I am very interested in the impact of media on how we view the world, and particularly in messaging that is framed in fearful and tribal contexts by various sources from politicians, religious leaders, and proponents of social causes to media outlets vying for audience attention. Biologically speaking, maintaining a heightened sense of fear is a stressor that can permanently alter our neurological wiring, even after the threat abates. A heightened sense of fear colors the way we see the whole world, influencing our perceptions and, consequently, our judgments, decisions, and behaviors. These are the ideas that I am measuring in my current research that will form the basis for a dissertation on Media Impact on the Core Beliefs that Predict Conflict. I hope to identify differences among information sources in their influence on core beliefs. I am using US and China as exemplars of this phenomenon and will gather data again, post-Olympics. The link to my questionnaire is here: … [Read more...]