Self-Reported News Attention Does Assess Differential Processing of Media Content: An Experiment on Risk Perceptions Utilizing a Random Sample of U.S. Local Crime and Accident News

Abstract

Evidence for media effects in survey research often depends upon measures of selfreported attention to various types of media content, under the assumption that such attention measures gauge the extent of cognitive processing of content. However, effects associated with self-reports of attention might often be due to reverse causation (the attitude or knowledge tested as the outcome might in fact give rise to self-reports of greater attention) or third variable effects. To better assess whether self-reported attention to content actually measures differential processing of content, an experiment was conducted in the context of media influences on health and safety risk perceptions. A pool of 120 eligible news stories concerning violent crime, car crashes, and other unintentional injuries was randomly selected from a national random sample of such news coverage. These stories were manipulated to contain or not contain reference to alcohol as a contributing factor in the incident. Consistent with predictions and prior crosssectional survey results, self-reports of attention and the exposure treatment interacted in estimating concern about alcohol-related risks, with the pattern of results suggesting that between-participant differences in self-reports of attention in fact reflected differences in processing of the message. Methodological advantages of using random samples of messages in experiments for inference are also discussed.

Good self-control moderates the effect of mass media on adolescent tobacco and alcohol use: Tests with studies of children and adolescents.

“…After dropping one low-loading item the inventory was scored for a 7-item composite which had α = .77. Similar items have been used to assess aspects of reactions to advertising with younger samples and are variously termed affective response, liking, or attention (M. Chen, Grube, Bersamin, Waiters, & Keefe, 2005; Slater, Goodall, & Hayes, 2009; Unger, Schuster, Zogg, & Stacy, 2003); we use the latter term.…”

Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior and Media Dependency Theory: Predictors of Public Pro-environmental Behavioral Intentions in Singapore

“…Thus, people's attention to media messages can affect persuasive and learning effects. Consequently, media attention has been regarded as an important predictor of message influence (Slater et al, 2009). Recent studies have shown positive relationships between media use and PEBs.…”

“…Media attention refers to people's tendency to consciously devote cognitive effort to particular types of media messages (Slater, Goodall, & Hayes, 2009). Several models of information processing and persuasion, such as the elaboration likelihood model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986), propose that attention to message content is a necessary condition for persuasive effects.…”

Threat, Efficacy, and Uncertainty in the First 5 Months of National Print and Electronic News Coverage of the H1N1 Virus

“…Neuwirth, Dunwoody, and Griffin (2000) used protection motivation theory to investigate the role of threat and efficacy in news coverage of risks on willingness to take protective action. Although not intentionally persuasive, news may incidentally influence health-relevant variables, including risk perceptions and concern (see Slater, Goodall, & Hayes, 2009;Slater, Hayes, & Ford, 2007), policy support (Yanovitzky, 2002;Yanovitzky & Bennett, 1999), and behavior (see Pierce & Gilpin, 2001).…”