W4

Question 1

Sensationalism

Answer 1

negative by product of market driven journalism

the means and features utilized in journalism to attract the attention of the audience

dramatize news and shapes publics opinions through exaggerated illustrations

Question 2

Market driven journalism

Answer 2

newsmakers are pressured to utilize sensationalism to maintain the audiences attention

increased competitions on the news market -> rise of sensationalism

Question 2

Concerns of sensationalism

Answer 2

sensationalism increases -> publics perceptions weaken and may become shaped

sensationalism ruins the informative function of news

Question 3

Yellow journalism

Answer 3

cheaper / available newspapers that still maintain the characteristics to make it more appealing through illustrations (mainly crime/vice) and drama

Question 4

Human evolutionary theory

Answer 4

evolving nature leads them to seek for sensational news because of the desire to detect potential threats in contemporary settings

people tend to scan for information leaning more towards reproduction and survival

Question 5

Embedded sensationalism

Answer 5

news with no sensational topic are often presented in a sensational context emphasizing how far media goes to attract public

Question 6

Construct validity

Answer 6

examines whether the measurement of sensationalism truly captures the essence of sensationalism

to verify this, check if sensationalism measurements correspond to theoretical expectations based on cognitive theories

Question 7

Cognitive theory - LCMMMP
(Limited Capacity Model of Mediated Message Processing)

Answer 7

predicts that sensationalism can provoke fluctuations in attention or arousal in tv viewing

Question 8

Social validity

Answer 8

how well a scientific concept aligns with the way the concept is understood and used in the broader society

Question 9

Findings of Kleemans study (researcher of sensationalism)

Answer 9

competition -> positive effect on sensationalism
commercial news -> more sensational than broadcasts

Question 10

Cognitive processing of sensationalism

Answer 10

• sensational content is produced before non sensational -> less attention to non sensational
• fast pacing sensational content -> less recognition
• emotional illustrations -> higher attention to emotion items and higher recall errors

Question 11

Positive effects of sensationalism

Answer 11

enhances cognitive processing of information within a news story

Question 12

Negative effects of sensationalism

Answer 12

sensational and production features combined -> cognitive overload in processing system

distracting effect

Question 13

Misinformation

Answer 13

false information accidentally shared with no intention of misleading the public

it may occur as a result of lack of substantive research on a topic

Question 14

Disinformation

Answer 14

false information shared with the intent to mislead people. spread on purpose

e.g. rumors with the purpose of ruining someones reputation on the internet

Question 15

Why misinformation is difficult to correct

Answer 15

people continue to cling to it as a result of mental models of events

when a central piece of this models is extracted, people are left with a gap in their understanding -> rely on false info bc its more accessible

familiarity backfire effect -
false claims - more familiar, corrected info - rejected

overkill backfire effect -
complex refutations may reinforce beliefs rather than change them (too complicated)

Question 16

Misinformation correction strategies

Answer 16

advanced warning-
before exposure to false info, individuals are put into a cognitive state of alertness to reduce influence

repetition of retractions for more effective response

providing alternative explanations for gaps generated by retractions