Perceptions of Media and Media Effects:

Abstract

Research about the way people perceive news media has made progress in three parallel avenues. The fi rst used the concept of credibility and trust; the second used the concept of hostile media perceptions; and the third -focusing on perceptions of media impact -used the concept of the third -person perception. In this chapter, we argue that these three avenues are empirically and conceptually connected and that they are related to media effects in three ways. First, people ' s mistrust of media has been found to moderate the infl uence of media on the audience in an array of studies. Second, people ' s perceptions regarding media impact matter, albeit indirectly, because people react to these perceptions as if they were real. Third, the effects of perceptions of media infl uence are amplifi ed when they are coupled with perceptions of media hostility, especially among audiences that are personally and emotionally involved in the issues on which media texts report.

News Media Credibility Ratings and Perceptions of Online Fake News Exposure in Five Countries

“…Use of some mainstream media sources is associated with decreased political cynicism and increased political trust (see Lee 2005). Tsfati and Cohen (2012) point out that, broadly, trust is usually associated with cooperation and prosocial outcomes, while mistrust is associated with lack of social cooperation.…”

“…Additionally, one's media diet should affect perceptions of fake news online. Trust in media has been found to be associated with a number of behaviors and psychosocial outcomes, such as greater political trust, lower political engagement, and greater consumption of mainstream news sources (Tsfati and Cohen 2012), and mistrust in news media has been found to be associated with skepticism toward both media and some of the political actors covered in the news. A belief that fake news is prevalent has been described as a form of contemporary political cynicism (Rusbridger 2018), and it should correlate negatively with trust in news media.…”

The Sociological and Psychological Effect of Media Content on Ghanaian Journalists and Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Analysis

“…When considering perceptions of media in a volume on media effects, it is important to stress that the effects of perceptions of media are conceptually separate from the direct effects of a specific media text. Davison (1983) identified the original bias that is referred to as the third -person perception (TPP), namely that people attribute greater power to the media when they are asked about its effect on others than when they are asked about media influence on themselves Tsfati and Cohen (2013) went further to state that:…”

Effects of Political Polarization of Media on Contents Credibility and Consumers in Pakistan

“…First is about the level of trust and credibility; second about hostile media effects and the third regarding the focus on media perceptions, which are actually visualized by third person perception. Media perception effects' influence is enhanced when they are multiplied with effects of hostile media, especially the TV consumers, which are emotionally indulged in the issues, media are reporting (Tsfati & Cohen, 2012).…”