consumer psychology

Based on the two films, The Persuaders and Merchants of Cool, Jack Trout's theory about the consumer mind might need reevaluation. Admittedly, some of Trout's theories about the consumer mind are fairly accurate: the consumer mind is limited and hates confusion. The consumer mind is limited to the point that certain people will be more receptive to certain methods of advertising and the product/service. A black, white-collared worker with a daughter in college is more likely to watch basketball on television (i.e., be exposed to appropriate advertisements during the basketball game) than a white, twenty-something college graduate female with a degree in English. Certain products/services are designed for certain audiences, hence the consumer mind is limited to what is individually necessary. Second, the consumer mind hates confusion. In the film The Persuaders there is a scene in which the newly developed Song airline has a launch store in the mall. An older man walks into the Song store and is confused as to what product/service is being presented. He is confused to the point of asking the woman behind the counter if they are a travel agency. He is corrected; Song is in fact an airline. Close enough, but not close enough to convince advertisers that the consumer mind hates confusion.

To combat the changing media arena of stream television on the internet and TiVo, commercials are becoming rare it seems. However, as The Persuaders states, advertising agencies are continuing to focus their efforts on product placement. This is an incredibly useful tool because not only is the product/service incorporated into the program (hopefully intelligently and not terribly obvious) but it is also being utilized by a famous person. This aspect of using famous people to market products/services was touched upon briefly in both Persuaders and Merchants, specifically with Jerry Seinfeld for American Express and Limp Bizkit for a "cool" MTV.

Marketing and advertising are dangerous businesses to get involved with. There are so many factors that can influence how consumers respond and digest the information being presented by advertisements. The factors are endless: age, socio-economic status, race, gender, the economy, cultural trends, fads, intelligence, and "coolness" to name some of the most prevalent factors I consider marketers and advertisers to take into account when producing a campaign for a product/service. There is so much information to keep track of and multiple factors to consider when making a decision about how and why a product/service should be marketed one way and not the other.

Even though marketing and advertising has an arguably negative connotation, at least the consumer world is more three dimensional, instead of everything looking plain.

web bias

Based on all the resources available to check facts on the internet and validate the authenticity of authorship on the internet, it is interesting to wonder what spawned this digital detective work. It is quite clear that humans are a very cognitively advanced species, a species that contains an interesting trait to seek the truth. Perhaps with the seemingly open authorship of the internet, these resources have been created to keep this free arena of information in check. In fact, this detective work of validity and truth is now so advanced that we are able to mock and satirize it. The image below demonstrates this. From The Huffington Post article about the "Funniest Protect Signs of '09," we can poke fun of a major news contender, Fox News, on the internet to send a message.

On the flip side of this entire discussion on web biases exists an amazingly humour-filled website that takes all arguments set forth by Alan November and Johns Hopkins University and throws them out the window. That site is of course The Onion. To apply some of November's analysis of the website, the first observation is The Onion's subheading "American's Finest News Source." A website that makes fun of news and creates false headlines as the "finest news source?" It takes a smart society to begin to make fun of itself. In this instance, I believe The Onion is the best example and most important take away message from this section on web biases. Here is a website that can be accessed by any computer with an internet connection that has the potential of propagating (mostly) false information to an uninformed reader. Below is an image taken from the home page of The Onion on September 22, 2009 with two main headlines. The first reading: "Nadir of Western Civilization to be Reached this Friday at 3:32pm." Next to it, the (mostly) false headline that Bush laughs at his near decade presidency.

Clearly The Onion is a site created for humour purposes but to an audience not expecting a humour site, the results of taking this information to heart could cause massive misinformation problems. With all of these resources available to check and recheck facts and the source of the information, it is obviously the reader's responsibility to be the gatekeeper of the information, yet mistakes continue to happen and misinformation still exists. How is this problem to be resolved? Infinite fact and source checks? Or merely continue to poke fun at those who are still prey to web biases?

take away from NSO

gate keeping and concepts of self in media

To apply the theory of gate keeping to all forms of media would be a mistake.  Gate keeping, according to the definition provided during Dill's presentation, proposes information is mediated so the experience can be controlled.  While this approach is certainly true for advertisements, it may not be true for other forms of media such as film.  Advertisements for a certain product are tailored to a specific message.  For example, buy brand x because it is does this, which brands y and z do not, or look at this famous actor who also uses brand x.  Advertisements are designed to be short and digestable (30 second commercials or single page advertisements), thus the message needs to be as controlled as possible to get the appropriate message across to the consumer of the media.  

On the other hand, films (and television for the sake of argument) occasionally like to leave the media up for interpretation.  In other words, the organization (i.e., editing, music, character development, cinematography, etc.) is structured in such a way to keep several avenues of interpretation open to the audience.  In addition, many filmmakers depend on making films in this way to strengthen the word of mouth method of propagating their film to the public.  One fine example of this is the concluding episode of The Sopranos.  The final scene is constructed in such a particular way that the experience is left up to interpretation.  There are several theories of what happens during and after the final scene of The Sopranos because the creators have tailored it this way.  It is in this way that the experience is not limited.   To combine these two approaches, the first stating that advertisements follow this theory of gate keeping and the second that films do not, how would an advertisement for the final episode of The Sopranos play out?  Since the purpose of an advertisement would be to get consumers to subscribe to the product being sold, any advertisement for that final episode will be organized in such a way to not give away too much information, but to be tantalizing enough to get consumers excited to watch the episode.  

the persuasive role of music

Having a very strong interest in cognitive psychology, the idea of cognitive dissonance between the visual and auditory aspects of film struck a chord.  Isbouts' presentation mentioned the three dimensionality of visual information with auditory information (both sound effects and music) as one of the most important aspects of film.  Without auditory information, film (i.e., movies) would just be moving images.  The addition of sound, both sound effects and music, breathes a new wave of life to the image and adds emotion and other inexplicable feelings.  

If auditory information does bring forward another dimension of film that would otherwise be lacking, how are we to compare the film experiences of deaf people to hearing people?  (Perhaps this may be an interesting way to study the effect of music in film with an auditorily isolated population instead of merely pressing mute during playback of the film for those able to hear).  Films for the hearing impaired do have captions that explain the sound effects and music being presented in the film.  For example, the caption might read: "light breeze through rustling trees," or "music swells."  If deaf individuals do indeed have a different experience in regards to the audio in a film, is it possible to bridge the gap between the audio experience of a film for those who are unable to hear versus those who can?

The short answer to this dilemma is yes, there is a difference in auditory experience for those who can hear a film's soundtrack than those who cannot.  The more important question: would a deaf individual who has never experienced audio like a hearing individual care if anything could be done to enhance the film-watching experience?  Obviously, this issue could go back and forth, but theoretically it is an interesting question to ask and an important issue to raise.  Based on individual differences, people have vastly different experiences from the same kind of media. 

how plugged in are you? 

Many people are unable to imagine their lives without a mobile phone.  And this is no surprise, as mobile phones have revolutionized the manner and speed with which we are able to stay in touch with people and the world.  Wonder how the stock market is doing?  Use your phone.  Wonder who won the World Cup?  Use your phone.  Wonder if your husband went to the store and picked up dinner?  Use your phone.  Consumers can only hope that this technology was created to improve life and not take from it.

It is perhaps more interesting to not ask the question of why we cannot unplug but rather why we choose not to unplug.  Arguably, no one is forcing you to purchase a mobile phone or to use a microwave instead of cooking dinner over a fire pit.  On the other hand, these technologies have become the norm in our society and it seems foolish to think we would have life any other way.  One could also argue that there are aspects of life that now require these technologies (e.e., a stock broker needs a computer to keep up to date information of the stock market for clients).  If it is assumed we cannot unplug because we choose not to unplug, then life should not be interrupted if technologies were unplugged.  Admittedly, life would look very different if families were preparing dinner over fire pits instead of ovens, stoves, and microwaves, but if the technology is there, why not use it?

Mobile phones make is easier to stay in touch with people but they also disrupt sacred moments, such as quiet movie theatres, family dinners, peaceful religious ceremonies, and driving safely.  One specific aspect of mobile phones as a connecting and disconnecting technology is the phone book.  Mobile phones are able to hold hundreds and thousands of contacts, information that we do not need to remember.  How many phone numbers are people able to recall without the assistance of their mobile phone?  Mobile phone books make it possible to connect all of this contact information but disconnect from the amazing cognitive power which is memory.  

3, 2, 1

i didn't know...

-I did not really understand what defined media psychology.  The pieces are coming together and the definition of media psychology is becoming more cohesive.  Hearing what media psychology was from the perspective of three professors with different interests in psychology only further solidified the definition of media psychology.  Just as there are many different "disciplines" within psychology (e.g., cognitive, social, development, etc.), there are many disciplines within media psychology (e.g., advertisements, music, film, etc.).  Further, there are many different ways to approach, study, and research the same kind of media from different perspectives of psychology.  From a cognitive perspective, how does one remember an advertisement?  From a social perspective, how does an advertisement influence self identity?  Initially the battle seems overwhelming, but with a better understanding of media psychology, research interests can be tailored to answer important and valuable questions about this young field.

-I did not realize the kind of music attached to visual information can dramatically alter how a piece of media is perceived.  This clip of how The Shinning was recut to different music supports this point.  

-The idea that all technologies connect and disconnect has much truth attached to it.  It seems making an inclusive statement such as this can lead to exceptions to the rule, but this is one statement I believe holds true.  The two examples presents during the discussion, eye glasses and the microwave, are fine examples.  It is also my belief that most any other technology I can think of follows this same pattern.  For example, mobile phone phonebooks take away from people's memory to remember seven digits of a phone number.  

i'll tell you what...

-Statistics can make or break research.  It is certainly one thing to make a claim about some aspect of life but without any kind of statistical research to either support or negate, it is difficult to look at this claim with any level of seriousness.  

-The same piece of media can be perceived in several different ways.  This may seem like an obvious statement but it is not until one presents their own media with a specific message in mind to hear other interpretations.

change...

-I want to change how I approach academia.  Getting back into the swing of research critiques and scholarly reading and analysis is not an easy task.  Instead, it is something I need to change to succeed and work my way towards becoming a master of my field.  Based on the lunar patterns of television watching, research is important in this field.  More importantly, good research that is conducted meaningfully and answers important questions is pertinent for the success of media psychology as a derivative of psychology.

urban legends

I found the Baloney Detection kit to be the most important piece of information I took away from this exercise.  Oddly enough, there were no facts to either believe or not believe from this "kit" but rather a guide for how to detect garbage.  Many of the questions from the Baloney Detection kit (which the name itself gives this entire situation that much more humor) are somewhat self explanatory.  For example, the reliability of the source is hopefully a feature that most people subscribe to.  Would you trust an airline pilot to build your house?

Another interesting point that was raised several times during these readings was the importance and impact of good luck charms.  I must admit to performing certain tasks out of habit or some kind of reassurance.  For example, every single time I get on to an airplane, I must touch the outside of the plane before I board.  This is not a crazy superstition I hold but rather a habit I have picked up that brings me back to the present.  I do not believe that if I were to fail to touch the plane something bad will happen.  However, if my example were a more widespread habit among people, I would not be surprised if it found its way on the Snopes site.  

As Michael Shermer said in the Baloney Detection video, you question everyone and everything; be a skeptic.  But there comes a point when questioning everyone and everything gets exhausting and frustrating.  We do not always have the time to go out and research and compare notes from 20 different sources about a piece of information.  It is just not practical.  For the sack of argument, I would say that most information that is digested from the internet should always be taken a grain of salt.  But as the internet continues to take of the world and how we receive information, that grain of salt might be reducing in size.  When Michael Jackson died, several websites said he was merely hospitalized and had not died.  Other sites were saying he had died.  Should I believe the New York Times or Johnny's Breaking News Site?  

Another important take away message was the difference between case studies versus more empirical research.  My experiences in psychology have been firmly rooted in statistical evidence; the larger the sample size, the more valid the data.  Hence, I view case studies like I view stories; there is usually an important theme or message to take away but I'm not ready to write an empirical dissertation based on the data.  Sorry Freud.

urban legends

I found the Baloney Detection kit to be the most important piece of information I took away from this exercise. Oddly enough, there were no facts to either believe or not believe from this "kit" but rather a guide for how to detect garbage. Many of the questions from the Baloney Detection kit (which the name itself gives this entire situation that much more humor) are somewhat self explanatory. For example, the reliability of the source is hopefully a feature that most people subscribe to. Would you trust an airline pilot to build your house?

Another interesting point that was raised several times during these readings was the importance and impact of good luck charms. I must admit to performing certain tasks out of habit or some kind of reassurance. For example, every single time I get on to an airplane, I must touch the outside of the plane before I board. This is not a crazy superstition I hold but rather a habit I have picked up that brings me back to the present. I do not believe that if I were to fail to touch the plane something bad will happen. However, if my example were a more widespread habit among people, I would not be surprised if it found its way on the Snopes site.

As Michael Shermer said in the Baloney Detection video, you question everyone and everything; be a skeptic. But there comes a point when questioning everyone and everything gets exhausting and frustrating. We do not always have the time to go out and research and compare notes from 20 different sources about a piece of information. It is just not practical. For the sake of argument, I would say that most information that is digested from the internet should always be taken a grain of salt. But as the internet continues to take of the world and how we receive information, that grain of salt might be reducing in size. When Michael Jackson died, several websites said he was merely hospitalized and had not died. Other sites were saying he had died. Should I believe the New York Times or Johnny's Breaking News Site?

Another important take away message was the difference between case studies versus more empirical research. My experiences in psychology have been firmly rooted in statistical evidence; the larger the sample size, the more valid the data. Hence, I view case studies like I view stories; there is usually an important theme or message to take away but I'm not ready to write an empirical dissertation based on the data. Sorry Freud.

a definition of critical thinking

I hope we can all agree the information available for critical thinking is vast.  After reading through some of the articles available, I am faced with a massive wall of information.  What do I do with this information?  I certainly know what qualities define a good critical thinker, and ways to approach information and dissect it with a critical thinking knife and digest it.  

One class I could not get out of my head was a psychology class called Thinking during my undergraduate years.  One of the most prominent sections we researched and discussed was on medical decisions made by oncologists and other doctors faced with life altering decisions.  One can only hope that in that physical state you have the best and most informed doctor but do not forget, doctors are humans too and humans make mistakes.  Let's say that you have been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.  The doctor suggests you undergo a battery of chemo treatments as well as other medicines.  You are not sick and are hardly aware that anything is wrong with you.  What do you do?  In the medical world, this is called informed consent wherein the doctor presents hopefully an option or two and makes a suggestion towards one of those options.  Is this really informed consent if the doctor is biases his/her decision for you?  Not everyone is a doctor and may not fully understand the consequences of medical decisions, hence patients place heavy emphasis on what doctors say.  This is just one brief example of how critical thinking has world applications and is not merely restricted to the classroom.

Everyone can think but you must be taught how to critically think.

As per an earlier response I made to the forum, what if some people are not hard-wired to be critical thinkers?  Everyone's brain is different, everyone has different experiences, different memories, and different backgrounds.  Therefore, the fact that I can be taught how to think more critically does not mean my neighbor can follow suit.  

As you are reading this, what are you thinking?  Do you agree with what I have said, disagree?  Is there a flaw in my logic?  Does the fact that I have had classroom experience with thinking in a psychological manner improves my ability to think critically?  As you can tell, I love answering questions with questions.  

To apply my own definition: critical thinking is being mindful of processed information one experiences.