Non-Psychology Media Concepts - Essay Example

Non-psychology media showing some psychological concept in action Dont be stupid, protect yourself. – Condom advertisement is oneof the advertisements that have successfully managed to apply the psychological concept of fear appeal to appeal to the audience. This advertisement features a naked man who is fighting alongside three other soldiers who are well dressed in their normal combat gear. The naked man is the second in the order of the risk exposed to the combat squad, since there is only one soldier in front, and the squad is headed towards a corner where the enemy fire is likely to face them once they have turned around the corner. fear appeal is a psychological concept that is applied towards instilling fear on individuals, so they can fear to engage in certain behaviors that are risky and which are likely to cause harm (). In this respect, the condom advert is applying the psychological principle of fear appeal to persuade the audience to avoid engaging in sex without proper protection such as the use of condom, since doing so amounts to going a battle field when one is naked, exposing himself to the high risk of being easily targeted and killed, due to the lack of the protective combat gear. The advertisers in this case did a very good job, due to the fact that this advertisement clearly and practically demonstrates the magnitude of risks and dangers involved in unprotected sex in a more visually and psychologically appealing manner than any other form of advertisement would demonstrate in such a case. The contrast between the naked man and the soldiers is so much apparent, such that there is no doubt everyone is bound to notice the difference, and immediately receive the serious message sent, though in a more humorous and comical way. Available at: http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/condomshopch_swat_team The Road less travelled by Morgan Scott Peck is a book that has managed to demonstrate many practical applications of psychology concepts, but most especially the concept of discipline (). The book pitches the contrast of two psychological principles under the concept of discipline, namely deferred gratification and impulsiveness (). There are many real people in the story who have opted to go with the principle of impulsiveness, always going for what they feel they must have in the heat of the moment, and thus has resulted in their ruin. On the other hand, there are those who have managed to apply the principle of deferred gratification, always delaying to gratify their impulses where they find that such impulses might cause them trouble in the future. The consequence is that those who deferred gratification succeeded, while those who embraced and went with impulsiveness were ruined (). The book has done a good job. This is because; it has been able to demonstrate the value of the two psychological principles; deferred gratification and impulsiveness. From the demonstration of the book, where an individual is able to sacrifice the present comfort for a future gain, then, the individual will end up benefiting greatly, because discipline demands that some sacrifice must be done in life (). On the other hand, where individuals choose to be led by impulses, they will end up suffering in the future. For example, those who act based on impulsiveness and consume all their incomes presently will not have a good future, since they will not have saved for it. This is a concept that the book, The Road less travelled by Morgan Scott Peck has demonstrated well. Available at: http://www.butler-bowdon.com/roadlesst Easy A (2010) - IMDb is a film that has demonstrated several psychological concepts, but most especially the concept of social comparison, also known as the social comparison theory in psychology. According to the social comparison theory of psychology, individuals tend to go to great lengths in order to things that may be contrary to their personal belief, intent and will, in order to merely fit in the social group they admire and desire to be part of (). This is the concept that has been demonstrated by Olive, who is a young teenage girl featuring as the main character in this film. Olive started lying that she had slept with different people and had sex with them, initially as a matter of projecting an admirable image amongst her desired social group. While claiming to have had sex for the first time, she wanted to appeal to Rhi, another of her age mate teenage girl who had already lost her virginity, so she could feel accepted as her friend, though she was still a virgin. Considering that she was seeking to fit in the social group by lying, she obtained positive reinforcement from Rhi for having lost her virginity too, and throughout the movie she commits to project herself for what she was not. However, at the end of itall, her reinforced negative behavior turns against her, when she is perceived as a girl of low moral status and worth no respect (). The film has also done a good job in exploiting the self comparison theory, since it is the major theme of the film. The film has managed to demonstrate this theory, its motivations and its implications, through the use of a single teenage girl character. Available at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1282140/ Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs is an advertisement featuring former Miss USA Beauty Queens, which was meant to urge the pageants industry to do away with fur as components for manufacturing clothing, by allowing animals to continue living. The Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs advertisement applies the psychological concept of emotional appeal, which is a concept that seeks to appeal to the audience through creating amusement, excitement, joy and desire (). Under such psychological appeals, sexy figures and attractive personalities becomes the bit that is used to attract the emotion of the audience, and thus influence their interests and perceptions. In this advertisement, four former USA beauty queens have been featured completely nude, to send a message that human beings are beautiful on their own and can be very attractive without even wearing any clothes. Thus, the advertisement is influencing the audience to cease the purchase of products made from animal fur, considering that they may not have such clothes, but they will still remain beautiful. The advertisement has done a good job, because it has contrasted the true nature of naked human with wearing clothes to feel beautiful, and the advertisement has managed to create the emotional appeal through presenting women who are beautiful and naked, thus attraction the interest of the audience emotionally. The beauty of the women is something to go for, thus the message has been delivered through appealing and enticing the emotions of the target audience. Available at: https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4877 Works Cited PETA. “Miss USA Queens Say, Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs”, n.d. retrieved May 3, 2014, from https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4877 Devine, Z., Gluck, W., Emmrich, A., Johnson, M.B. (producers) & Gluck, W. (director). (2010). Easy A [motion picture].  United States: Sony Pictures. Gilovich, T., Keltner, D., Nisbett, R. (2010).  Social Psychology (2nd ed.).  New York, NY: Norton. Scott Walter D. The Theory of Advertising.. Boston: Small, Maynard & Co. 1903. Print. Read More