1. Cumulative Effects Theory
Fix names
By: Samantha Bastien, Hannah Onder, and Guadalupe Sanchez

2. Elisabeth Noelle – Neumann
German political scientist
Credited with coining the term “Cumulative Effects Theory”
Credited with coining the term, “spiral of silence” theory in 1974.

3. Cumulative Effects Theory
Cumulative Effects Theory
Cumulative effects theory is the theory that nobody can escape the media or the media’s message
- The media repeatedly sends messages so over time it shapes our opinion
- The media’s messages are driven home through redundancy and have profound effects over time
- Cites advertising campaigns that repeatedly hammer the same message

4. Cumulative effects theory and the media
Elisabeth Noelle – Neumann’s theory has some troubling effects
- despite surface appearances, the media work against diverse, robust public consideration of issues.
- Based on human psychology
- Those who feel they hold majority viewpoints will speak out confidently
- Said views grow in credibility when carried out by the media

5. How It Effects the Population
Multimedia advertising campaigns often hammer away with the same message
- No missing the point
- News reports are redundant
- Media focuses on the same event i

6. Spiral of silence Coined by Elisabeth Noell – Neumann in 1974
Spiral of Silence is when minority views are intimidated into silence by the majority views.
- An individual is reluctant to challenge the majorities opinion
- minority views are intimidated into silence.

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8. Spiral of silence
Some theories as to why spiral of science exists include:
- Fear of isolation when the group or public realizes that the individual has a divergent opinion from the status quo
- Fear of reprisal or more extreme isolation, in the sense that voicing their opinion might lead to a negative consequence beyond isolation (loss of job, status, etc).
- Strong, moral component is necessary for the issue to activate the spiral.

9. Spiral of silence – 1:20

10. Spiral of silence and mass media
The Spiral of Science theory and mass media are strongly correlated
- The media’s characteristics as a communication tool further effect people’s perception of their own ideas in regard to public opinion.
- The assessment of one’s social environment will not always correlate with one’s reality
- Elisabeth Noelle – Neumann states, “the reader can only complete and explain the world by making consciousness which in large measure has been created by the mass media.

11. Example
In times of war, some may be concerned about civilian casualties inflicted on the other side, but they wont speak out about the issue if they feel that most disagree.

12. Behavioral effects theory
Studies the effects of media on society
- Typically, people think about the negative effects that come from watching “too much” bad media
- Examples of behavioral effects include
- Body image
- Stereotypes
- Violence

13. Behavioral Effects Motivational Messages:
1950s: Sigmund Freud, an Austrian psychiatrist, theorized that the human mind is unconsciously susceptible to suggestion.
Ernest Dichter pioneered motivational research and accepted Freud’s claim that people act on motivations they aren’t aware of. Dichter felt these motivations could be exploited in advertising messages.
Motivational Research: Seeks subconscious appeals that can be used in advertising.
Subliminal Messages: Messages that cannot be consciously perceived
1957: Jim Vicary inserted messages like “Drink Coca-Cola” and “Eat Popcorn” into movies. The messages were flashed too fast but the brain was able to recognize it and claimed that people got up mid-movie to the snack bar.
Psychologists identified a phenomenon called subception
Subception: Receiving subconscious messages that trigger behavior, “hidden messages”

14. Examples
Subliminal Messages and Motivational Messages

15. Sources
Adler, R., & Rodman, G. (2003). Understanding Human Communication. Retrieved from mediatedcommunication.pdf
Spiral of silence. (2012, March 8). Retrieved October 13, 2016, from silence/
Vivian, J. (2012). The media of mass communication (11th ed.). Boston, MA, United States: Pearson.
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Beats 1 Radio. “Taylor vs. Treadmill.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 1 April Web. 17 October 2016.
TheMetalGhost. “McDonald’s TV Commercial, ‘Unapologetic Big Mac’ S.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 13 February Web. 17 October 2016.
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