Media literacy 101: Psychological Defence and Resilience Critical Ignoring Attention Management

What This Is

Critical ignoring and attention management refer to the deliberate manipulation of information to bypass rational scrutiny, create emotional responses, or distract from critical thinking. This concept is crucial for understanding how information is shaped, spun, or weaponised in various contexts, including politics, advertising, and social media. For instance, the 2016 US presidential campaign of Donald Trump effectively used emotional appeals to bypass rational scrutiny, creating a narrative that resonated with his base while distracting from policy details.

Key Theories & Models

• Propaganda Model (Herman & Chomsky): Five filters (ownership, funding, sourcing, flak, anti-communism/ideology) shape news into pro-establishment narratives – explains why some stories are systematically marginalised.
• Inoculation Theory (McGuire, Compton): Pre-exposing people to weakened versions of misinformation can build resistance – basis for pre-bunking games like “Bad News”.
• Agenda-Setting Theory (McCombs & Shaw): Media can influence what issues are considered important by the public – highlights the power of framing and selective attention.
• Framing Theory (Goffman): The way information is presented can influence how it is perceived – explains how emotive language and visual imagery can create a particular narrative.
• Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner): People tend to identify with groups that share their values and interests – explains how propaganda can exploit social identities to create a sense of belonging.
• Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger): People tend to avoid information that challenges their beliefs – highlights the importance of critical thinking and media literacy.
• The Spiral of Silence (Noelle-Neumann): People are less likely to express opinions that contradict the majority – explains how propaganda can create a sense of social pressure to conform.
• The Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo): People are more likely to be persuaded by information that is easy to process – highlights the importance of clear and concise communication.
• The Source Credibility Model (Holvland, Janis, & Kelley): The credibility of the source can influence the perceived validity of the information – explains how propaganda can use credible sources to create a sense of authority.

Step-by-Step Application

1. Identify the purpose: Determine the purpose of the message or campaign, and whether it is to inform, persuade, or manipulate.
2. Analyze the framing: Examine how the information is presented, including the language, imagery, and tone used.
3. Evaluate the sources: Assess the credibility of the sources, including their expertise, biases, and motivations.
4. Check for logical fallacies: Identify any logical fallacies, such as ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, or false dichotomies.
5. Consider the context: Take into account the social, cultural, and historical context in which the message is being communicated.
6. Verify the information: Use fact-checking resources to verify the accuracy of the information.

Common Misconceptions

• Misconception: Propaganda is just lies.
• Correction: Propaganda can be subtle and nuanced, using emotional appeals and selective attention to create a particular narrative.
• Example: The tobacco industry's campaign to create doubt about the link between smoking and lung cancer is a classic example of propaganda.
• Misconception: Smart people can't be fooled.
• Correction: Anyone can be influenced by propaganda, regardless of their intelligence or education.
• Example: The Cambridge Analytica scandal shows how even sophisticated individuals can be manipulated by targeted advertising.
• Misconception: The news is completely objective.
• Correction: All news is subjective, and journalists and media outlets have their own biases and agendas.
• Example: The 24-hour news cycle can create a sense of urgency and drama, influencing how stories are presented.
• Misconception: Fact-checking always works.
• Correction: Fact-checking is not foolproof, and even the most rigorous fact-checking can be flawed or biased.
• Example: The rise of fake news and disinformation has highlighted the limitations of fact-checking.

Exam / Case Interview Tips

• Be aware of framing: Pay attention to how information is presented, and how it is framed to create a particular narrative.
• Identify logical fallacies: Be able to recognize and explain logical fallacies, such as ad hominem attacks and straw man arguments.
• Consider the context: Take into account the social, cultural, and historical context in which the message is being communicated.
• Use evidence: Support your arguments with evidence and examples, and be prepared to defend your position.
• Be aware of the distinction between disinformation and misinformation: Disinformation is intentional and deliberate, while misinformation is unintentional and often the result of ignorance or lack of knowledge.

Quick Practice Scenario

A news outlet repeatedly pairs the word 'crisis' with images of migrants. What framing technique is being used and what is its likely effect?

Answer: The framing technique being used is emotive framing, which aims to create an emotional response in the viewer. The likely effect is to create a sense of fear and anxiety, and to influence public opinion against migrants.

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

• Critical ignoring refers to the deliberate manipulation of information to bypass rational scrutiny.
• Attention management refers to the deliberate manipulation of information to create emotional responses or distract from critical thinking.
• Propaganda can be subtle and nuanced, using emotional appeals and selective attention to create a particular narrative.
• The Propaganda Model (Herman & Chomsky) explains how five filters shape news into pro-establishment narratives.
• The Inoculation Theory (McGuire, Compton) explains how pre-exposing people to weakened versions of misinformation can build resistance.
• The Agenda-Setting Theory (McCombs & Shaw) explains how media can influence what issues are considered important by the public.
• The Framing Theory (Goffman) explains how the way information is presented can influence how it is perceived.
• Cognitive dissonance theory explains how people tend to avoid information that challenges their beliefs.
• The Spiral of Silence (Noelle-Neumann) explains how people are less likely to express opinions that contradict the majority.
• The Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo) explains how people are more likely to be persuaded by information that is easy to process.
• The Source Credibility Model (Holvland, Janis, & Kelley) explains how the credibility of the source can influence the perceived validity of the information.
• ⚠️ Propaganda is not just for totalitarian regimes – democracies use it too; Bernays called it 'engineering consent'.
• ⚠️ The news is not always objective – journalists and media outlets have their own biases and agendas.
• ⚠️ Fact-checking is not foolproof – even the most rigorous fact-checking can be flawed or biased.