Efficacy Beliefs in Third-Person Effects

What is it about?

Individuals believe they are less susceptible than the average person to the influence of media. As a result, they have stronger support for media censorship, a kind of third-person effect. This study considers some additional factors involved in the third-person effect. Results suggest that individuals feel they have more control than others over how media influence them and that they benefit less from censorship than do others. These third-person perceptions are related to support for censorship.

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Why is it important?

This study gives new explanation for the third-person effect. In addition, the results hint that the public would be supportive of media literacy programs designed to help the average person resist the influence of harmful media content.