Critical on Mass Communication, Propaganda and Persuasion - Literature review Example

? Critical Review Aronson, E. . The Social Animal. Chapter 3, Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion. New York: Worth Publishers. Natalija Rascotina k1161154 2012 MSc Psychology, Kingston University, Kingston, UK Aronson, E. (2011). The Social Animal. Chapter 3, Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion. New York: Worth Publishers. This work presents a critical review of the phenomenon of emotional contagion and media persuasion discussed in Aronson. E. (2011) The Social Animal, Chapter 3. The central argument of the review is that these phenomena demonstrate that the media operates both to maintain and disrupt dominant social ideology. Today interaction with the media takes on a variety of forms, including television viewership and newspapers, but also the plethora of Internet and social networking sites that have emerged as a means to disseminate news. The emergence of the later has created a situation where events and ideas are increasingly spread with rapidity, affecting and influencing society in ways they never were able to before. Indeed, while most individuals regularly consume and interact with a variety of forms of media, few individuals consider the ways that the media can impact their thoughts, perceptions, and even actions. Review The specific chapter that was considered is Aronson’s (2011) ‘Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion.’ From an overarching perspective the chapter considered the ways that phenomena take hold in the media and influence public opinion. With this spectrum of consideration there are a number of varying elements explored. One such example, which is largely indicative of the processes explored in the chapter, considers that a movie about nuclear holocaust aired – the Day After. After this movie aired widespread public interest emerged in nuclear war. This process is recognized as emerging in a variety of television programming. Another spectrum of investigation broached in the chapter is the nature of television production; while the issue is specifically linked to newscasts, it clearly extends to all forms of media. Specifically, violence and sensational imagery are posited as assuming greater degrees of prominence over other subject matter as they create public interest. - These elements then skew reality towards sensation. In this sense, there is the recognition that the specific newscasts are not beholden to displaying the news in an entirely objective and ethical way, but instead must display the news that is most likely to gain viewers. The difference between the two is highly substantial as if the news organizations were to only broadcast news in an objective and impartial way there would have to be a dramatic reconsideration of the nature of news and relevance. Instead, television news programming, while having the pretense of objectivity, is necessarily biased as it both reflects the preconceptions of the producers and newscaster, and is geared towards gaining higher ratings. While violence and sensational imagery generally create the most notable forms of gaining viewer attention, it’s clear that news broadcasts implement an entire host of factors in this pursuit. Even as people complain about the news as being overly cynical or pessimistic it is stories of drug trafficking, murder, it is these forms of stories that oftentimes hold the most intrigue for viewers. Even small-time crimes, arrests, or controversies are significant as viewers are able to engage with the trouble their neighbors have gotten in and rejoice and empathize with their situation. Public interests stories, such as charity work or local athletic accomplishments, can similarly be interpreted within this mode of understanding. There is the comprehensive recognition then that television news operates merely as a means of triggering viewers emotions and interests, rather than contributing to any sort of higher public good. This bias is shown to have potentially significant consequences, as the cyclical repetition of images of the World Trade Centers falling gave the Bush Administration the leverage it needed to enter into Iraq. One considers that this argument could be slightly ideologically slanted. In these regards, the chapter is arguing that the Bush administration’s entrance into Iraq and Afghanistan were necessarily wrong and the way they occurred was through the media emotional contagion. That the images of the world trade center towers created such public angst that the Bush administration was able to manipulate the public into going into these regions for reasons counter to what they believed. While there may truth to these sentiments undoubtedly there exists a converse perspective that would argue the war was justified and not simply linked to media images. The chapter examines a variety of forms of persuasion as occurring within the media, including advertising, and evaluates the extent that such processes truly change public opinion. While a number of perspectives are considered, ultimately it’s determined that the exact extent persuasive measures are effective is largely ambiguous. Notably, within these forms of persuasion are central and peripheral modes of communication. The text argues that these forms of persuasion are the primary means of persuasion. Central forms of persuasion implements a direct approach to persuading the audience through facts and figures. Conversely, peripheral persuasion considers that persuasion occurs through indirect modes of recognition. One considers that in the media these modes of persuasion are regularly played out in a variety of contexts. Even when the situation is not legally motivated nearly all modes of broadcasting involve some form of persuasion as the television show and news program attempts to persuade the audience into buying into whatever information that is being disseminated. There is the need then of the viewer to be aware of the forms of persuasion that are being implemented, as well as the ways they are reacting to these forms of persuasion in unconscious ways. This recognition ultimately allows the viewer to make more informed decisions. These media considerations naturally lead into the notion of the emotional contagion. Essentially, the chapter considers that the emotional contagions may begin with media productions, but then an emotion takes hold in the general public that contagiously spreads to other individuals. The phenomenon that most influenced my thinking was the notion of the emotional contagion. The notion of the emotional contagion is the recognition that the emotional impact of a news story can spread to other individuals. One of the most prominent recent considerations surrounded the events surrounding the September 11th attacks. Aronson (2011, p. 63) discusses the means by which the media’s coverage of these attacks greatly influenced the American public’s perception, “The constant images of the Twin Tower’s fall, as well as the repetition of bellicose slogans on cable news channels (‘the war on terror’, ‘America fights back’, etc.), contributed to the arousal of intense emotions in viewers and doubtless served to reduce the possibility of any real debate about the wisdom of invading Afghanistan.” To a large extent, these considerations were highly revealing as they demonstrated the way that the United States and subsequently the United Kingdom were partly drawn into the conflict in Afghanistan. Undoubtedly, such considerations were rooted partly in the political rhetoric instituted by individuals such as United States President George W. Bush, and then Prime Minister Blair, yet it is clear that the media played a similarly important influence. In these regards, the emotional verve associated with the images of the planes slamming into the twin towers created a situation where the media more consistently focused on these concerns, as they were better for ratings or viewer interest. This created an emotional connection within the public that began to spread like a contagion. This contagion seems to have been utilized by the aforementioned politicians as a justification for war. In this context, the emotional contagion functioned to enact global change. One considers that while the emotional contagion is specifically linked to emotional events, it underlines the specific ways that the media can influence public perception. Aronson (2011, p. 61) notes that, “those who produce television news can exert a powerful influence on our opinions simply by determining which events are given exposure and how much exposure they are given.” There are a great variety of means by which such processes occur. One considers that a prominent means of media influence has occurred in terms of racial stereotypes. Additionally, it may be that the media specifically aims to appeal to specific demographics because they are more appealing to advertisers. In either instance, the consideration of this phenomenon has revealed to me that even if unconscious, the media’s action functions not to reflect reality but, rather, to reflect a notion of reality that is in-line with dominant ideology or social structures. The media then act to reinforce these dominant paradigms. While oftentimes the media act to spread dangerous emotional contagion and maintain dominant ideology, there are ways that both of these elements have contributed to positive social change. Within this context one considers that rather than functioning as a way of maintaining dominant paradigms, the media’s coverage may represent an instance where it empowers previously disenfranchised individuals and allow them a voice that would result in significant political change. Conclusion In conclusion, this critical review has examined Aronson. E. (2011) The Social Animal, Chapter 3 Mass Communication, Propaganda, and Persuasion and the phenomena of emotional contagion discussed in the chapter. Within this context of investigation the review has argued that through these phenomena, the media operates both to maintain and disrupt dominant social ideology. To a large extent the consideration of these elements has revealed to me that the media operates in ways that are less reflective of reality and more indicative of either dominant paradigms or emotional rhetoric. Ultimately, these recognitions have demonstrated that it is necessary to approach the media in an impartial and unbiased context, because oftentimes the news is told in a biased way. References Aronson, E. (2011). The Social Animal. New York: Worth Publishers. Balkaran, S. (1999). Mass Media and Racism. Yale Political Quarterly. Vol. 21, 1. Brockes, E. (2012). Trayvon Martin death raises issue of racism in America, says Toni Morrison. [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/13/toni-morrison-trayvon-martin-racism-police" http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/13/toni-morrison-trayvon-martin-racism-police Jonnson, P. (2012). Trayvon Martin: With call for sanctions, is Al Sharpton crossing a line? [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0331/Trayvon-Martin-With-call-for-sanctions-is-Al-Sharpton-crossing-a-line" http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2012/0331/Trayvon-Martin-With-call-for-sanctions-is-Al-Sharpton-crossing-a-line Lichter, R (1987). Prime-time Prejudice: TV’s Images of Blacks and Hispanics. New York: Routledge. Rifal, R. (2011). Timeline: Tunisia's uprising. [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/tunisia/2011/01/201114142223827361.html" http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/spotlight/tunisia/2011/01/201114142223827361.html Tommy, C. (2012). Al Sharpton explains his Trayvon Martin coverage on msnbc’s politics nation. [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.mediaite.com/tv/al-sharpton-explains-his-trayvon-martin-coverage-on-msnbcs-politicsnation/" http://www.mediaite.com/tv/al-sharpton-explains-his-trayvon-martin-coverage-on-msnbcs-politicsnation/ Torpey, P. (2011). Arab spring: an interactive timeline of Middle East protests. [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline" http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline Tunisia suicide protester Mohammed Bouazizi dies. (2011). [Online] Available at HYPERLINK "http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12120228" http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12120228 Read More