Position Paper: Media's Effect on Cognition, Behavior, Psychology

This position paper explores the multifaceted impact of media on individuals, delving into its effects on cognition, behavior, and psychology. It examines various viewpoints, including the argument that media has a direct effect on those who consume it, and the counter-argument that media primarily influences those predisposed to certain behaviors. The paper discusses different theories, such as the Limited Effects Theory, and analyzes examples like the impact of violent media and video games. It considers both the strengths and weaknesses of arguments related to media's influence, referencing studies and research to support its claims. The paper concludes that while media does not have a direct role in managing individual perceptions, it can influence behavior, and further analysis is needed to understand the factors involved, particularly for young people and those addicted to violence.

Running head: POSITION PAPER
Position Paper
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1POSITION PAPER
The paper will help in discussing the singular effect of the media on cognition,
behavior along with psychology of those who consumer the same. The technologies based on
media is becoming an integral part of the society of today and the media psychology tries to
focus mainly on the relationship between the media along with the human behavior.
Furthermore, this helps in studying the overall interaction between the groups, technology
and the different individuals in the entire society (Bell, 2016). Over the years, this has been
seen that there is huge impact of the media on the different individuals and the impact is
being discussed on viewing such kinds of contents on media as well wherein there is huge
viciousness in the media and the effect of the same on the different individuals as well.
On the other hand, there are different other arguments wherein this can be seen that
media create a major impact on the individuals who are inclined towards the different actions
along with behavior which are being portrayed in the different sources of media and the
media technologies are becoming an integral aspect in the society in the present scenario.
Moreover, in order to analyze and understand the effect of media on society along with the
different individuals, this is essential and necessary to view the different types of approaches
which helps in analyzing the media (Hepp, Hjarvard&Lundby, 2014).
This has been seen that there are various examples in which this has been argued that
the consumption of the violent media by the different individuals is one major problem and
this is affecting their well-being in a negative manner (Ferguson& Olson, 2014). On the
other hand, there are different other theorists have commented and opined that the media do
not have or create any kind of direct impact on the individuals as the viewers have the
practical knowledge regarding the aspects which will be appropriate for their viewing and
this will help them in filtering out the different kinds of inaccuracies in the content which is
being shown through media as well.

2POSITION PAPER
There are different theories of mass media which is inclusive of Limited Effects
Theory which has helped in proving that the different individuals have the sense wherein they
will be able to understand that the level of the inefficiencies in the different kinds of shows
which are being shown in the television or any other media modes. The major implication of
the mass media’s limited effects theory which creates a major influence on the opinion of the
different individuals (Dunwoody& Peters, 2016). Despite the different consensus among the
different experts, the lay kind of individuals do not understand that the violence which is
being caused by the media is violent in nature and this contributes towards the more violent
society.
There are various inappropriate kinds of reporting which are done in the media and
this affects the individuals in the society (Huang et al., 2014). The inaccurate kinds of
reporting in the different press which are popular in nature may take into the account the
different kinds of debates over the decade wherein this is shown in the television that the
cigarette or smoking/Cancer is the controversy which persisted wherein this is known by the
individuals that it causes cancer, still there is no such impact of the same on the nature of the
individuals (Fardouly et al., 2015). On the other hand, the aggression researchers have tried in
adopting and analyzing the strategy known as triangulation which is helpful in examining the
different effects of examining the different aspects of the violence in the media.
For instance- On the other hand, there are different viewpoints of the other authors
wherein this can be seen and analyzed that there is huge negative impact of the different
television shows along with the usage of the internet on the career of the children (Boxer,
Groves& Docherty, 2014). Weakness- The different studies have tried in revealing that the
violence is normal for them and this is affecting their growth in the career in a negative
manner (Pavlik, 2015). The overall amount of the violence in the different video games along

3POSITION PAPER
with the different movies are scary and this is taking a huge part in the overall society. This
has been noticed that there are long hours wherein the teenagers waste and spend their time
on the different video games and the violence becomes reality. Strengths- There has been
different introduction of the different kinds of videos which are aggressive in nature and this
creates a huge effect on the minds of the individuals in a negative manner and violence
becomes the reality of the different individuals especially of the young age in a negative
manner (Tsay-Vogel,Shanahan&Signorielli, 2018).
For instance- Tsay-Vogel,Shanahan&Signorielli, (2018), has opined and
hypothesized that there are different concepts among the different kinds of the killing along
with other kinds of ineffectiveness which are leading to the different kinds of risky behavior
among the different individuals mainly the youth in the organization. Weakness- There is
growth of different kinds of tendencies among the different individuals which is inclusive of
the psychiatric disorders along with neighborhood violence which affects the overall
efficiency among the different individuals. Strengths- There is no direct link between the
video games and the thinking of the youth regarding the killing options which can be found in
different games.
For instance- Weakness- Moreover, this has been noticed that the different
individuals are insensitive towards the violence which is being caused as there are many
times when the individuals who are the consistent viewers of the different violent shows or
plays violent kinds of video games are the ones who become totally insensitive towards the
different shows which are being broadcasted in the television or other medium and this
creates that they have lost their humanity in a negative manner (Bonsón, Royo& Ratkai,
2015). Strengths- There are different countries wherein the playing of the video games are

4POSITION PAPER
the most common aspect and they feel that this helps them in becoming more developed and
modern by playing such games.
However, from the above point, this can be analyzed and illustrated that the media do
not have the direct role or influence in managing the individual’s perceptions. The main
aspect of the problem starts from the different kinds of mental state which is pertaining inside
the minds of the individuals and this is affecting their thoughts after watching such violent
videos in a negative manner. The video games are the most popular aspect in the present era
and only a few individuals perform such violent actions after watching the video games or
other violent aspects.
In order to analyze the impact of singular media on the individuals or the society is
required to be analyzed after influencing the behavior of the different individuals and trying
to analyze the various other factors which will be responsible for the overall negative impact
on the different individuals especially the young generation and other individuals who are
addicted towards the different kinds of other violence (Bell, 2016). Media does not have any
kind of direct impact on the psychology of the different individuals in the entire society in
which this can be seen that the major factors are required to be considered which create such
nuisances on the health and well being of the different individuals in a negative manner.
The recent theory regarding the aggression of the different human beings suggest that
there are two methods which can be used as the source in reducing the aggression among the
different individuals which is inclusive of the reduction of the exposure to the violent kind of
media objects and changing the different negative attitudes of the children towards the
different kinds of violent kind of media activities which can be ineffective approach towards
the status of the different individuals.

5POSITION PAPER
References
Bell, A. (2016). Media (mis) communication on the science of climate change. Public
understanding of science.
Bonsón, E., Royo, S., &Ratkai, M. (2015). Citizens' engagement on local governments'
Facebook sites. An empirical analysis: The impact of different media and content
types in Western Europe. Government Information Quarterly, 32(1), 52-62.
Boxer, P., Groves, C. L., & Docherty, M. (2015). Video games do indeed influence children
and adolescents’ aggression, prosocial behavior, and academic performance: A clearer
reading of Ferguson (2015). Perspectives on psychological science, 10(5), 671-673.
Dunwoody, S., & Peters, H. P. (2016). Mass media coverage of technological and
environmental risks: A survey of research in the United States and Germany. Public
understanding of science.
Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons
on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women's body image concerns
and mood. Body Image, 13, 38-45.
Ferguson, C. J., & Olson, C. K. (2014). Video game violence use among “vulnerable”
populations: The impact of violent games on delinquency and bullying among
children with clinically elevated depression or attention deficit symptoms. Journal of
youth and adolescence, 43(1), 127-136.
Hepp, A., Hjarvard, S., &Lundby, K. (2015). Mediatization: theorizing the interplay between
media, culture and society. Media, culture & society, 37(2), 314-324.

6POSITION PAPER
Huang, G. C., Unger, J. B., Soto, D., Fujimoto, K., Pentz, M. A., Jordan-Marsh, M., &
Valente, T. W. (2014). Peer influences: the impact of online and offline friendship
networks on adolescent smoking and alcohol use. Journal of Adolescent
Health, 54(5), 508-514.
Pavlik, J. V. (2015). Transformation: examining the implications of emerging technology for
journalism, media and society. Athens Journal of Mass Media and
Communications, 1(1), 1-16.
Tsay-Vogel, M., Shanahan, J., &Signorielli, N. (2018). Social media cultivating perceptions
of privacy: A 5-year analysis of privacy attitudes and self-disclosure behaviors among
Facebook users. new media & society, 20(1), 141-161.