Priming of Pictures - Essay Example

Priming serves several purposes. This can enhance memory and increases retrieval of data and mental images accurately (Campus houton.edu n.d the priming techniques help the type of the memory considered as implicit rather than the explicit memory and found to strengthen records and not necessarily strengthen the associations. The priming effects have been studied in the Yale University by Brownell, Bargh, & Harris (2009) and gave results that priming trigger and influence automatic responses. In the case of the experiments conducted by the Brownell et al.

explain that after letting the children of certain age watch television which featured foods, they automatically asked for food and ate their snacks. Te findings show that particular group of children has consumed 45% more of their regular food amount after priming television food commercials. According to this study, adults can consume more food than the usual snack intake after exposure to the television advertisement. These scientific investigations lead researchers and psychologists to conclude that food advertisements can prime automatic responses in terms of eating behaviours of and therefore influence the eating habit far beyond the brand of the food or the preference of the participants.

In another study of priming effects on media, authors, Wackman, Dhavan, and David (1998) argues that priming effects can be observed through the influence it leaves to the viewers which consists of individuals on evaluating ideas and concepts. According to Wackman et al. priming effects and impacts of pictures and advertisements on television can develop a particular feeling to the participants and will lead them to thinking the way the priming pictures are designed to accomplish this task. Simply put, the priming of pictures can impact the decisions of the viewers or participants in the experiments on how to react to certain situation.

This is explained by the meaning of the priming effects which according to the authors (Wackman et al.) that this is the type of process in which mental constructs are activated and therefore can effect and influence the decisions of the participants or viewers on how to evaluate a given situation or scenario. Most participants in the experiments have shown to change in terms of their impressions about certain television advertisements from negative impressions to positive impressions ( Deprez, A.

& Raeymaeckers 2010). In politics, the priming effects have shown to impact the decisions of the voters and the public in general as people are being influenced by political advertisements (Carlson et al. 2008). The authors, Carlson et al., mention that the utilization of the political advertisements effect the viewers' perceptions of the particular candidates. Viewers, in reference to the same research, believe that candidates featured on television appear more credible, with moral ascendency, with integrity, and responsible as well as goal oriented.

This simply means that the priming effects of these television advertisements can have tremendous effects and influence people to certain extent that their decisions on who to vote are impacted by picture priming. The picture may vary and can include motion pictures as well as all types of television advertisements. List of referencesBargh, J.A., Brownell, K.D., & Harris, J.L.(2009) Effects of Television Food Advertising on Eating Behaviour. American Psychological Association, 28, (4), 404-413.Deprez, A.& Raeymaeckers (2010) Framing the First and Second Intifada: A Longitudinal Quantitative Research Design Applied to the Flemish Press European Journal of Communication, March1,2010; 25(1): 3 - 23.

Priming Effects (n.d.) Priming effects [online] available from http://campus.houghton.edu/orgs/psychology/lrn11/sld018.htm [8 May 2010].