Citation

Zillmann D, Gibson R, Sargent SL. Media Psychol. 1999; 1(3): 207-228.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1207/s1532785xmep0103_2

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The influence of photographs in news-magazine reports was investigated in two related studies. One report addressed the economics of farming and focused on the growing gap between poor and rich farmers. The other report examined safety at amusement parks. The reports featured either no photograph, a photograph exemplifying one side of the issue (poor farmers, safe fun at parks), the opposite side of the issue (rich farmers, accidents at parks), or two photographs exemplifying both sides of the issue (poor and rich farmers, safe fun and accidents at parks). Issue perception was ascertained immediately or 10 days after exposure. Perception of farming economics was strongly influenced by the one-sided use of photographs. In the delay condition especially, assessments were biased in the direction suggested by the photographs. The perception of park safety was similarly influenced, but only by the danger-projecting photograph. The findings urge the balanced use of photographs for multifaceted issue reports.
The influence of photographs in news-magazine reports was investigated in two related studies. One report addressed the economics of farming and focused on the growing gap between poor and rich farmers. The other report examined safety at amusement parks. The reports featured either no photograph, a photograph exemplifying one side of the issue (poor farmers, safe fun at parks), the opposite side of the issue (rich farmers, accidents at parks), or two photographs exemplifying both sides of the issue (poor and rich farmers, safe fun and accidents at parks). Issue perception was ascertained immediately or 10 days after exposure. Perception of farming economics was strongly influenced by the one-sided use of photographs. In the delay condition especially, assessments were biased in the direction suggested by the photographs. The perception of park safety was similarly influenced, but only by the danger-projecting photograph. The findings urge the balanced use of photographs for multifaceted issue reports.