Q: Why do I feel like TV or online ads are trying to trick me into a certain way of thinking?
A: Media has a significant and often subtle influence on our unconscious thoughts and actions, shaping our perceptions of reality, social norms and self-identity. Our unconscious mind holds a vast reservoir of thoughts, memories, emotions, and instincts that function outside our conscious awareness, continuously affecting our behavior. While the unconscious mind serves as the foundation, the conscious mind interprets information, makes decisions, and responds to situations.
How unconscious influences occur
1. Storytelling: Media shapes our reality through narratives and event framing.
2. Social norms: It reinforces, challenges or desensitizes societal norms.
3. Priming: Specific words or images can prime our thoughts.
4. Emotional appeals: Media uses emotional triggers to alter our attitudes and beliefs.
5. Hidden desires: Ads tap into desires for wealth, attractiveness or popularity to make products appealing.
6. Marketing techniques: Techniques like testimonials and bandwagon effects subtly influence consumer behavior.
How influence affects our brain
Our unconscious mind significantly shapes our daily thoughts and actions, creating intuitive insights and judgments that may be difficult to explain. Automatic behaviors, such as brushing our teeth, stem from this unconscious processing. Additionally, unconscious desires often guide our actions without our awareness.
Benefit of conscious awareness
Being consciously aware allows us to reflect on our actions, analyze situations, and make informed decisions.
Role of attention
Attention is crucial for bringing unconscious information into our conscious awareness. Focusing on specific stimuli makes related information more accessible for conscious thought.
How attention and focus improve consciousness
Attention and focus enhance conscious thinking by allowing us to process information effectively, filter distractions, and improve decision-making abilities. By concentrating, we can prioritize specific thoughts or actions.
Unconscious influences on memory, decision-making and cognitive control
Implicit memory refers to how our past experiences shape actions without our awareness. This memory type generally remains strong in older adults, enabling them to recognize previously seen items, a phenomenon known as "priming."
Research indicates that our unconscious mind affects decision-making regardless of age. Older adults often rely on gut feelings (unconscious thought) instead of careful reasoning (conscious thought) when making choices and tend to perform better when information aligns with their intuitive thinking.
There is evidence suggesting that information outside our conscious awareness can impact complex processes, such as regulating our thoughts, emotions and behavior.
How to recognize and counteract unconscious influences
1. Analyze storytelling: Reflect on how media narratives shape your understanding of reality and identify underlying messages.
2. Challenge social norms: Be aware of media portrayals and question whether they reflect your values.
3. Identify priming techniques: Notice specific words or images that evoke feelings and consider their influence on you.
4. Recognize emotional appeals: Identify emotional triggers aimed at changing your attitudes and think critically about your reactions.
5. Acknowledge hidden desires: Consider how ads appeal to repressed desires for wealth or popularity and reflect on their impact on you.
6. Be wary of marketing techniques: Understand strategies like testimonials and bandwagon effects to make more informed choices.
Summary
Media significantly influences our unconscious thoughts and behaviors, shaping our views on reality and social norms without our conscious awareness. This influence occurs through storytelling and emotional appeals, along with advertising techniques that tap into desires for wealth or popularity. While our unconscious mind drives intuitive insights and habits, conscious awareness empowers us to reflect and make informed decisions. Understanding these mechanisms helps us recognize how our perceptions and behaviors can be influenced.
Karen Casanovas, PCC, CPCC, CLIPP is a health and wellness professional coach practicing in Anchorage. If you have questions write to her at info@karencasanovas.com
