The media serves as a crucial source of information for the general public. However, the way this information is presented can significantly impact how it is perceived and understood.
One freshman student, Lily Kratz, shared her take on the matter, stating “I think the media plays a positive and negative impact. Let’s say you see in the news that there is a car crash, well that’s informative, but let’s say you see that it’s your friend’s car. Wouldn’t you want to learn about that from a person and not the news?”
Studies have shown that people tend to remember information better when it’s presented in a visually appealing manner. This explains why infographics and videos are becoming increasingly popular ways of sharing information. Additionally, the use of emotional appeals in media can influence how people perceive information and how they respond to it.
Another freshman student, Chelsea Zerbe, also had thoughts to share on the matter. Zerbe stated “social media has a positive and negative impact” then goes on and says “media can teach us about things that are helpful, like GRWM (get ready with me), but they can also be negative by having people get bullied online”
Media psychology is a field that helps journalists understand how media affects human behavior, cognition and emotions.