Children and the Media: Self-Other Perceptions of Occupational Portrayals in the Media

Few young people, particularly minorities, are interested in pursuing careers in science. One factor discouraging interest in science careers may be the negative depiction of scientists in the media. This book provides some insight into whether race, gender, and valence influence the inferences people make about public opinion in terms of careers in science. This book examined whether middle school students believed others would be influenced by a negative portrayal of a scientist character in movies. This is known as the third person perception phenomenon (TPP), when messages influence others more than the self. Results showed a third person effect. But contrary to predictions, public opinion perception did not have an influence on participants¿ thoughts about a career in science. For Communication scholars and professionals or people interested in the psychology of television, the analysis enhances our understanding of TPP and persuasive press inference in the context of entertainment.