The Psychology of Media and Communication
Lecture 1 Introduction and Influence part 1
Communication regarding pro-social behaviour, healthy decisions, spending money wisely, well-
informed medical decision-making.
With the goal to inform, persuade, change behaviour.
Using appropriate media.
Persuasive message broadly defined from small nudges and billboards, to elaborate information
brochures in all possible media from traditional media like videos and posters to online campaigns
or elements in the environment.
What, how, where, when, who, why
Prevent skin cancer: shock, inform, at the place and time of possible undesired behaviour
Promote responsible drinking: people need information (units of alcohol in a drink); or a plan on how
to say no; aimed at target group or aimed at influencers.
PATH Method
1. Problem phase: what is the problem
2. Analysis: theory-based explanations
3. Test-phase: developing process model
4. Help phase:
What is the problem?
Responsible drinking campaigns, very different messages
1. Assumption: People don’t have the information yet,
Problem definition: they lack information, increase knowledge
2. Assumption: wants
Problem definition: peer pressure, resisting temptation skills
Prevention of cigarette litter, very different messages
What drives the behavior/predictor of litter
1. Problem definition: people don’t know about the
situation
2. Problem definition: alternative fun break, break a
habit
First know the problem before intervening.
Goals of the message
=> awareness, attitude forming or change, behaviour change.
Based on the problem definition
What a persuasive message aims to change
Think about what you know about it (fe. Attitude change)
o Cognitive dissonance theory: there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency
among their cognitions (beliefs, opinions). When there is an inconsistency between
attitudes or behaviours (dissonance) something must change to eliminate the
dissonance.
o Self-perception theory: people determine their attitudes and preferences by
interpreting the meaning of their own behaviour. So, when people are unsure about
, their feelings and motivations, they will use their own behaviour to infer what they
feel.
Difference between elements
Awareness is not attitude change
Attitude is not behaviour
How much processing resources do people need?
Some campaigns take longer than others
Elaboration Likelihood model
1. Central route
2. Peripheral route
System 1 or system 2
Comparing System 1 and System 2 thinking
System 1:
Fast
Defining characteristics:
o Unconscious
o Effortless
o Automatic
Without self-awareness or control
‘What you see is all there is’
Role:
o Assesses the situation
o Delivers updates
System 2
Slow
Defining characteristics:
o Deliberate and conscious
o Effortful
o Controlled mental process
With self-awareness or control
Logical and sceptical
Role:
o Seeks new/missing information
o Makes decisions
Processing a message
Motivation and ability of receiver
Involvement, relevance, cognitive busyness
Highly relevant to media use
Why do you use a medium (uses and gratification)
Pleasure information
Framing
Impact of type of frame
Loss frame vs gain frame
Preventions vs promotion
Preventing illness or promoting health
, Example: Would you rather have a 10% chance of mortality or a 90% chance of survival =>
show the positives and not the negatives
Communication in general
Hooligan vs soccer fan
Priming; cognitive accessibility: what comes to mind easily
Different network of associations
Applying knowledge about persuasion
Use it responsibly and be aware of vulnerable groups
Follow ethical guidelines of NIP
Knowledge about persuasion
Also knowledge about how to say no
Possible to prevent persuasion or inform people how to
The power of defaults
Opt-in or opt-out explains number of organ donors per country
Default situation.
Lecture 1 Introduction and Influence part 1
Communication regarding pro-social behaviour, healthy decisions, spending money wisely, well-
informed medical decision-making.
With the goal to inform, persuade, change behaviour.
Using appropriate media.
Persuasive message broadly defined from small nudges and billboards, to elaborate information
brochures in all possible media from traditional media like videos and posters to online campaigns
or elements in the environment.
What, how, where, when, who, why
Prevent skin cancer: shock, inform, at the place and time of possible undesired behaviour
Promote responsible drinking: people need information (units of alcohol in a drink); or a plan on how
to say no; aimed at target group or aimed at influencers.
PATH Method
1. Problem phase: what is the problem
2. Analysis: theory-based explanations
3. Test-phase: developing process model
4. Help phase:
What is the problem?
Responsible drinking campaigns, very different messages
1. Assumption: People don’t have the information yet,
Problem definition: they lack information, increase knowledge
2. Assumption: wants
Problem definition: peer pressure, resisting temptation skills
Prevention of cigarette litter, very different messages
What drives the behavior/predictor of litter
1. Problem definition: people don’t know about the
situation
2. Problem definition: alternative fun break, break a
habit
First know the problem before intervening.
Goals of the message
=> awareness, attitude forming or change, behaviour change.
Based on the problem definition
What a persuasive message aims to change
Think about what you know about it (fe. Attitude change)
o Cognitive dissonance theory: there is a tendency for individuals to seek consistency
among their cognitions (beliefs, opinions). When there is an inconsistency between
attitudes or behaviours (dissonance) something must change to eliminate the
dissonance.
o Self-perception theory: people determine their attitudes and preferences by
interpreting the meaning of their own behaviour. So, when people are unsure about
, their feelings and motivations, they will use their own behaviour to infer what they
feel.
Difference between elements
Awareness is not attitude change
Attitude is not behaviour
How much processing resources do people need?
Some campaigns take longer than others
Elaboration Likelihood model
1. Central route
2. Peripheral route
System 1 or system 2
Comparing System 1 and System 2 thinking
System 1:
Fast
Defining characteristics:
o Unconscious
o Effortless
o Automatic
Without self-awareness or control
‘What you see is all there is’
Role:
o Assesses the situation
o Delivers updates
System 2
Slow
Defining characteristics:
o Deliberate and conscious
o Effortful
o Controlled mental process
With self-awareness or control
Logical and sceptical
Role:
o Seeks new/missing information
o Makes decisions
Processing a message
Motivation and ability of receiver
Involvement, relevance, cognitive busyness
Highly relevant to media use
Why do you use a medium (uses and gratification)
Pleasure information
Framing
Impact of type of frame
Loss frame vs gain frame
Preventions vs promotion
Preventing illness or promoting health
, Example: Would you rather have a 10% chance of mortality or a 90% chance of survival =>
show the positives and not the negatives
Communication in general
Hooligan vs soccer fan
Priming; cognitive accessibility: what comes to mind easily
Different network of associations
Applying knowledge about persuasion
Use it responsibly and be aware of vulnerable groups
Follow ethical guidelines of NIP
Knowledge about persuasion
Also knowledge about how to say no
Possible to prevent persuasion or inform people how to
The power of defaults
Opt-in or opt-out explains number of organ donors per country
Default situation.
