Blog Post #9

EOTO Terms & Concepts

There were many theories that I was unaware of regarding society and how individuals shape their opinions. The first interesting theory is entitled the Illusory Truth Effect.

 

This theory explores how the more individuals hear something, the more likely they will start to believe it. This definition states that the theory, "describes how when we hear the same false information repeated again and again, we often come to believe it is true." There are many examples of this including the no swimming after eating rule we grew up with. Additionally, stocking up on Vitamin C when it's cold and cough season. There is little to no evidence provided that proves these claims are true. However, since we have heard it over and over again, we eventually end up believing.

This has a major effect on society, as even geniuses can fall for this theory. This is especially prevalent in my generation, as misinformation can be spread with a click of a button. As individuals scroll on TikTok, they are consuming information, whether they want to or not. If we consume misinformation, this provif we are constantly exposed. 

The next theory I researched is Confirmation Bias. This theory explains, "people's tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with their existing beliefs." This perfectly explains how individuals want to hear what they want to hear. This contributes to people having major bias, as they are not open to exploring other beliefs or perspectives. If people become this close-minded, then it can have a harmful effect on society.

A few examples of this include how we choose our friends, biased search, or even the way doctors diagnose things. In all of these cases, people are choosing to stay in their comfort zone and be less likely to explore the unknown. We choose our friends based on attributes they may have that are similar to us. We surf the internet directly searching up things in order to find the "best" answer, that follows our beliefs. Doctors can diagnose someone using evidence that backs up their theory, without exploring other options. It is said that confirmation bias has a few benefits, since it helps people to sort through information efficiently. However, if used too much it can contribute to a very narrow-minded world.

The gatekeeping theory was interesting to learn about, as the term is part of my everyday vocabulary. To my understanding, gatekeeping is when someone holds off information from you, which can be frustrating. I had no idea, however, that this was a well-known theory in the world of communications. The true definition involves, "selecting, and then filtering, items of media that can be consumed within the time or space that an individual happens to have."

Ultimately, the gatekeeper gets to pick and choose what information gets to be sent out to the public. I feel like this can have a negative effect on society, as people will be entitled to what information they think should go out. However, this may not be the case for everyone. Therefore, it contributes to the recurring separation and narrow-mindedness, that society should try to avoid.

The Agenda-Setting Theory, "suggests that media institutions shape political debates by determining what issues are most important and featuring them in news broadcasts." After researching, I've noticed that this is very similar to gatekeeping. This is since one party is deciding what information is important enough to broadcast. This includes various media outlets including, newspapers, magazines, social media, radio, etc. This majorly impacts society, as we consume media on these outlets everyday. 

No matter what age an individual is, they are consuming some sort of information. The agenda setting theory ultimately claims that it can truly shape society's way of thinking, by determining what issues get the most attention. The more I learn about these theories, the more I realize that mostly everything in the media is planned out. 

The Overton Window theory is a model displaying how ideas in society constantly change, which end up majorly influencing politics. Politicians are often pigeon-holed into only supporting policies that are accepted by the public. They want to please the public, to appear trustworthy, and keep the support. 

This theory has been prevalent throughout history. This is since women's suffrage, the abolishment of slavery, universal healthcare, and gay marriage are all instances where there has been a significant shift historically. 

The last theory is entitled the Spiral of Silence. I explained this theory through my presentation, and was very interested when researching. This theory explains the willingness of a minority opinion to stand up and share it when put against a majority viewpoint. More specifically, it is "people's willingness to express their opinions on controversial public issues is affected by their largely unconscious perception of those opinions as being either popular or unpopular." 

This theory can affect society's everyday life through the most common example, social media. As individuals, we gain validation when we receive likes or shares when posting to social media platforms. However, if we don't receive a positive reaction when sharing our opinions, we can often be convinced not to anymore. I think this perfectly reflects the Spiral of Silence Theory. 

Another example would be from the popular film, Mean Girls. The majority viewpoint would be the most popular group in school known as, "The Plastics." Anyone who is not a part of this clique would be scared to go against the status quo by stating their own opinions or feelings. This is due to fear of a negative response or rejection from the most popular clique.

Overall, all of these theories can have a major society on how individuals form and process their opinions. We must be aware of them, when consuming information online, in order to have an open mind when creating individualistic beliefs.