Mass Communication and Journalism: Media Effects and Influence - Priming Media activates related concepts in memory

What It Is

Priming is a psychological phenomenon where exposure to certain words, images, or concepts activates related concepts in memory, influencing subsequent thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. A famous example of priming is the McDonald's experiment conducted by Brian Wansink in 2005, where participants who were served a meal in a large bowl ate 57% more than those served in a small bowl, illustrating how the size of the bowl (a priming cue) affected their perception of the meal's quantity. This matters for media analysis as it highlights the power of subtle cues in shaping audience perceptions and behaviors.

Key Terms & Concepts

• Priming effect: The influence of a stimulus on a person's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
• Implicit memory: A type of memory that is not consciously accessible but influences behavior.
• Semantic priming: The activation of related concepts in memory through exposure to a word or image.
• Contextual priming: The influence of the environment on a person's thoughts or behaviors.
• Automatic processing: A type of processing that occurs outside of conscious awareness.
• Control group: A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or stimulus.
• Experimental design: A plan for conducting an experiment to test a hypothesis.
• Hawthorne effect: The phenomenon where participants in an experiment change their behavior due to awareness of being observed.
• Social influence: The influence of others on a person's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
• Cognitive bias: A systematic error in thinking or decision-making.
• Heider's balance theory: A theory of social influence that explains how people tend to maintain a balance between their attitudes and behaviors.
• Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory: A theory of social influence that explains how people experience discomfort when their attitudes and behaviors are inconsistent.
• Zajonc's mere exposure effect: A theory of social influence that explains how people tend to develop a positive attitude towards something simply because they have been exposed to it.

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Priming only affects explicit memory.
• Correction: Priming can affect both explicit and implicit memory.
• Misunderstanding: Priming is only relevant in laboratory experiments.
• Correction: Priming can occur in real-world settings, such as advertising or social media.
• Misunderstanding: Priming is a conscious process.
• Correction: Priming is often an automatic process that occurs outside of conscious awareness.

Quick Application / Identification

Scenario: A company uses a picture of a happy family on its website to promote its products. What concept is being applied here?

Answer: Priming effect. Explanation: The company is using a priming cue (the picture of a happy family) to activate related concepts in memory (e.g., feelings of happiness, family values) and influence the audience's thoughts and behaviors.

Last?Minute Revision

• Priming effect: A psychological phenomenon where exposure to certain words, images, or concepts activates related concepts in memory.
• Implicit memory: A type of memory that is not consciously accessible but influences behavior.
• Semantic priming: The activation of related concepts in memory through exposure to a word or image.
• Contextual priming: The influence of the environment on a person's thoughts or behaviors.
• Automatic processing: A type of processing that occurs outside of conscious awareness.
• McDonald's experiment: A study conducted by Brian Wansink in 2005 that demonstrated the power of priming in shaping behavior.
• Heider's balance theory: A theory of social influence that explains how people tend to maintain a balance between their attitudes and behaviors.
• Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory: A theory of social influence that explains how people experience discomfort when their attitudes and behaviors are inconsistent.
• Zajonc's mere exposure effect: A theory of social influence that explains how people tend to develop a positive attitude towards something simply because they have been exposed to it.
• Hawthorne effect: The phenomenon where participants in an experiment change their behavior due to awareness of being observed.
• Social influence: The influence of others on a person's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
• Cognitive bias: A systematic error in thinking or decision-making.
• Control group: A group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or stimulus.
• Experimental design: A plan for conducting an experiment to test a hypothesis.
• Priming can occur through subtle cues, such as the size of a bowl or the color of a room.
• Priming can affect both explicit and implicit memory.
• Priming is often an automatic process that occurs outside of conscious awareness.