Third-person Effect Research Articles

Effects of Issue Involvement, News Attention, Perceived Knowledge, and Perceived Influence of Anti-Corruption News on Chinese Students’ Political Participation

Informed by the third-person effect hypothesis, this study used a survey of 1,060 Chinese university students to analyze the impact of anti-corruption news on Chinese audiences’ attitudes and political participation. This study found that university students tended to think the influence of anti-corruption news on others was greater than on themselves. In addition, issue involvement and new media attention to such news were found to reduce the self-other perceptual gap. Furthermore, the perceived effects of such news on self were positively associated with supportive attitude toward the anti-corruption policies. Meanwhile, perceived effects on others were negatively related to respondents’ political participation.

Follow my Snaps!

Using third-person perception as a theoretical framework, a survey of 1,167 American adolescents explores their social media use and its relationship to verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Despite the sexual nature of social media platforms like Snapchat, which are popular with adolescents, even adolescents who have experienced sexual violence in the past. Snapchat users were more likely than non-users to report abusive behavior to others. Adolescents exhibited third-person perception, believing others were more affected than they were by negative social media posts. This was related to experience with violence, and social media use. A third-person effect emerged, as adolescents who exhibit third-person perception were more likely to engage in abusive behaviors, both face-to-face and in an electronic medium.

Selecting anti-speeding messages for roadside application

PurposeAnalyze qualitative and quantitative data to determine the relative effectiveness of theoretically-developed anti-speeding messages, as judged by relatively inexperienced and experienced drivers, both for themselves as a driver, and for drivers in general. MethodEight focus groups and three individual interviews were conducted. Participants initially completed a questionnaire, ranking sets of three anti-speeding messages representing each of the six components of protection motivation theory (PMT). Participants were encouraged to write down the reasons for their rankings. During group and individual facilitation sessions, the rankings and reasons for them were discussed to identify salient reasons for participants’ judgments. The ranking data were analyzed quantitatively, with individual and group-based comments being analyzed thematically. ResultsQuantitative analyses of message pairs revealed five third-person effects (TPEs). Three messages were perceived as more relevant to drivers in general than to the participant-as-driver while two were associated with reverse TPEs, which participants perceived as more relevant to themselves-as-driver than for drivers in general. For four PMT components (rewards, self-efficacy, response efficacy, response costs), one or more messages received significantly higher rankings than one or more other messages representing the same component. Substantial variation was found within the individual and group discussion comments in respect of nearly all the messages, reflecting different driver perspectives and demographics. DiscussionA general preference for shorter messages was evident, leading to a revision of most of the messages comprising the stimuli for this study. On the basis of the focus group and interview responses, consideration was given as to which messages would be recommended for a pilot field study.

The third-person effects in the investment decision making: a case of corporate social responsibility

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to apply a third-person effects theory to the study of corporate social responsibility communications. Previous studies have asked what importance investors assign to the socially responsible activities of corporations. However, in the context of publicly-traded companies, it becomes important not only to calculate the effects of available information on an individual investor, but also to estimate the effects of every piece of information on the investor’s perception of the investment community at large.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a survey methodology in order to evaluate what value respondents assign to socially responsible behaviors as well as to identify a presence of third-person effects in the corporate social responsibility evaluations. Using an online survey, the respondents were asked to read a modified news article and the respond to a series of questions. In total, 96 completed surveys were collected and analyzed.FindingsThe research finds the presence of third-person effects incorporate socially responsibility message processing. The results of the study show that, while individually people are supportive of the socially responsible behaviors of corporations, they perceive others to be less supportive of such behaviors; they also see others as less likely to encourage such behaviors through action. As a result, people are less likely to act on their own views of corporate socially responsibility as they perceive themselves to be outliers. These findings lead to important consequences for investor communications, which are discussed in light of the efficient market hypothesis.Research limitations/implicationsFrom an academic standpoint, the study proposed that in investor and financial communication, third-person effects could play a significant role. Yet, third-person effects research in investor relations literature simply does not exists. Thus, the study’s main contribution is expanding third-person effects theory into the field of the investor relations research.Practical implicationsFrom practical standpoint, expectations and perception of corporate social responsibility have a significant effect on corporate reputation and, thus, communication about corporate social responsibility become important as they shape these perceptions and expectations. Yet, such corporate social responsibility issues may include a variety of matters, such as governance, responsibility, and the quality of social and economic choices, sometimes even contradictory to each other. It becomes a job of investor relations managers to study, analyze, and respond to these competing demands.Social implicationsFrom societal standpoint, the study advances the debate on the role of corporations in the society. With such concepts as social license to operate and creating shared value, and the growing expectations about corporate behavior, understanding the stakeholders perceptions of socially responsible behavior of corporations as a function of their perceptions of other stakeholders’ viewpoints, creates a better understanding of the complexities involved in the issue of corporate social responsibility reporting.Originality/valueSince investors and other financial publics are not homogenous and may have different perspectives, opinions, values, etc., they may react to the same information differently. Furthermore, they may expect others to behave differently and such perceptions, whether accurate or not, may, in fact, influence their own behavior, as third-person effects theory would suggest. Investor relations, then, becomes a function of managing these expectations. The presence of the third-person effects in investor communications can have a strong effect on market behavior and, thus, must become an important part of the investor relations professionals’ job – how the messages are crafted, communications, and measured. Yet, third-person effects is non-existent in the investor relations literature. Thus, the study provides an original contribution by applying a third-person effects theory in the investor relations research.

Consumer perceptions of online advertising of weight loss products: the role of social norms and perceived deception

Despite the prevalence of unsubstantiated claims in online advertising of weight loss products (OAWP), consumers tend to believe they are less susceptible to advertising claims than others. Based on a sample of American women (N = 684), drawn from Mechanical Turk, the current study examined the third-person effect of OAWP. After confirming the robustness of the third-person perception hypothesis, a structural equation model examined the third-person effect (TPE) of OAWP on restrictive and corrective actions. On the perceptual component of TPE, the model also elaborates the effects of descriptive and injunctive norms, usage of weight loss products, and perceived deception on the presumed influence of OAWP on self and others. The results of SEM implied that prior use and injunctive norms played important roles in the likelihood that consumers support government regulation and engage in corrective action. Results also showed that as perceived deception of OAWP increased, so did the perceived influence of OAWP on others. Perceived deception also significantly increased support for government regulation of OAWP.

People on Media Effects. An Exploratory Study of People’s Theorization on the Influence of Mass Media

In the last sixty years there has been an accumulative theoretical progress on communication research, in particular on the effects of media on people (Neuman & Guggenheim, 2011). However, little attention has been paid to the evolution of the perceived influence of media on people, except in the case of the third-person effect (Davison, 1983). By means of focus group method, this study shows how people is capable to reflect on media effects and suggest theorizations that can be linked to almost all of the media effects theories (Neuman and Guggenheim, 2011). We observe how critical perspectives about media manipulation persist across generations. We also demonstrate that people are aware of some of the variables that can moderate the influence of media on people. However, the study also shows that despite being capable of theorizing, people are not aware of their own biases, and the third-person effect. emerges spontaneously.

Facebook influences you more than me: The perceived impact of social media effects among young Facebook users

The popularity and prevalent use of Facebook among young people are common pre­occupations for communication researchers. They focus on unveiling people’s motivations, usage be­haviour, and gratifications offered by this communication medium. However, little attention has been invested in examining how young people perceive this new type of media consumption and its effects on themselves as compared to others. Drawing on Davison’s 1983 third-person effect hypothesis, this research paper investigates the a differences in estimated Facebook effects on self versus others, b association between the desirability of the message anti-social versus pro-social and estimated Facebook effects on self versus others, and c association between the type of the message and es­timated Facebook effects on self versus others. These relationships are studied with reference to the behavioural component of the third-person effect. Results confirm that Facebook might influence the magnitude and direction of the perceptual gap of media effects.

Agenda setting, localisation and the third-person effect: an experimental study of when news content will directly influence public demands for policy change

ABSTRACTBuilding from the third-person effect model of DRR policy adoption and mediated policy learning, this study provides an experimental examination of how specific elements of news media’s localisation of distant events directly influence public opinion. Controlling for salience effects, the construction of affinities between the distant, stricken community and the newspaper’s audience is argued to create a sense of shared vulnerability to the reported disasters. This is correlated within an increase in the respondent’s intention to act directly and an increase in their willingness to punish elected officials who do not act accordingly. The construction of difference between the communities, even though it is not related to risks related to the disaster, is argued to create implicit reassurances that the observing community does not need to act. This leads to an increased intention to act directly in opposition to efforts to reduce risk, but a neutral response towards political actors who pursue risk reduction policy actions.

My Sexual Entertainment, My Vote: How Attitudes Toward Condom Use in Pornography Related to Support for California’s Condom Law

In 2016, Californians voted down Proposition #60, which aimed to mandate condom use in pornography. Using an online survey administered through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, this study assessed how California citizens’ sexual entertainment preferences and viewing behaviors relate to their support for regulation. Findings generally suggest some aversion to condom use in pornography, especially among heterosexual males. Data suggest the more pornography one watches, the more averse one is to condoms in pornography, as well more opposed to regulation. Results varied more by gender than sexual orientation. Implications for third-person effects in relation to highly stigmatized topics are discussed.

Third-Person Effect of Charitable Campaign : Impacts of Public-Opinion Perception and Level of Media Usage

최근 기부 캠페인은 온라인에서의 크라우드펀딩 등 다양한 플랫폼으로 진화하는 데 비해, 기부 캠페인 효과연구는 주로 메시지의 속성이나 수용자의 개인화된 특성에만 초점을 맞추는 전통적인 틀에서 탈피하지 못하고 있다. 하지만 제3자 효과 이론에서는 이러한 효과가 개인 수준뿐 아니라 타인의 여론에 대한 인식이라는집단 역학 차원에서도 작용하고 있음을 강조한다. 이 연구는 캠페인 연구에 제3자 효과 이론을 접목하여 기부 참여 여론에 대한 단서 중 하나인 모금률에 따라 기부 메시지의 효과가 어떻게 달라지는지를 살펴보았다. 또한 기부 대상에 대한 지식은 주로 미디어를 통해 매개된 간접 경험에 의존한다는 점에 착안해, 미디어 이용량에 따라 이 효과가 어떻게 발생하는지를 다차원적으로 접근하였다. 분석 결과 사회적으로 바람직한 속성을 갖춘 메시지일 경우 제1자 효과가 발생하는 것을 확인했다. 기부 메시지를 접한 소비자의 제3자 효과는 모금률에 따라서도 다르게 나타났다. 마지막으로, 모금률에 따른 제3자 효과의 차이는 미디어 이용량 중인터넷 이용량 수준에 따라 상호작용 효과가 나타났다. 이 연구는 이러한 결과의 이론적, 실무적 함의에 관해서도 논의하였다.

First-Person Effects of Emotional and Informational Messages in Strategic Environmental Communications Campaigns

ABSTRACTThis study examined the first- and third-person effects of emotional and informational messages, particularly relating to the critical issue areas of energy, the environment, and global warming. Due to intense political polarization on such issues, it also explored the role of political party identification. The results of an experiment indicated that informational messages about the environment produced third-person effects, while environmental advertisements meant to evoke emotion caused first-person effects. Moreover, emotional environmental advertisements appealed more to Republicans and those who did not support a political party. As such, indirect, emotional messages appear to represent an opportunity for strategic environmental communicators to design campaigns that resonate with potentially unreceptive audiences.

高校生のインターネット・リテラシーに対する高等学校共通教科「情報」の教員養成課程に属する学生の第三者効果に関する研究

高校生のインターネット・リテラシーに対する高等学校共通教科「情報」の教員養成課程に属する学生の第三者効果に関する研究

흡연자의 낙관적 편견과 제3자 효과 : 폐암 및 담뱃갑 경고그림을 중심으로

흡연자의 낙관적 편견과 제3자 효과 : 폐암 및 담뱃갑 경고그림을 중심으로

흡연자의 낙관적 편견과 제3자 효과 : 폐암 및 담뱃갑 경고그림을 중심으로

흡연자의 낙관적 편견과 제3자 효과 : 폐암 및 담뱃갑 경고그림을 중심으로

Smoke Gets in Their Eyes? Third-Person Effects of Electronic Cigarette Advertising

ABSTRACTThis study examined the relationship between smoker status and attitudes toward e-cigarette usage, third-person perceptions of e-cigarette advertising, and support for regulation of e-cigarette advertising within the context of a media-saturated environment. Survey results (n = 615) indicated that participants perceived e-cigarette advertisements as having a more powerful effect on others than on themselves and that nonsmokers perceived this more strongly than did smokers. Nonsmokers were found to have more negative attitudes toward e-cigarette use than smokers. Mediation analysis indicated support for a serial indirect effect of smoker status on support for regulation through attitudes toward e-cigarettes and third-person perceptions.

Online Gambling Advertising and the Third-Person Effect

Gambling disorder is known to have a negatively detrimental impact on affected individual's physical and psychological health, social relationships, and finances. Via remote technologies (e.g., Internet, mobile phones, and interactive television), gambling has come out of gambling venues and has brought the potential for online gambling to occur anywhere (e.g., the home, the workplace, and on the move). Alongside the rise of online gambling, online gambling advertising have spread throughout all type of media. In a sample of 201 Spanish university students, the present study explored the perceived influence of online gambling advertising. More specifically it examined the Third-Person Effect (TPE), and its consequences on individuals' willingness to support censorship or public service advertising. The findings demonstrate that despite the difference on the perception of the effects of online gambling advertising, it scarcely accounts for the behavioural outcomes analysed. On the contrary, awareness of problem gambling and, above all, paternalistic attitudes appear to explain this support.

The value of the third-person effect in theory building

ABSTRACTThe third-person effect sheds light on the self–other discrepancy in perceived media effects on subsequent behavioral consequences. Despite the practical impetus and growing theoretical interest in the third-person effect, very little attention has been given to evaluating its value and efficacy for a more rigorous theory construction. The current research embraces a holistic approach to assess the worth of the third-person effect in theory building based on the six criteria for the evaluation of theory: explanatory power, predictive power, heuristic value, parsimony, testability, and internal consistency. Building on the discussion of its theoretical merits and limitations, new agendas for the third-person effect research are proposed.

The Third-Person Effect in Advertising: A Meta-Analysis

Prior meta-analyses have found evidence for differences in the third-person effect across message types, indicating that the third-person effect is a communication context-specific phenomenon. These meta-analyses do not explain why effects of the perceptual hypothesis in advertising are smaller when compared to communication in general; they do not address the broad range of consumer behavior variables that are affected by third-person perceptions; and they have not investigated whether the perceived effects on the self or on others are better predictors for behavioral responses than third-person perceptions in advertising. This meta-analysis addresses these issues and investigates the perceptual and behavioral hypotheses of the third-person effect in an advertising context. Findings indicate that third-person perceptions in product advertising are weaker when compared to other communication messages due to developments over time and the mixed gratifications provided by product advertising messages. Third-person perceptions in advertising can increase or decrease consumer behavior depending on whether the behavior is self related (e.g., body-related responses) or other related (e.g., support for regulation). Furthermore, perceived effects on self or on others are better behavioral predictors than third-person perceptions, providing managerial implications for advertising campaign pretesting.

Do difference scores make a difference on the third-person effect?

ABSTRACTResearchers from different fields have been intrigued but also confused with regard to the ways of conceptualizing and operationalizing difference. This article critically reviewed a number of existing means of operationalizing difference and mathematically explicated and empirically tested why difference scores were problematic and why the diamond model that aimed to replace difference scores was equally troublesome. Ultimately, this article recommended polynomial regression as an alternative to difference scores.

The World of Relative Values in Jane Austen’s Persuasion

This paper investigates the language of relative economic values represented in Jane Austen’s last novel Persuasion. A series of socio-economic changes occurred at the turn of the 18SUPth/SUP century, the Franco-British Wars, the Restriction Act of 1797, and the unexpected prosperity of agricultural industry, had led to unprecedented instability and uncertainty in the structure of value. While such traditional standards of measurement as gold or land had lost their function as liable media, public concern and conflicts about the value system radically increased. This paper asserts that Austen had full awareness of contemporary socio-economic changes and further argues that Persuasion represents this issue of uncertain, relative values through the figure of Anne Elliot. The first part charts Anne’s journey from Kellynch through Uppercross to Bath, analyzing how other characters relatively estimates her value. Located at the boundary of the Elliot circle, her minor social position results in differed evaluations of her worth in terms of relationships. Representations of situational measurement in this novel evoke economic, political, and epistemological uncertainties of contemporary Britain, which are resolved within the narrative structure through the domesticity of private interiority. Austen deploys literary techniques such as free indirect discourse and third-person effects, depicting the realm of Anne’s inner world as non-negotiable standard of value. The private domain of interiority coincides with the impersonality of third-person narration, through which a new structure of literary value begins to reign at the end of Persuasion.