Influences on Attitude and Behaviors: Part 1

The media is one of the greatest influences on our attitudes and behavior. Media can be defined as any type of communication that reaches a wide audience of people; it includes movies, television, radio, advertising, social networks, video games, and any other way we receive information. In one year, the average American will be exposed to over 40,000 commercials, and that’s just on television alone. Each of these advertisements is trying to persuade you to think or feel a certain way in order to sell a product.

Think about the last commercial you saw on TV. Maybe it was for makeup, a car, or a restaurant. Now, think about the people who were featured in that commercial. Were they beautiful, smiling people surrounded by friends? Commercials work to make us believe we need the product they’re selling in order to make friends or be happy; in reality, we don’t need those things at all. Furthermore, they want us to think that certain situations are normal by depicting them as situations everyone else is involved in.

In reality, this isn’t the case. The movies or advertisements that depict things such as unhealthy relationships, casual sex, and risky behaviors aren’t actually depicting normal behaviors. You do not need to drink, smoke cigarettes, or be promiscuous in order to be successful, make friends, or be happy. Do not be fooled or enticed by the media’s attempt to tell you what is normal. Instead, figure out what makes you comfortable and happy in life and work toward that, without all of the risky behavior complications.