Product Review
In this fifth edition of
A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, author Richard Jackson Harris continues his examination of how our experiences with media affect the way we acquire knowledge about the world, and how this knowledge influences our attitudes and behavior.
Presenting theories from psychology and communication along with reviews of the corresponding research, this text covers a wide variety of media and media issues, ranging from the commonly discussed topics – sex, violence, advertising – to lesser-studied topics, such as values, sports, and entertainment education.
The fifth and fully updated edition offers:
- highly accessible and engaging writing
- contemporary references to all types of media familiar to students
- substantial discussion of theories and research, including interpretations of original research studies
- a balanced approach to covering the breadth and depth of the subject
- discussion of work from both psychology and media disciplines.
The text is appropriate for Media Effects, Media & Society, and Psychology of Mass Media coursework, as it examines the effects of mass media on human cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors through empirical social science research; teaches students how to examine and evaluate mediated messages; and includes mass communication research, theory and analysis.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(2 customer reviews) 11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
A must for any mass communication scholar,
July 10, 1998 srf600@aol.com (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication (Hardcover)
This is one of the best texts on the effects, either real or imagined, of mass communication on its consumers. Texts on research can be hard to get through. However, Richard Jackson Harris takes years of scholarly writings from the classic "Bobo Doll Study" to the latest in mass communication research and provides the reader with one of the most objective, comprehensive, witty and easy-to-read texts this subject. For any mass communication scholar or practitioner, this is an absolute must read. I have written several research papers throughout college and graduate school, and this book was an indespensible tool. If communication is your thing, get it now!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A useful introduction to media psychology,
February 23, 2006 David R. Ewoldsen "David Ewoldsen" (Columbus Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication (Hardcover)
This is the 4th edition of this volume. Harris provides a nice overview to media psychology. I think the book is mistitled because it does not really deal with cognitive psychology (as a cognitive psychologist would define it). For example, there is limited discussion of factors influencing attention to TV or the cognitive representation of media stories or even how media stories are comprehended. Rather, the book really looks at social psychological approaches to the media (e.g., models of advertising effectiveness, motivations for watching TV, effects of TV violence etc). The volume is an excellent introduction to what is often referred to as media psychology, but I do think it is mistitled. Also, there are topics that are missing from the volume. For example, there is a growing research literature on factors influencing the entertainment value of a TV show or movie and that literature is not discussed in this book. I do use it as a textbook in a undergraduate seminar I...Read more
