Discussion – Attribution vs. Persuasion
When paying close attention to mass communication, media studies, communication theory, media influence, effects, and even media psychology are concepts about mass media impacting a person, the thoughts of an audience, behavior, and attitudes. Whether written, spoken, or televised, mass media tends to reach a vast audience. With this in mind, it suffices to say that this paper will explore the notion of media influence on public behaviors and attitudes and prove psychology as a global discipline.
Foremost, it is crucial to understand that the role of mass media in society is essential. Mass media has exerted its influence in numerous spheres of human culture. In this case, the media influences the way people vote, personal views, and beliefs. Over the past few decades, the influence of mass media has increased drastically to significant levels. Their availability to millions of viewers, listeners, and readers at short notice exacerbates the potency of mass media. A study posits that persons who use social media frequently are most likely to have negative emotions, including isolation and envy. In this case, there is the tendency for other people to distort the reality of the lives they live, which includes mass media’s selective posting on their various social media platforms that could most likely make a viewer feel as if everyone seems to have a life that is better than theirs. The fact that teens are the largest market for the consumer demographics makes marketers devise more ways to keep attracting teenagers intentionally by making it seem cool for teenagers to associate with a particular product they are trying to market. As such, it is clear that the media intentionally engages in the persuasion of people to adopt certain attitudes and opinions deliberately.
One potent reason why psychology is often regarded as a global discipline is that it engages in the study of people. Regardless of the diverse cultures of people, races, or even ethnicities, psychology looks into why people act and think in a specific way and even how people can help improve their well-being. In this case, everything an individual does is interlinked to the subject (Philippe, 2021). It tends to allow people to comprehend more about the workings of the mind and the body, which could help make potent decision-making and avoid stressful situations. The fact that it allows people from all walks of life to be successful is proof that it is a global discipline and convincing because, by learning psychology, we have explanations for why people behave in a certain way.
Also, it is used daily in society. For instance, when talking with friends, having children disciplined, and even arguing with their partners. With this, relationships are built because psychology as a global discipline alleviates the challenges we might face with living with each other and understanding them even more (Philippe, 2021). By so doing, communication is also improved because there is a tremendous understanding of how the human mind thinks and behaves, which could be an essential tool for understanding why certain people have difficulty relating with the rest of the population.
However, some people believe that psychology is not a global discipline because one of the primary goals of psychology is to make predictions on behavior through understanding causes. However, making predictions is onerous, partly because persons have diverse reactions to various situations (Stangor & Walinga, n.d.). Even though most people share some common depression symptoms, the experience is quite different in people. This is proof that psychology is not a global discipline because it does not cover some of the most important questions about humans.
Besides, human behavior is caused by factors outside conscious awareness, making it difficult to understand them. Sigmund Freud posited that numerous psychological disorders are caused by repressed memories that we have, consequently remaining on the outside of our consciousness. The fact that these factors play a role in limiting human understanding of solving these phenomena makes it clear that it removes psychology as a global discipline.
Inasmuch as there are weaknesses in psychology as a global discipline, psychology remains the potent reason we have gained much insight in explaining the certain behaviors in humans that would not have been solved outside of psychology. It provides explanations for human behavior, relationships, and even understanding the concept of communication between people.
References
Stangor, C., & Walinga, J. 1.1 Psychology as a Science. Opentextbc.ca. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/1-1-psychology-as-a-science/.
Philippe, R. (2021). The Importance of Psychology. Owlcation. https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Psychology-and-its-Importance.
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Question 
For this week’s discussion, watch the video Merchants of Cool at Merchants.
After watching the video and reading chapters five, six, and eight in your Principles of Social Psychology textbook, respond to the following questions in your initial post on the Week 2 Discussion:
Discussion – Attribution vs. Persuasion
How and to what extent does the mass media influence the public’s attitudes and behaviors? Do television shows and newscasts, for example, simply reflect what is happening in the world, or do they have the potential to actually cause real-life events? Apart from advertising, do you believe the members of the media engage in deliberate attempts to persuade people to adopt certain opinions and attitudes?
Secondly, it provides two of the most convincing reasons that support the claim that psychology is a global discipline. Explain why each is convincing and reflects the progress that has been and will be made in psychology as a global discipline. Next, post two of the most convincing reasons that refute the claim that psychology is a global discipline. Explain why each reason is convincing and reflects a lack of progress or progress yet to be made.
Lastly, take a position yourself on whether psychology is a global discipline. Justify your position.