Telecommunication T314 Media Process
Topic: Third Person Effect
11/12/2012 Monday class ā third person effect
Background
The life and times of W. Phillips Davison
ā¢ Princeton University ā 1949
ā¢ WW2
ā¢ Iwo Jima Island
ā¢ Pamphlets dropped
ā¢ Troops evacuated( 64
A 4
7 9
B B
)
ā¢ Davison to self: āHmmmā??
ā¢ West Germany ā Early 1950s
ā¢ Role of press in policy formation?
ā¢ Editorial writers: āEducated people not affected; general person is.ā
ā¢Davison to self: āHmmmā
ā¢ Election Headquarters ā Some years later
ā¢ Davison campaigning for his preferred candidate
ā¢ Receives opponentās leaflet
ā¢ Even though he is not affected, he worries others will be and takes counter
measures
ā¢ 1983
ā¢ Davison to self: āIāve got it!ā
ā¢ Writes Public Opinion Quarterly article titled āThe third-person effect in
communicationā
Third-person effect hypothesis: Part 1
āPeople will tend to overestimate the influence that mass communications have on the
attitudes and behavior of others. More specifically, individuals who are members of an
audience that is exposed to a persuasive communication will expect the communication
to have a greater effect on others than on themselves.ā
Part 1: Component 1
āPeople will tend to overestimate the influence that mass communications have on the
attitudes and behavior of others.ā
ā¢ Researchers call this a āThird-Person Perception.ā
Part 1: Component 2
āIndividuals who are members of an audience that is exposed to a persuasive
communication will expect the communication to have a greater effect on others than on
themselves.ā
*This aspect of the Third-Person Effect Hypothesis is known as the perceptual ( 6 1
1 F
6 0
2 7
)hypothesis.
*Hypothesis supported? Third-Person effect.
Third-person effect hypothesis: Part 2
āThe impact that people expect communication to have on others may lead them to take
some action. Any effect that the communication achieves may thus be due not to the
