Name: Eileen Gamil

ID: 20190244

Media Literacy

With the help of media literacy, people can better comprehend how the
media affects society and develop the critical thinking and self-
expression abilities required of democratic citizens."
To put it another way, media literacy is the capacity to use critical
thinking techniques when analyzing the messages, signs, and symbols
presented by the media.
Our world is overrun with media of all types, including newspapers,
radio, television, and the internet. In order to make better decisions about
what we read, watch, and listen to, we need to be able to comprehend
and assess all of the media messages we come across on a daily basis.
Additionally, it makes us more intelligent and perceptive members of
society.
Teachers, academics, and media psychologists all view media literacy as
a crucial 21st-century skill. In fact, support for the growth of media
literacy is included in the mission statement of Division 46 of the
American Psychological Association, the Society for Media Psychology
and Technology.
Despite this, many individuals continue to reject media as harmless
entertainment and assert that its contents don't affect them. But study
constantly shows that people are influenced by the media messages they
take in.
Interventions and instruction in media literacy give children and adults
the information and skills they need to understand the influence media
has on them and to lessen that influence.
Name: Eileen Gamil
ID: 20190244

History of Media Literacy:

The British Film Institute's push to instill analytical skills in media
consumers during the late 1920s and early 1930s is sometimes seen as
the origin of the first attempts at media literacy education. In America at
the same time, the Wisconsin Association for Better Broadcasters
worked to instill in its audience a greater sense of media skepticism.
But these early initiatives in media literacy, which persisted throughout
the 1960s, were intended to shield pupils from media by cautioning them
against its consumption. In spite of this viewpoint, media dominance—
and television in particular—kept expanding as interest in teaching
media literacy education declined.
The need for media literacy has more recently increased due to the
development of the internet and portable devices that allow us to
consume information anywhere and at any time. However, the objective
is now to assist people in becoming more knowledgeable, intelligent
media consumers rather than to forbid them from utilizing media.
A lack of centralization has resulted in a disjointed approach to teaching
practical media literacy skills in the United States, despite the fact that
media literacy education has now gained acceptance and success in
English-speaking nations like Australia, Canada, and Britain.

Impact of Media Literacy:

Studies after studies have demonstrated the importance of teaching
media literacy skills to individuals of all ages, despite the fact that
America lacks a standardized media literacy program.
Name: Eileen Gamil
ID: 20190244

For instance, it was discovered that children as young as 12 can be

taught to recognize prejudice in media depictions of race and ethnicity
and comprehend the harm it can bring. This was found in a review of the
studies on media literacy education and reduction in racial and ethnic
stereotypes.
Although the authors acknowledge that there is still a lack of research on
this subject, they point out that there is evidence to show that media
literacy instruction can teach young people to be sensitive to prejudice
and to value diversity. 
In the meanwhile, numerous studies have demonstrated that media
literacy programs lessen the body dissatisfaction that might come from
consuming media messages.
In one study, teenage girls were exposed to photographs of ultra-thin
models before being given an intervention video from the Dove Self-
Esteem Fund. After seeing the photographs of the models, a control
group reported poorer body satisfaction and body esteem, but the group
that saw the intervention first didn't experience these negative impacts.
Another study found that after taking part in a media literacy
intervention, college women (who were at high risk for eating disorders)
expressed less body dissatisfaction, a lower desire to be slim, and
reduced internalization of cultural beauty standards. The researchers
came to the conclusion that media literacy instruction could assist high-
risk individuals in avoiding eating disorders.
Additionally, research has indicated that educating people in media
literacy can help them better judge the veracity of media reports,
enabling them to recognize "fake news" and make more educated
choices.
For instance, studies on young adults' evaluations of the veracity of
assertions made about contentious societal topics were enhanced if the
participants had received media literacy training. Another study revealed
Name: Eileen Gamil
ID: 20190244

that only those who had received media literacy training used critical
social media posting techniques that stopped them from spreading
misleading information regarding the COVID-19 epidemic.

How to Practice Media Literacy:

Learning to be critical media consumers is beneficial for people of all
ages, according to the research on the advantages of media literacy. All
media communications, according to media expert W. James Potter,
have four dimensions:
1) Cognitive: the information that is being conveyed
2) Emotional: the underlying feelings that are being expressed
3) Aesthetic: the overall precision and artistry of the message
4) Moral: the values being conveyed through the message
Karen Dill-Shackleford, a media psychologist, believes that we might
use these four qualities as a starting point to develop our media literacy
abilities.
Let's take the scenario when we see a weight loss miracle medicine
advertisement while watching movies online. We can dissect the
advertisement as follows in order to more accurately assess what it is
really trying to convey:
1) On the cognitive dimension, By posing some of the following
queries, we can determine what information the advertisement is
trying to get over to us: What is the advertised function of the
drug? Does it appear plausible that the medicine will fulfil those
promises? Who would require a medicine of this nature?

2) On the emotional dimension, We can assess the emotions the ad's

designer wants us to experience: Do they want us to feel self-
conscious about our weight? Do they want us to consider how this
Name: Eileen Gamil
ID: 20190244

medicine might improve our lives? Do they want us to picture how

happy we would be once the medicine provides its fast fix?

3) On the aesthetic dimension, we can identify the messages and

visuals the advertisement uses to persuade us that the product will
live up to its claims: Does the advertisement feature "before" and
"after" pictures of a purported drug user? Does the "after" image
appear happier than the "before" image? Does the advertisement
include endorsements from specialists who have been identified?

4) On the moral dimension, We can look at what the ad's creators

intended to say: Do they equate happiness with being thin? Are
they conveying the idea that being overweight is a moral failing?
Are they implying that in order to be loved and appreciated, one
must be thin?

One way to develop media literacy in daily life is through this. Never
forget that the goal of media literacy is to provide people with the skills
necessary to be informed, engaged consumers of media, not to reduce
their enjoyment of it.
You'll be able to identify, analyze, and assess harmful or inaccurate
media messages thanks to media literacy, which also puts the power to
regulate the media back in your hands. And studies suggest that doing so
will probably improve your health and happiness.

The Reference: Media Literacy

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