Media fatigue

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Media fatigue is psychological exhaustion due to information overload from any form of media, though it is generally from news media[1] and social media.[2] The advent of the internet has contributed widely to media fatigue with vast amounts of information easily accessible and easily disseminated. Psychological exhaustion caused by media fatigue can lead to several negative outcomes, including emotional instability, increased stress, feeling overwhelmed, or experiencing sensory overload.[3][4][2] Media fatigue can then lead to media avoidance, or intentional selectivity in the type and amount of media that is consumed.[4]

Political and news media[]

Repeated exposure to the same topic in the media over a long period of time has shown to cause psychological fatigue.[1] While psychological fatigue has no singular definition, it can be characterized by negative emotions such as stress, overwhelm, strain, and sensory overload.[2][4][3] Gurr and Metag suggest some examples of this phenomenon have occurred in response to COVID-19, Brexit, and climate change coverage.[1] Extensive coverage on the same topic for extended periods of time can be draining both mentally and physically. In response to perceived fatigue, those consuming media will engage in avoidance strategies so as not to view that particular topic.[1] Specifically with morally weighty topics, the more a person sees media about this topic the more apathetic they become (see compassion fatigue).[5] This can come from broadcast news, political or humanitarian advertising, radio, news papers, social media, etc.

Social media[]

Social media can have similar impacts on media fatigue and avoidance. Research has found that overconsumption of social media leads to information overload and cognitive fatigue.[2] Because many social media users get their news on social networking sites, in addition to other updates and information, this can cause higher strain and greater psychological stress and fatigue than other, more traditional forms of media.[2] Social media has also shown to have greater strain on the individual because of privacy concerns and self-disclosure.[3] These two aspects are unique to social media sites and require more monitoring of how a person interacts and engages on social media if they are not anonymous, potentially causing greater fatigue than traditional media.

An online study in Lithuania found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rise in social media fatigue. [6] Due to social media being the primary way of connecting with others during quarantine, its presence in people's lives has grown prior to the pandemic. These circumstances have led to an overconsumption of social media.

Avoidance[]

Avoidance can occur during media selection, for example, actively choosing one source of information over another. Avoidance can also occur during media consumption, for example, by changing the channel or tuning out the message.[1] Tilo Hartmann suggests humans engage in avoidance behaviors to avoid cognitive dissonance, because the current messages they are receiving are challenging their current belief systems.[7] "For example, dissonances can result from cognitive overtaxing, leading to an end to TV exposure."[7] Another theoretical underpinning is a cost-benefit analysis the media consumer performs, whether intentional or subconscious. There are perceived benefits and costs to consuming media, and one reason a person might choose to avoid media from this perspective would be to avoid costs such as "money, time, physical and mental effort, and possible feelings of guilt, fear, irritation and dissonance."[7]

Social media habits can also include selective avoidance, meaning the user chooses to expose themselves to specific topics and news online.[8] Filtering technologies on social media allow users to be presented with content that supports their opinions.[9] Because of these technologies, users can spend more time on social media. In short, selective avoidance is a result of media fatigue, in which a user takes steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed when a specific subject is brought up.[8]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Gurr, Gwendolin; Metag, Julia (2021-03-27). "Examining Avoidance of Ongoing Political Issues in the News: A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Audience Issue Fatigue". International Journal of Communication. 15: 21. ISSN 1932-8036.
  2. ^ a b c d e Lee, Ae Ri; Son, Soo-Min; Kim, Kyung Kyu (2016-02-01). "Information and communication technology overload and social networking service fatigue: A stress perspective". Computers in Human Behavior. 55: 51–61. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.08.011. ISSN 0747-5632.
  3. ^ a b c Dhir, Amandeep; Kaur, Puneet; Chen, Sufen; Pallesen, Ståle (2019-10-01). "Antecedents and consequences of social media fatigue". International Journal of Information Management. 48: 193–202. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.05.021. hdl:1956/22540. ISSN 0268-4012. S2CID 198476114.
  4. ^ a b c Lee, Sun Kyong; Lindsey, Nathan J.; Kim, Kyun Soo (2017-10-01). "The effects of news consumption via social media and news information overload on perceptions of journalistic norms and practices". Computers in Human Behavior. 75: 254–263. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2017.05.007. ISSN 0747-5632.
  5. ^ Moeller, Susan D. (2016). Compassion fatigue : how the media sell disease, famine, war and death. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-17358-3. OCLC 1001612000.
  6. ^ Buneviciene, I.; Bunevicius, R.; Bagdonas, S.; Bunevicius, A. (July 2021). "COVID-19 media fatigue: predictors of decreasing interest and avoidance of COVID-19–related news". Public Health. 196: 124–128. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2021.05.024. PMC 8164337. PMID 34192604. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Hartmann, Tilo (2009). Media choice : a theoretical and empirical overview. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-203-93865-2. OCLC 401768048.
  8. ^ a b Mukerjee, Subhayan; Yang, Tian (25 May 2020). "Choosing to Avoid? A Conjoint Experimental Study to Understand Selective Exposure and Avoidance on Social Media". Political Communication. 38 (3): 222–240. doi:10.1080/10584609.2020.1763531. ISSN 1058-4609. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  9. ^ Parmelee, John H.; Roman, Nataliya (September 2020). "Insta-echoes: Selective exposure and selective avoidance on Instagram". Telematics and Informatics. 52: 101432. doi:10.1016/j.tele.2020.101432. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
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