Media's Effect on our brains.

By: Jasmine Townsend ECE 275

How would you define media?

"Media is the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely".

Social Devices

Here is a chart of teens and their devices that represent some specific type of social communication as of 2004.

Adolescents and the Media• The media plays a key role in the

development of a young adult's life.

• The media distributes images whether they be positive or negative.

• Negative images in today's media can have a disturbing effect for parents in the world who wish to protect their children.

• Teens and young adults tend to reflect their behavior based on what they perceive.

• This may result in teens breaking down to conformity.

What is conformity?• conformity: "A type of social influence

involving a change in belief or behavior in order to fit in with a group".

• The media may distribute advertisements that obtain portions of conformity.

• These ads try to get others to follow what they are trying to promote or sell.

• Conformity ads can be found in numerous popular magazines, music videos and on tv as well.

Medias effect on conformity Here is a prime example of the media's effect on

conformity. They're convincing the world how they should look with their display of worst and best bodies.

Mirror neurons and media • The media may cause Mirror neurons

to arouse in our systems.

• Mirror neurons: "Are neurons that fire during a familiar action and when thinking of or observing others performing it".

Facts of Mirror neurons In reference to the video and our text

we know Mirror neurons:

• are how we evaluate others actions.

• are how we understand the intentions of someone else

• "They respond not only to actions but also to mental images of those actions". (Sweeney,2009,p.155)

• They occur in our cerebral cortex.

Works Cited & References

1. "Media's Influence on the Teenage Brain | Psychology Today." Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Meg Meeker, PhD, 6 Aug. 2010. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-matters/201008/medias-influence-the-teenage-brain>.

• This website had some very interesting points and views on the media affecting children and teens worldwide, and how to help prevent some of these changes.

2. conformity. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conformity (accessed: August 12, 2012).

• This website was used as a source to define the word "conformity"

To be continued..3. " Google Image Result for

http://chill5.chillopedia.com/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C81Aw7WngQ/T4sXZBO4GEI/AAAAAAAABEQ/tePzSkdE400/s1600/brain.jpg%26t%3D3fb15f1088bb876ac7fb756ca8924b43." Google. Heather Johnson, 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.

• This website was from where I got the interesting brain image.

4.<http://www.google.com/imgres?q=media%27s+effect+on+brains&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1136&bih=714&tbm=isch&tbnid=pMxfBLea5aOo8M:&imgrefurl=http://chillopedia.com/interesting/social-media-is-ruining-our-brains-infographic/&docid=k001bov3KRMFxM&imgurl=http://chill5.chillopedia.com/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4C81Aw7WngQ/T4sXZBO4GEI/AAAAAAAABEQ

• On this website it contained the very creative brain photograph with the social networking companies inside of the brain. I was very fascinated by it.

To be continued..5. media. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete &

Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/media (accessed: August 12, 2012).

• This website was my source to define the word "Media" on slide number two. it has a very reliable dictionary source.

6. Lenhart, Amanda, Paul Hitlin, and Mary Madden. " The vast majority of teenagers own some type of media device. | Pew Internet & American Life Project ." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project . Amanda Lenhart, Paul Hitlin, Mary Madden, 25 July 2005. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <http://fe01.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/Teens-and-Technology/05-Technological-and-Social-Contexts/02-The-vast-majority-of-teenagers-own-some-type-of-media-device.aspx>.

• This online article provided a graph of teens with social devices such as phones, laptops, tablets etc.

Final works cited page7. McLeod, Saul. "What is Conformity." Simply Psychology -

Psychology Articles for Students Learning Psychology. Saul McLeod, n.d. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html

• This online article has a brilliant definition and example of conformity.

8. "25 questions Mainstream Media can’t answser « Expect 2 Change." Expect 2 Change. N.p., 14 July 2012. Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <http://expect2change.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/25-questions-mainstream-media-cant-awnser/>.

• This website contained the photo I used for my social media on the 2nd slide.

9. Sweeney, Michael S.. Brain: the complete mind : how it develops, how it works, and how to keep it sharp. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2009. Print.

• This text provided the definition I used for mirror neurons and the explanation of where they're located.