Preface

In the third edition of A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication, Richard J. Harris noted, "the most common general perspective in studying the media is a search for the effects of exposure to mass communication . . . In the general public, the major concerns about the media probably center on their effects" (p. 17). Given such interest in media effects by scholars and the public, one might expect that basic textbooks on the topic would abound. But that is not the case. Although scholarly volumes analyzing media effects, including many focusing on specialized effects topics, have traditionally assumed an important place in the literature of mass communication, basic textbooks about media effects are quite scarce.

A Vital Issue For Those Coming Of Age In An Information Society

This paucity of textbooks in media effects is particularly problematic in our modern information age. College students are socialized into an environment in which media permeate their lives and are so omnipresent as to be essentially invisible-like water to those proverbially oblivious fish. Moreover, today's typical undergraduate students are so routinely exposed to inaccurate hype about media effects in popular culture fare, that setting the record straight about media effects has become an increasingly important part of a liberal arts education-a phenomenon often called media literacy or media education.

Our Goal and Challenge

Our primary goal in this volume is to represent the massive body of literature about media effects in such a way that undergraduate students can comprehend, manage, and appreciate this vitally important topic. To that end we have been ably assisted by literally thousands of our students who have eagerly raised their hands (or, less to our liking, put their heads on their desks) whenever we dared to trot out overly technical terms or ambiguous concepts. To them, and to our exceedingly fine reviewers, who willingly served as student surrogates as well as peer consultants, we are extremely grateful.

Special Features

In order to assist instructors who teach courses in media effects and/or students who take these courses, we are pleased to offer several supplemental features to this textbook:

• Key Terms
  In each chapter, key terms that need to be understood in order for students to fully comprehend the material are identified by bold typeface and are defined on the website: www.mhhe.com/bryant
• Test Bank
  Instructors are provided with numerous multiple choice and true/false questions in the form of a computerized test bank, available in Windows or Macintosh formats. Roger Butner authored these questions and we hope you find them valuable. For more information, contact your McGraw-Hill sales representative.
• PowerPoint Slides and Discussion Questions
  Our website at www.mhhe.com/bryant offers a couple of additional features. PowerPoint slides are available for those who find them useful for class. Organized on a chapter-by-chapter basis, they include summaries of chapter concepts and key figures. Finally, to spark lively class discussions, you'll find a series of chapter questions.

Acknowledgments

Over the years, numerous instructors and students who have used a volume one of us (JB) co-edited entitled Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research have encouraged us to write this textbook (sometimes sounding downright urgent in their pleas), and they have offered very specific suggestions for how the book should be structured and what should be included and excluded. To them we are extremely grateful, and we are pleased to say at long last: Here 'tis!

We also would like to thank the indomitable Mary Maxwell and Dorina Miron, who helped incredibly in diverse and sundry ways large and small. Although we may forget to tell you so from time to time, we really do appreciate everything you do.

We had a team of exceptionally fine reviewers who made the book a lot better than it would have been without them. Sincere thanks to:

Oscar Patterson III, Universityof North Florida
George Comstock, Syracuse University
Daniel Riffe, Ohio University
Elizabeth Perse, University of Delaware
James Weaver, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Mary Cassata, SUNY-Buffalo
David J. Atkin, Cleveland State University
Michael Meffert, University of Maryland
Mike Basil, University of Lethbridge
John Chapin, Pennsylvania State University
Randyll Yoder, Ohio University
Donald Singleton, Salisbury State University
Diane Furno Lumade, University of New Mexico
Susanna Priest, Texas A&M University

And our team at McGraw-Hill has been superlative. Thank you, Valerie Raymond, Natalie Ruffatto, Artemio Ortiz, and Judy Kausal.

In closing, we would like to encourage readers of this book to become a part of our editorial team also. Let us know your specific suggestions and how we may serve you better in understanding the roles and effects of media in our society.