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Watching these "Jersey Shore" goofballs might influence your smarts more than you realize, a new study suggests. Oh, dear.
Take note, fans of mindless reality shows like "Jersey Shore": New research suggests watching something dumb might make you dumber. In other words, you are what you watch.
It's called media priming -- the idea that the things we watch or listen to or read influence our emotions and our behavior, perhaps more than we realize. This particular study may be the first to use fictional characters in a narrative to show an effect on people's cognitive performance, says lead author Markus Appel, a psychologist at Austria's University of Linz.
In an experiment, volunteers were told to read a fake screenplay about a character they refer to as a "foolish soccer hooligan." (A subsequent finding of the study: Austrians are adorable.) The story describes a day in the life of a man named Meier: He wakes up, reads (and misunderstands) the message in an inspiration-of-the-day calendar, meets his friends in a bar and gets very drunk. Meier then goes to a soccer game, gets into a fight and comes home to crash; he sleeps through the next day. (Substitute the soccer game for a nightclub, and you have something very similar to the televised daily shenanigans of Snooki or The Situation.)
Some of the 81 volunteers were instructed to read a longer version of the "soccer hooligan" story, while others read a shorter version -- and the control group read a rather boring story in which Meier does nothing stupid. Then researchers gave the volunteers a multiple choice general knowledge test, including questions like, "What is the capital of Libya?" and "What kind of speed is expressed by the letter 'c' in physics?" and "Who painted La Guernica?"
To be fair, these are tough questions to answer sans-Internet regardless of whether you've just watched something vapid like "Toddlers and Tiaras." But, as the researchers write, "participants who read a narrative about a stupidly acting soccer hooligan performed worse in the knowledge test than participants who read a narrative about a character with no reference to his intellectual abilities.
"The present study is, to our knowledge, the first to show media priming effects of story characters on cognitive performance," they explain in the report, which was published online this month in the journal Media Psychology.
Think you're too smart to be influenced by the media you consume? That's cute. Anything we see -- a person on the street, an ad on TV, a character in a movie -- has some influence on our next thoughts, emotions or actions, simply because it's top of mind, says Joanne Cantor, a psychologist and member of the American Psychological Association who has studied the emotional and behavioral effect of TV and movies.
“What you’ve been thinking about recently or seeing recently (is) at a higher level in your consciousness, so your brain is kind of predisposed in that direction,” says Cantor, professor emerita of communication arts and outreach director center for communication research at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. “So if you’ve just seen a movie about really altruistic people and you get an opportunity to behave altruistically, you’ll probably do it, rather than if you’ve just seen a movie about selfish people." (So fans of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" aren't particularly charitable? Noted.)
Cantor explains that empathetic people are likely to be especially affected by media priming. "But also, people who expose themselves to TV more are probably going to be more affected,” she says. Something to think about next time you find yourself lured into an hours-long marathon of your favorite reality show. On the other hand, some of us could likely use more gym and laundry, if not tanning, in our lives.
Have you ever noticed a TV show, movie or book influencing your emotions or behavior -- in a positive or negative way? Leave a comment telling us about what happened.
Follow msnbc.com health editor Melissa Dahl on Twitter: @melissadahl.
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Related:
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- Who's responsible when reality TV goes too far?
- Watching Jon Stewart might make you more creative
Want more weird health news? Find The Body Odd on Facebook.
Leave a Comment:
Just reading about that show has made me dumber.
Just knowning the show exists makes us dumber.
I really don’t think simply watching makes one stupider. I would suggest that the people that watch it are already stupid since the program appeals primarily to those who are shallow and vacuous. They would be just as entertained by having a flashlight shining in their faces.
This is a really dumb article indicative of a slow news day, I suppose.
Willy please read the article before you post...
They didn't have people watch the show, they just had people listen to stories that are comparable to the show.
There was an article that I read about reading comprehension and attention span awhile ago I think that it was... SQUIRREL! I'm sorry what were we talking about?
Point of Fact,
I think you need to read the article before you post. The author talks about how watching tv will make you dumber, not about just reading the story that was comparable to the show.
This study is flawed. Anyone that watches that show is dumb to start with. It could not possibly make you dumber.
Its just fuel to the fire.
Think about it. Everything that we see, hear, etc is routed to the mind and processed in some way. How much of what you watch do you understand? How much of it do you retain and of that, how much information can be recalled? If a person "learns" the content of a Jersey Shore episode, what did they learn? Nothing useful or meaningful and more likely just practising "bad habits" in terms of learning. In terms of what we're watching on TV, the choice is ours. We're in total control of that. It blows MY mind that people willfully watch this stuff. What a waste of time. Totally non-productive and nothing good can come of it.
I think just living in New Jersey makes you a complete idiot. That's just judging from every single person I've ever met from there.
If watching Jersey Shore makes you dumber, what on earth would FOXnews do to you?... maybe make you feel like a cynical old man? The golf channel might improve your game! Home Improvement channel makes you work your honey-do list... the possibilities are endless!
Fox News turns you into a conspiracy theorist. Also, this study was pointless. It's already common knowledge that Jersey Shore makes you ignorant. Also, not only ignorant people watch Jersey Shore. I know people who are actually fairly intelligent that watch it because it's stupidly hilarious.
Actually, (grammar police on duty, here) I wish we could restrict the term "dumb" to its original meaning, "unable to speak", and not "stupid". Couldn't resist.
Testing people's knowledge does not equate an IQ test. The results of the study may be true, but the TV viewer would be no dumber than the people who created this study.
Watching 90% of what's on tv nowdays will make you an imbecile.
Media priming. It happened in the 2008 election, and they've already started it back up for 2012. Dumbing of America.
Really?! A university needed to do a study about stupid reality shows to prove to people that watching them will make you just as stupid as they are? But I am happy that I now I have back up in what I have been saying since 'Real World' and 'Road World' was on MTV back in the 90's.
the only reason they put these 'reality' shows on is because people are stupid enough to watch them.
And in a world where people are stupid enough to believe in death panels, Obama's a kenyan, that we didn't really land on the moon, that 9/11 was an inside job - does it really take reality shows to make us dumber?
I've been around a lot of people that watch those types of shows and I've never seen anything to suggest watching it makes them stupid - they were stupid to begin with or they wouldn't be watching those types of shows.
Cheap, shabby entertainment. What's up my sleeve?
I couldn't agree more. Maybe I'm just being old but it seems like the current generation of teens strive to be dumb, or preceived as dumb, maybe thats cool i don't know. I guess i'm too busy working and trying to pay the bills to have time for that stuff. I guess maybe every generation thinks the one following it is on the wrong path. Either way garbage in garbage out, it applies to most things. Go outside and put that phone down.
Reality shows are also cheaper to produce. If people watch and buy the sponsor's products, they might go on forever. Ugh!
Someone ought to do a study of reality TV fans and their political perspective.
Fact is, nothing remotely interesting ever happened on reality TV. And there's a reason for this, it's not just a bad concept. Every reality TV show is bad because the people that are stupid enough to make them can't come up with a good plot!(if any)
Some very valid points, kinda like how classical music can stimulate your brainwaves.
the only thing i can think when reading this article is , f-in DUH!!!!!!
How did it even become an article? Is the writer just as dumb?
For Tony: With that remark you are proving the point of the study. I love it when life imitates science.
If you see science here, you have a long path of study left.
Well Tony, if you want science, lets take a look a the correlation between the percentage of high school students who watch MTV in general, and the percentage of high school students who do poorly on standardized testing. And then we ban MTV, it hasn't been music television in 20 years.
No, but it has always been Moronic TeleVision
Why is there television? What purpose is served? It's not the one you are aware of surely.
I was wondering if Rutgers U is still proud of the $32,000 they paid Snooki, knowing she is "dumbing down" their students!
Who among the voyeuristic will pay to see the racing stripe in my shorts? It's just about come to that.
This year Rutgers had Snooki, University of Northern Iowa had Michelle Obama.... well... at least we know where the future leaders of America will be coming from.
Everyone on this show is a loser and if you watch it you're a loser too.
this should have been a reply under pam.
they didn't care then and don't care now. they feel that anyone who the students, even if some of them don't, want to see is worth the money.
Shocking revelation.
duhhhhhhhhhhhhh -------dohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-gagggggggggggggggggg
Really, the only thing dumber than watching Jersey Shore was this study. Money well spent - NOT!
and yet they are getting paid rather well so who are the real idiots here. not defending the shows and so wish they would go away already just pointing out :)
an old adage my father always said to me:
"Garbage in garbage out" Thanks Dad! Happy Father's Day!
problem with this article is dumb people can't read so this article is only addressing the people who know better than to watch. If you know someone who watches these types of show, there is no point in arguing with them. You can't cure stupid. let it be.
They LOOK dumb - If my man had all that sh*t in his hair, I'd tell him he might feel more comfortable in one of my dresses!!!!
I think it is more like if your taste finds "Jersey Shore appealling" then you are a dumb a$$!
It should also say-Listening to 'Obama' will make you dumber, study suggest. You are who you listen too
this is a no brainer!!! I have been saying this for years, get rid of this bs and show decent stuff...
Sure, tv shows influence behavior. Back when I watched tv, I channeled Homer Simpson and Kramer without even thinking about it. That wasn't too strange.
But I stopped watching tv for a month in college for a class experiment. It was like coming off heroin -- I went insane with withdrawal symptoms. But after the month was over, I was able to study better, could actually retain information, started having my own thoughts, and ended up getting much better grades. Now I can't watch a television for more than five minutes before I start getting itchy. Most of it makes no sense to me now.
Wow, that's fascinating. Thanks for commenting.
I've had a "similar" experience. When I moved off to college I chose not to bring a tv with me, and now I can barely sit in front of the tv and watch anything. It irritates me.
Anyone that enjoys watching Jersey Shore was a moron to begin with. The show didn't hurt them at all. Sorry, but the truth hurts.
Well that's a surprise. Drinking alcohol will make you drunk, studies show.
I only have been in NJ once so I know it exists. Paris, however, may not exist since I have never seen it, but I am pretty sure about NJ.
I keep hearing NJ is flat, and once we leave we fall right off the earth. I'm afraid to see if that is true or not.
Why is this garbage even on television?
If someone is already dumb enough to watch it, how can they become even dumber? Doesn't seem possible.
This begs the question, "Do gang-bangers and criminals listen to music about drugs, killing cops, and beating ho's? Or, does this kind of music create criminals?"
Music especially drives emotions. It's fairly obvious that if you frequently listen to a particular kind of music, you will frequently display the emotions that music evokes. We know this intuitively as a society. We don't need an experiment to tell us this; but research is needed if we are to influence public policy. Does this mean censorship?? Maybe. It seems we will have to consider this as a society sooner or later. What is the greater good in this case? Censorship to protect our children? Or, freedom of speech and the right to publish whatever form of media we want, regardless of its consequences to others?
Chicken or the Egg
This is why I only watch James Bond and Star Trek movies.
uuhhh....anyone who already watches "Jersy Shore" is a dimwit. Intelligent, mature people don't waste their time on such ludicrous trash.
Oh good lord, lighten up already... it's a TV show to entertain, not to be taken seriously...
Just reading - I've gotta tell ya, I'm not above watching some low brow TV now and than - but just out of curiosity I watched about 10 minutes of "Jersey Shore" just a couple of weeks ago. It was a seriously excruciating experience, and if I had to hang out with those friggin moronic dimwits every day I would have to kill myself. There is nothing remotely entertaining about the show, it IS stupid and people who find it entertaining can't be too bright themselves.
Television across the board has been dumbed down that past few years. Look that the downward spiral of TLC, which used to be about learning. Now their lineup amounts to nothing more than a freakshow. Even Discovery, which used to be a class act, is nothing but shows about fishermen, loberstermen, and crabmen. Same with the History channel. The history of coldcuts or shows about pawnshops? Come on...
I feel the same way. I used to have a list of favorite "Science" style channels that included TLC and History. Now, as you say, TLC is garbage TV, and History is UFO and Ghost central. I don't even get why they dare keep those names. The only channel I have left is The Science Channel. Got to love Through the Wormhole!
I feel the same way about most Americans in general.
@keegan the Awesome...
Before you generalize Americans, look at yourself! I am so tired of everyone talking crap about Americans. WE are not all horrible, idiotic, uneducated people! I'd like to know where you are from because I am sure I could negatively comment on your country's people! But about the show, it is a waste of everyone's time and ought to be banned! I have never even seen a single episode but even the previews for it, I think could make a person dumber!
I suspect Keegan and others like him say stuff like this to make themselves feel better about their own shortcomings. Because I know a lot of 10 year olds who are apparently smarter than him, as they would know better than to make sweeping, nonsensical generalizations like that.
It makes sense, albeit being obvious. You are influenced by who you hear and observe. This can apply to TV or friends you hang out with. Ever notice that you start to speak like someone after spending a good amount of time with them? TV could have the same effect.
I hate to admit that I found myself talking down to my husband once after watching back to back episodes of Real Housewives of OC. Thankfully, I recognized it and stopped myself.
Hoping my mass consumption of NPR and the Daily Show counteracts my love of Bravo reality shows ;)