Contextual organization of news content for interpretation.

Obtrusive Issues

Issues experienced directly by the public.

Unobtrusive Issues

Issues encountered primarily through news media.

Agenda Building

Process influencing media agenda by various sources.

Content Analysis

Method counting news stories for research purposes.

Surveys

Method asking audiences about important issues.

Causality Requirements

Conditions for establishing cause-effect relationships.

Public Opinion

Collective attitudes or beliefs of the public.

Interpersonal Communication

Information exchange through personal interactions.

Expert Sources

Influential figures shaping media agenda.

Public Relations

Strategies to influence public perception and media.

Journalists' Routines

Standard practices guiding news production.

Civil Action Images

Visuals depicting public engagement in climate issues.

Political Conservatism

Ideological stance affecting news interpretation.

Issue Frames

Specific perspectives presented in news coverage.

Media Agenda

Topics prioritized by news organizations.

Audience Processing

How individuals interpret and respond to news.

News Framing Research

Study of how news content is structured.

Frame Selection

Choosing specific aspects to highlight in news.

Persuasion

Communication aimed at changing attitudes or behaviors.

Trust in News

Confidence in the accuracy and reliability of news.

Hostile Media Perception

Viewing neutral coverage as biased against one's views.

Selective Exposure

Choosing media that aligns with personal beliefs.

Media Hybridity

Blending of different media genres in modern environments.

News Desert

Area with limited access to credible news sources.

Gallup Report

Survey indicating declining trust in U.S. news media.

Confirmation Bias

Interpreting information to support existing beliefs.

Pew Research Center

Organization studying public opinion and media trust.

Factors Influencing Trustworthiness

Criteria used to evaluate news credibility.

Age and News Trust

Older individuals more likely to value news organizations.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Theory explaining how people process persuasive messages.

Central Route

Persuasion through logical arguments and counterarguments.

Peripheral Route

Persuasion via superficial cues like credibility.

Great American Values Test

Field experiment assessing media influence on values.

Third-Person Effect

Belief that media affects others more than oneself.

Health Campaigns

Public health messaging using emotional appeals.

Audience Perception

How story type affects perceived news credibility.

Independent Variables

Factors manipulated in experiments to test hypotheses.

Dependent Variables

Outcomes measured in experiments, like news perception.

News Organization

Source of news content, impacting trustworthiness perception.

Story Popularity

Social media influence on perceived credibility of news.

Persuasion

Attempts to change attitudes or behaviors.

Attitudes

Enduring positive or negative feelings.

Behaviors

Actions in response to situations.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Predicts central and peripheral routes to persuasion.

Central Route

Involves motivated processing and close attention.

Peripheral Route

Involves less scrutiny and reliance on cues.

Counterattitudinal Messages

Messages advocating positions contrary to existing beliefs.

Source Credibility

Perceived expertise and trustworthiness of a source.

Expertise

Perception of a source as knowledgeable.

Trustworthiness

Perception of a source as reliable.

Entertainment Content

Content designed to engage and amuse audiences.

Great American Values Test

Field experiment on freedom and equality messaging.

Treatment Group

Participants exposed to the persuasive program.

Control Group

Participants not exposed to the persuasive program.

Dependent Variable

Measured outcome, such as donations.

Third-Person Effect

Belief that media impacts others more than oneself.

Self-Enhancement

Tendency to view oneself favorably.

Illusion of Personal Invulnerability

Overconfidence in avoiding negative events.

Health Campaigns

Messages promoting healthy or discouraging unhealthy behaviors.

Fear Appeals

Effective if they convey threat severity and vulnerability.

Guilt Appeals

Induce feelings of wrongdoing for not fulfilling obligations.

Ad Effectiveness

Correlation between advertising spending and product purchases.

Longitudinal Panel Survey

Method comparing purchases over time with advertising.

Persuasive Framing

Selection and emphasis in messaging for persuasion.

Counter-Marketing

Tactics to challenge unhealthy product advertising.

Reactance

Motivation to oppose perceived persuasive pressure.

Entertainment Education

Health messages embedded in entertainment programming.

Inattention

Reduced focus due to message volume and changes.

Ad Targeting

Targeting specific groups with tailored persuasive messages.

Demographic Information

Categorization by age, gender, income, and race.

Psychographic Information

Data reflecting personality, values, and attitudes.

Algorithms

Rules for computers to perform specific tasks.

Algorithmic Targeting

Using data to predict relevant ads for users.

Health Claims

Statements emphasizing benefits while omitting negatives.

Peripheral Route

Influencing without awareness of persuasive intent.

Central Route

Persuasion through awareness and critical thinking.

Audience Resistance

Pushback against messages perceived as manipulative.

Behavioral Goals

Desired changes in actions or attitudes.

Humor in Messaging

Can obscure health messages' clarity and intent.

Long-term Effects

Sustained impact of messages over time.

Targeted Ads

More effective than general public advertisements.

Media Audience Matching

Aligning demographics with specific media audiences.

Fast Food Advertising

Targeting specific demographics with unhealthy food ads.

Social Media Targeting

Ads tailored based on user behavior online.

Statistical Recall

Percentage of audience remembering key health statistics.

Behavior Change

Altering actions based on persuasive messaging.