This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda sett... more This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda setting, framing, and priming, in order to identify their similarities, differences, and inherent commonalities. Based on this review, we argue that the theory and research on each of these cognitive effects share a common view that media affect audience members by influencing the relative importance of considerations used to make subsequent judgments (including their answers to post-exposure survey questions). In reviewing this literature, we note that one important factor is often ignored, the extent to which a consideration featured in the message is deemed usable for a given subsequent judgment, a factor called judged usability, which may be an important mediator of cognitive media effects like agenda setting, framing, and priming. Emphasizing judged usability leads to the revelation that media coverage may not just elevate a particular consideration, but may also actively suppress a consideration, rendering it less usable for subsequent judgments. Thus, it opens a new avenue for cognitive effects research. In the interest of integrating these strands of cognitive effects research, we propose the Judged Usability Model as a revision of past cognitive models.
International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Sep 1, 2015
When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of I... more When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of Internet users use search engines (Zickuhr, 2010) and turn to them first when searching for news (‘‘Views of the news, " 2011). As of June 2012, Americans had conducted 17 billion searches in a month (Flosi, 2012), the number of which indicates the immensity of information being sought, provided, and consumed through online searches. This observation suggests the possibility that online searches may be an important element in the processes of public opinion formation. With most online searches being intended for information consumption, search volume of an issue may indicate the issue’s public salience because the salience of an issue transfers in the process of
The rising prevalence rate of obesity in the United States has accentuated concerns about obesity... more The rising prevalence rate of obesity in the United States has accentuated concerns about obesity-related problems as a major public health issue, which has motivated widespread efforts to increase public knowledge and to motivate individuals to change their relevant behaviors. Although health campaign messages commonly include information about prevalence rates for obesity, the impact of obesity labeling and prevalence rate descriptions in such messages has been overlooked by researchers. This online framing experiment fills the research gap by investigating the effects of obesity labeling (disease vs. body type) and prevalence statistics (prevalence rates of obesity, extreme obesity, combined overweight–obesity, or no prevalence information). Our findings suggest that obesity perceptions deviate from reality and that participants use framed cues in the health message as reference points when making judgments related to the nature and prevalence of obesity. Moreover, this study sho...
This study examines how risk assertions and relevant statistics presented in different number for... more This study examines how risk assertions and relevant statistics presented in different number formats interact to influence emotional and cognitive outcomes. Experimental news stories present risk assertions that highlight either safety from or vulnerability to violent crime; these assertions are accompanied by crime statistics in absolute frequency, simple fraction, or percentage format. Although it may be tempting to assume that national statistics in absolute frequency format create a greater impression due to the sheer size of the numbers, our results show that only probability formats, including simple fractions and percentages, interact with assertions to generate amplified emotions. Furthermore, we find that negative emotions play a mediating role in producing pessimistic risk assessments. Our findings reveal how people process numerical information and its impact on emotional and cognitive responses. This article also discusses the empirical and methodological implications for framing research, as well as cognitive aspects of emotional reactions and the nature of emotional effects on risk perceptions.
With the increase in citizen-generated news, the need to understand how individual predisposition... more With the increase in citizen-generated news, the need to understand how individual predispositions interact with news sources to influence perceptions of news credibility becomes increasingly important. Using a web-based experiment, this study examines the influences individual predispositions toward the media and politics have on perceived credibility of mainstream and citizen journalism. Analyzing data drawn from a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, results indicate that media skepticism and political cynicism interact, such that cynics and skeptics perceive citizen journalism as more credible, while non-cynics and non-skeptics think mainstream journalism is more credible.
This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda sett... more This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda setting, framing, and priming, in order to identify their similarities, differences, and inherent commonalities. Based on this review, we argue that the theory and research on each of these cognitive effects share a common view that media affect audience members by influencing the relative importance of considerations used to make subsequent judgments (including their answers to post-exposure survey questions). In reviewing this literature, we note that one important factor is often ignored, the extent to which a consideration featured in the message is deemed usable for a given subsequent judgment, a factor called judged usability, which may be an important mediator of cognitive media effects like agenda setting, framing and priming. Emphasizing judged usability leads to the revelation that media coverage may not just elevate a particular consideration, but may also actively suppress a cons...
When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of I... more When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of Internet users use search engines (Zickuhr, 2010) and turn to them first when searching for news (‘‘Views of the news, " 2011). As of June 2012, Americans had conducted 17 billion searches in a month (Flosi, 2012), the number of which indicates the immensity of information being sought, provided, and consumed through online searches. This observation suggests the possibility that online searches may be an important element in the processes of public opinion formation. With most online searches being intended for information consumption, search volume of an issue may indicate the issue’s public salience because the salience of an issue transfers in the process of
This review introduces a conceptual framework with three elements to highlight the richness of th... more This review introduces a conceptual framework with three elements to highlight the richness of the framing effects literature, while providing structure to address its fragmented nature. Our first element identifies and discusses the Enduring Issues that confront framing effects researchers. Second, we introduce the Semantic Architecture Model (SAM), which builds on the premise that meaning can be framed at different textual units within a text, which can form the basis of frame manipulations in framing effects experiments. Third, we provide an Inventory of Framing Effects Research Components used in framing effects research illustrated with salient examples from the framing effects literature. By offering this conceptual framework, we make the case for revitalizing framing effects research.
Statistical information permeates media messages, but little is known about how the use of differ... more Statistical information permeates media messages, but little is known about how the use of different presentation formats influences message processing. Thus, we explore numerical framing effects by examining how presentation formats interact with gain/loss frames to alter message processing and issue perceptions. We found that logically equivalent information embedded in gain/loss frames generated different levels of comprehension when it was presented in a frequency format. The gap, however, disappeared when it was displayed in a percentage format. Different comprehension levels then shaped negative emotions differently, which in turn affected perceived issue seriousness. Mediational analyses tentatively suggest that numerical framing occurred through cognitive and emotional responses. The implications are discussed.
This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda sett... more This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda setting, framing, and priming, in order to identify their similarities, differences, and inherent commonalities. Based on this review, we argue that the theory and research on each of these cognitive effects share a common view that media affect audience members by influencing the relative importance of considerations used to make subsequent judgments (including their answers to post-exposure survey questions). In reviewing this literature, we note that one important factor is often ignored, the extent to which a consideration featured in the message is deemed usable for a given subsequent judgment, a factor called judged usability, which may be an important mediator of cognitive media effects like agenda setting, framing, and priming. Emphasizing judged usability leads to the revelation that media coverage may not just elevate a particular consideration, but may also actively suppress a consideration, rendering it less usable for subsequent judgments. Thus, it opens a new avenue for cognitive effects research. In the interest of integrating these strands of cognitive effects research, we propose the Judged Usability Model as a revision of past cognitive models.
International Journal of Public Opinion Research, Sep 1, 2015
When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of I... more When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of Internet users use search engines (Zickuhr, 2010) and turn to them first when searching for news (‘‘Views of the news, " 2011). As of June 2012, Americans had conducted 17 billion searches in a month (Flosi, 2012), the number of which indicates the immensity of information being sought, provided, and consumed through online searches. This observation suggests the possibility that online searches may be an important element in the processes of public opinion formation. With most online searches being intended for information consumption, search volume of an issue may indicate the issue’s public salience because the salience of an issue transfers in the process of
The rising prevalence rate of obesity in the United States has accentuated concerns about obesity... more The rising prevalence rate of obesity in the United States has accentuated concerns about obesity-related problems as a major public health issue, which has motivated widespread efforts to increase public knowledge and to motivate individuals to change their relevant behaviors. Although health campaign messages commonly include information about prevalence rates for obesity, the impact of obesity labeling and prevalence rate descriptions in such messages has been overlooked by researchers. This online framing experiment fills the research gap by investigating the effects of obesity labeling (disease vs. body type) and prevalence statistics (prevalence rates of obesity, extreme obesity, combined overweight–obesity, or no prevalence information). Our findings suggest that obesity perceptions deviate from reality and that participants use framed cues in the health message as reference points when making judgments related to the nature and prevalence of obesity. Moreover, this study sho...
This study examines how risk assertions and relevant statistics presented in different number for... more This study examines how risk assertions and relevant statistics presented in different number formats interact to influence emotional and cognitive outcomes. Experimental news stories present risk assertions that highlight either safety from or vulnerability to violent crime; these assertions are accompanied by crime statistics in absolute frequency, simple fraction, or percentage format. Although it may be tempting to assume that national statistics in absolute frequency format create a greater impression due to the sheer size of the numbers, our results show that only probability formats, including simple fractions and percentages, interact with assertions to generate amplified emotions. Furthermore, we find that negative emotions play a mediating role in producing pessimistic risk assessments. Our findings reveal how people process numerical information and its impact on emotional and cognitive responses. This article also discusses the empirical and methodological implications for framing research, as well as cognitive aspects of emotional reactions and the nature of emotional effects on risk perceptions.
With the increase in citizen-generated news, the need to understand how individual predisposition... more With the increase in citizen-generated news, the need to understand how individual predispositions interact with news sources to influence perceptions of news credibility becomes increasingly important. Using a web-based experiment, this study examines the influences individual predispositions toward the media and politics have on perceived credibility of mainstream and citizen journalism. Analyzing data drawn from a representative sample of the U.S. adult population, results indicate that media skepticism and political cynicism interact, such that cynics and skeptics perceive citizen journalism as more credible, while non-cynics and non-skeptics think mainstream journalism is more credible.
This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda sett... more This review synthesizes the existing literature on cognitive media effects, including agenda setting, framing, and priming, in order to identify their similarities, differences, and inherent commonalities. Based on this review, we argue that the theory and research on each of these cognitive effects share a common view that media affect audience members by influencing the relative importance of considerations used to make subsequent judgments (including their answers to post-exposure survey questions). In reviewing this literature, we note that one important factor is often ignored, the extent to which a consideration featured in the message is deemed usable for a given subsequent judgment, a factor called judged usability, which may be an important mediator of cognitive media effects like agenda setting, framing and priming. Emphasizing judged usability leads to the revelation that media coverage may not just elevate a particular consideration, but may also actively suppress a cons...
When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of I... more When individuals navigate the Internet, their compass is a search engine. Approximately 90 % of Internet users use search engines (Zickuhr, 2010) and turn to them first when searching for news (‘‘Views of the news, " 2011). As of June 2012, Americans had conducted 17 billion searches in a month (Flosi, 2012), the number of which indicates the immensity of information being sought, provided, and consumed through online searches. This observation suggests the possibility that online searches may be an important element in the processes of public opinion formation. With most online searches being intended for information consumption, search volume of an issue may indicate the issue’s public salience because the salience of an issue transfers in the process of
This review introduces a conceptual framework with three elements to highlight the richness of th... more This review introduces a conceptual framework with three elements to highlight the richness of the framing effects literature, while providing structure to address its fragmented nature. Our first element identifies and discusses the Enduring Issues that confront framing effects researchers. Second, we introduce the Semantic Architecture Model (SAM), which builds on the premise that meaning can be framed at different textual units within a text, which can form the basis of frame manipulations in framing effects experiments. Third, we provide an Inventory of Framing Effects Research Components used in framing effects research illustrated with salient examples from the framing effects literature. By offering this conceptual framework, we make the case for revitalizing framing effects research.
Statistical information permeates media messages, but little is known about how the use of differ... more Statistical information permeates media messages, but little is known about how the use of different presentation formats influences message processing. Thus, we explore numerical framing effects by examining how presentation formats interact with gain/loss frames to alter message processing and issue perceptions. We found that logically equivalent information embedded in gain/loss frames generated different levels of comprehension when it was presented in a frequency format. The gap, however, disappeared when it was displayed in a percentage format. Different comprehension levels then shaped negative emotions differently, which in turn affected perceived issue seriousness. Mediational analyses tentatively suggest that numerical framing occurred through cognitive and emotional responses. The implications are discussed.
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Vol. 8 (2020) by ByungGu Lee
Papers by ByungGu Lee