Every January, a highly advertised event occurs in the U.S.: a new season of the hit reality TV series “American Idol” begins. On the show, hundreds of teens and young adults compete for a chance to sing before a national audience and possibly earn a record deal. Since its inception, the show has become the highest rated in the history of television, with more votes cast for the performers per season than for the nation's president. Cue the lights, camera and—psychologists say—the skewed lesson on human values. Read more »
Newspaper Endorsements Influence Voters [Study]
Voters might like to think that they cannot be swayed by the influence of media endorsements, but Brian Knight and Chun Fang Chiang, researchers at Brown University, recently published a study in The Review of Economic Studies which states that media endorsements do have a significant effect of the decisions of voters. Read more »
Viewing Idealized Body Images Temporarily Increases Personal Body Satisfaction [Study]
A recent study suggests that viewing ideal female body types can initially provide improved body image satisfaction. However, some notable behavior changes occurred in the women reporting significant increases in body image satisfaction: These participants made dietary alterations during the course of the study, including methods such as decreasing carbohydrate intake and meal skipping. Read more »
Male and Female Rappers Have Two Different Perspectives About the Definition of the “Independent Woman”
Male and female rappers have two different perspectives about what defines an "independent woman." While male rappers see this type of woman as one who can pay her own bills and is educated, female rappers see "her" as someone with sexual prowess. Read more »
Arab TV Does Not Create Anti-American Sentiments In All Viewers
Arab television networks, such as Al Jazeera, have been long thought to only be developing anti-American sentiments among viewers, but researchers of a new study at Ohio State University say this thinking is too simplistic. Read more »
Power and Pressure: The Media in Africa
With the sub-Saharan economies in Africa now relying on the extraction of natural resources for growth, they have begun to look at the media to help influence policy agenda and educate the public. Their hope is that media will increase transparency, promote good governance, and make sure revenues from these extractives are put in the [...] Read more »
New media needs to improve communication about weight and health
There is a belief among people that weight and health is a matter of personal responsibility and therefore little can be done on a policy level to affect individual behavior. But, a panel moderated by editor of Health Affairs, Susan Dentzer, found that uninformed and unrealistic media who promote this view may not only be negatively effect individual behavior, but also how policy makers approach issues of weight and health. Read more »
Will the distracting nature of media multitasking change advertising?
In today's world of television, cell phones, computers, and other media, multitaskers typically praise their skill as an effective way to navigate this hundred mile an hour culture. Turns out, their confidence may be mistaken. According to a new study on media multitasking by Boston College researchers, multitasking is only driving people to distraction. So, what does that mean for advertisers? Which medium is best? Read more »
TV Writers’ Strike Led to Distress and More Media Use
We tend to think television viewers would spend more time exercising or hanging out with friends if their TV was just turned off -- but according to a new study by assistant professor of communication Emily Moyer-Gusé and former grad student Julie Lather of Ohio State University, that may not be the case. Read more »
How Israeli Media Framing Is Causing a Division Among Its People
In the past, Israeli media was used to create unity among its people, but new research according to a Penn State Altoona political scientist says this media is now creating a divide between its people. Read more »