In a day and age where the media is reported as not always being a reliable source a lot of people still believe everything they read.
The reason behind this is thought to be because the reader has an unconscious motivation that makes them question their beliefs, if they read something that matches their beliefs they are likely to accept that it is as true, even if it is not.
The reverse of this can also happen, a reader will reject information that doesn’t match their beliefs even though it could be true as it requires too much questioning and processing to understand.
Many psychologists believe that a reader is more likely to let their guard down when they encounter news in their personal space especially when it’s on social media as this is more likely to be tailor towards them and their interests.
Articles they see are often shared by family, friends or influences that the consumer has chosen to associate themselves with online therefore they see them as a reliable source .
As well as this, readers are likely to believe things that are simple and easy for them to comprehend therefore if it is short and snappy the reader is unlikely to question whether it is true or not.
Headlines determine how many people will read an article and are written to lure people in. A headline also alters the way the consumer reads certain articles. They are often searching for the information from the headline as this is what persuaded them to read the article initially and encourages a biased reading. By drawing attention to certain details or facts, a headline can affect the existing knowledge in the reader’s brain.
The headline often uses clever phrasing to influence a person’s mindset as they read it.
No comments:
Post a Comment