Perspectives

In Flight
Reflecting upon my NSO experience, conflicting impressions emerge simultaneously. NSO was both confusing and enlightening, intimidating and empowering, exhausting and energizing. Not knowing what to expect from the session (no preconceived attitudes existed), my thoughts upon arrival simply centered on embracing the whole experience. Oh what an experience emerged: new faces, new friends, new ideas, and new skills at a pace that caused my brain to blur. Critical thinking exercises led to scholarly debate, and examined through the lens of psychology, the ensuing discussion, critique, and information dissemination was a bit “mind-numbing.” Still, the enduring imprint of NSO is the blossoming understanding of all that I really don’t know. Teaching the same classes and topics for the past ten years created a comforting cocoon from which I have begun to emerge. So, the journey of educational enlightenment begins. My PhD dream is in flight. And while the destination is miles and miles away, beginning my personal odyssey thrills my soul and terrifies my brain. Nevertheless, my inner adventuress screams “all systems go.”

The heart of NSO, Media Boot Camp, was thankfully distilled into three manageable sections. My “takeaways” of the three topics follow.

Dr. Karen Dill: Gate keeping and concepts of self in media
In our information driven society, gatekeepers are essential for the average media consumer to filter and comprehend just some of the thousands of messages which bombard the psyche on a daily basis. Media Gatekeeping, then, is a process which filters the ideas and information, and further includes the selection of topics provided to the “masses.” Still, it is essential consumers remember that broadcast and print media is a tool to keep us informed, not a thinking machine.

Although Kurt Lewin’s Gatekeeping theory originally referred to mothers and meal selection, (http://www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/doc.), the idea that media gatekeepers set the agenda of what information consumer’s see, hear, and understand rings true. Information is a commodity and today’s consumer seems obsessive in their need to not just “know” but “know” right now. At best, traditional media gatekeepers, such as television, radio, and print only offer a small “slice” of daily events that occur worldwide. Most people watch television news so they can receive just such an overview on notable events. No harm here. Problems occur when people accept only one version as truth. Dr. Gil questioned our thoughts on the statement that “media doesn’t tell us what to think, but what topic to think about.” Media gatekeepers, or social censors as some label, may select and edit but they don’t fabricate the messages. Further questions emerge: are we fed what other’s think, or do we watch select programs to hear only what we believe to validate our own thinking? Media agenda setters can facilitate my tendency toward passiveness as an informational consumer; it is my responsibility to look beyond traditional media delivery forums and learn more, since a vast amount of information at my disposal takes just a few keystrokes. No one forces me to watch the news, read specific magazines, listen to the radio, or tell me how I should interpret specific information. Sure, media gatekeepers may limit broadcasts to a few specific topics, but their job is not to tell me everything I need to know. As a responsible media consumer, my job is to apply my own filters to all I hear, see, and learn. I have no one to blame but myself if I allow negative messages to influence me negatively.

Dr. Jean-Pierre Isbouts: The Persuasive Role of Music
The idea that media use motives include diversion, information, and development of a personal identity certainly applies to music as media. Because music has the power to touch our soul, it represents a much more persuasive tool than any “talking head.” Music stimulates our emotions, and in most cases, subdues reason. Melodies can move us to tears, when we don’t really have a tangible reason to cry. Music is multidimensional, relying on various effects to convey a message, of which lyrics are a small part. Dr. Isbouts’ presentation certainly reminded me of the important role music has played in my life; every important milestone has been accompanied by music, including the start of my personal PhD program. Memories equal music; songs trigger life moments transporting me to another time and place. To this day I won’t listen to the song that was playing on the radio the day I learned my brother had been diagnosed with CML.

The persuasive appeal of music is its universal influence. Music as language needs little interpretation as we make it our own. It speaks to us on a subconscious level; sometimes we become so immersed in the “story” we lose sight that the music is the message. Media without music is like a PBJ sandwich without the jelly-it’s just wrong. Music is the mental road signs that propel plots, heightens our emotive responses, and foreshadows scary scenes so I know when to close my eyes and cover my ears. A message is not just what is said, but how the message is conveyed. Music bridges what we see with what we feel. The emotional parallels we draw between event, song, and feeling allows music its persuasive impact on our lives.

Jason Ohler: How Plugged In Are You? The tEcosystem
Since an essential component of media psychology is to understand the
psychological impact media has on humans, then we must also understand our current and emerging technological environment. Our world is inundated with technology, like it or not. Society is utterly dependent on computers, cell phones, and the internet; our daily lives are so entangled with the tEcosystem that when the technology fails, we panic. Withdrawal begins; the world literally stops when computer access is unavailable. Thus, a “psychological lens” will help in the understanding of not only how media impacts us, but why, so coping mechanisms can be implemented as necessary. Individual and societal addiction to technology requires emerging media psychologists to recognize both the power of technology to connect, and likewise, to identify the means by which media disconnects human beings.

Staying connected or “plugged in” offers many benefits and equal burdens. My cell phone offers instant connectivity (as long as I have a signal) to friends, family, and businesses. The GPS feature can also “track” my location in case of emergency. Facebook allows a medium for “friends” to communicate exponentially. The internet conveys limitless information on almost any topic. New media technology offers instant communication gratification, but at what price? I find it difficult to “unplug” and am often infowhelmed. Yet, I also can’t seem to stay current with new communication tools as they emerge. So as plugged in as I am, I still have more to learn. Time, I just need more time. Although the pace of information exchange has intensified, the time it takes to absorb the information has not. Herein lies an informational dilemma—just how can our brains process and internalize so much information? The only way is to act as our own gatekeeper. With so many connectivity tools at my disposal, my sense of belonging to a community is secure; still, at times escape is paramount.

3/2/1
Three things I learned at NSO:
1. The ways in which media psychology can be defined
2. I have the ability to create an autobiographical media piece, share it with others, and survive the embarrassment
3. Psychologists are weird (I suspected, but since an expert told me, I know now it’s true)

Two things I will tell colleagues, friends, and family:
1. Fielding offers a tremendously positive support system to help smooth the progress of my PhD journey
2. Phase of the moon may or may not impact television viewing habits

One change I will make (actually already in progress):
1. Challenge myself to think more deeply and examine evidence more thoroughly, making my PhD journey more meaningful