The Psychology of Media and Politics / Edition 1

by George Comstock, Erica Scharrer

Overview

Research indicates that people discount their own opinions and experiences in favor of those of "experts" as espoused in the media. The framing of news coverage thus has a profound impact on public opinion, and political decision making as a response to public outcry. However, the choice of how to frame the news is typically made to solicit viewership and high ratings rather than to convey accurate and meaningful information. The Psychology of Media and Politics discusses why people discount their own opinions, how the media shapes the news, when this drives political decision making, and what the effect is on the future of society.

Issues addressed include:

• How powerful are the media in shaping political beliefs/judgment?
• How has this power changed in recent years?
• How does media influence voting behavior?
• To what extent do media opinions affect political decision making?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780121835521
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	04/14/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

George Comstock earned his Ph.D. at Stanford University. He currently is the S.I. Newhouse Professor at the School of Public Communication, Syracuse University in the Television-Radio-Film Department. He is the author of Television and the American Child and was the senior author of the original Television and Human Behavior.Professor Comstock is a social psychologist and expert on the social effects of mass media. He is former science advisor and senior research coordinator of U.S. Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior. Professor Comstock teaches classes insocial effects of television and communication research methods.

Erica Scharrer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at University of Massachusetts and studies media content, opinions about media, and media influence.

Table of Contents

The Psychology of Media and Politics
George Comstock and Erica Scharrer

Preface
Acknowledgements

Part I
Early Knowledge

Chapter I – Conventional Wisdom
Chapter II – Necessary Corrections

Part II
Press and Public

Chapter III – The New Media
Chapter IV – The Goods
Chapter V – Heterogeneous Faces

Part III
The Collective Self

Chapter VI – Using the Media
Chapter VII – Beyond Politics

References
Epilogue
Author Index
Subject Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

This book is about how individuals make political decisions and form impressions of politicians and policies, with a strong emphasis on the role of the mass media in those processes.

Editorial Reviews

"...a compendium of often interesting theories, studies, and typologies." —Stuart Fischoff for PsycCRITIQUES - Volume 51, Issue 46

From the Publisher