No, no, no, there are still people who don't know that there are so many psychological theories that are closely related to our new biography!
Next time you're bald for your paper, let's take a look at this psychology-related topic! The interdisciplinary topic is really fragrant!
1. Social identity theory
Theoretical Introduction:
Social identity theory is an important theory in psychology, developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the early 70s of the 20th century. This theory explores how individuals form their self-identity through the social group to which they belong, and how this identity influences the individual's behavior and psychology.
The core concepts of the theory include:
Individuals divide themselves and others into different groups, such as race, gender, occupation, etc., in order to simplify the social environment and increase efficiency.
An individual's sense of identity with one or more social groups (e.g., ethnic, religious, professional, etc.) to which he or she belongs. This identity is part of an individual's self-concept, established and maintained by comparing the differences between the group to which one belongs and the others.
Individuals tend to compare their own group with other groups in order to highlight the positive traits of their own group and the negative traits of other groups, thereby enhancing their sense of social status and self-esteem.
Social identity theory explains many social phenomena, including group conflict, prejudice, and discrimination. For example, the fierce antagonism between fans at a sporting event is often not just about the love of sports, but about fans expressing their social identity by supporting different teams.
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In addition, this theory is also widely used in the fields of organizational behavior, marketing, and political behavior. In an organization, managers can increase employee loyalty and productivity by reinforcing their sense of identity with the company's culture. In marketing, brands often create a specific group of consumers to attract consumers with similar social identity.
Social identity theory is a powerful tool for understanding how individuals define themselves in society through group relationships. It emphasizes the influence of the social environment on individual self-identity and provides an important perspective to explain social dynamics and group behavior.
Specifically, you can use the topic
For example, from the perspective of social identity theory, we can focus on new media user groups and discuss the user portraits of a specific platform, so as to intuitively show the characteristics of typical group members, which is of great significance for further analyzing the perception, behavior and attitude of various groups, and for studying online public opinion governance, advertising and marketing, personalized services, etc.
For example, we can summarize the research results of the theory in the field of information systems, discuss the current research limitations and future research directions, and draw the application of social identity theory in information system research and related research conclusions.
In addition, from the perspective of media representation and group stance, the research topic can explore how the media affects consumers' perceptions of different social groups (e.g., race, gender, religion, etc.) through specific narrative frameworks and positions. For example, analyze how different angles of an event in a news story can strengthen or weaken the public's sense of identity with a particular group.
Paper recommendation
According to the social identity theory, the behaviors and attitudes of netizens in the process of using Weibo are closely related to their perception of their membership in the group. Constructing user portraits of various groups on Weibo and intuitively showing the characteristics of typical group members is helpful to further analyze the perception, behavior and attitude of various groups, which is of great significance for the study of online public opinion governance, advertising and marketing, and personalized services. The conclusion of this article is that there are five main groups on Weibo, and that members of some groups are susceptible to the influence of outside groups to make changes and achieve new positive identification. The typical user portraits of different microblog groups were obtained, and the user behaviors and attitudes were analyzed according to the key group characteristic attributes, and the corresponding suggestions for network public opinion governance, personalized services and marketing strategies were put forward.
This paper summarizes the research results of this theory in the field of information systems by combing through the relevant literature at home and abroad, and discusses the current research limitations and future research directions worthy of attention. Therefore, it is concluded that the application of social identity theory in information system research mainly includes five aspects: user social identity, user willingness and behavior, user loyalty and reputation, user knowledge behavior, and information system design and optimization. In view of the limitations of the current research, future research can be expanded from the theoretical interpretation of SIT, the dynamic measure of social identity, the application scope of SITs, and the study of social identity threats.
2. Cognitive dissonance theory
Theoretical Introduction:
The theory of cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory proposed by the American psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957. The theory explores how individuals deal with and resolve inconsistencies between their own contradictory or conflicting perceptions (i.e., thoughts, beliefs, concepts, or attitudes). Cognitive dissonance theory is one of the core theories in psychology to study attitudinal change and its influencing factors.
The core idea of cognitive dissonance theory is that when an individual's behavior conflicts with their intrinsic beliefs, attitudes, or values, an uncomfortable state of mind, known as "cognitive dissonance". To reduce this discomfort, individuals will seek to restore inner balance and consistency by changing their cognitions, attitudes, or behaviors.
The main conditions of cognitive dissonance:
When an individual's behavior conflicts with their underlying beliefs or attitudes, such as when a health-conscious person smokes, this contradiction can lead to a sense of dissonance.
Making a choice often requires a trade-off between different options, and choosing one often means giving up the other, which can be dissonant because the option to be waived can also have its own appealing aspects.
Cognitive dissonance can also occur when individuals act in a way that is contrary to their intrinsic beliefs due to external pressure or compulsion, such as violating their own ethical standards in the workplace.
To reduce or eliminate cognitive dissonance, individuals may employ several strategies:
1. Change behavior or attitude: Directly change your behavior or beliefs to align them with other perceptions, such as quitting smoking to conform to your own health beliefs.
2. Rationalization or denial: Reducing feelings of dissonance by making excuses or denying facts, such as smokers who may emphasize the relaxing or social benefits of smoking.
3. Increase new cognition: Support your own behavior by adding new cognition and reduce conflict with existing cognition, such as supporting your smoking behaviour by reading research on the benefits of smoking.
Cognitive dissonance theory has a wide range of applications in many fields, including advertising strategies, health promotion, environmental protection, behavior change, etc. For example, health behavior change programs in the field of public health, such as smoking cessation and weight loss, often use cognitive dissonance theory to design interventions to help people adjust the inconsistency between their behaviors and health beliefs.
Overall, the theory of cognitive dissonance provides a powerful framework for understanding how human beings deal with psychological conflicts, especially in the psychological mechanisms of attitude and behavior change, and this theory has important theoretical and practical application value.
Specifically, you can use the topic
1. Media choice and cognitive dissonance
Explore how audiences can choose information sources that align with their existing perceptions and beliefs in the face of information overload in a media environment to avoid cognitive dissonance. Research can focus on how audiences with different political leanings choose to watch a particular news channel or read a particular news article, and how this choice in turn reinforces their pre-existing views.
2. Social media dynamics and cognitive dissonance
Analyze how social media users react when they post content that conflicts with their beliefs from friends or people they follow. Research can look at how users deal with cognitive dissonance through interactions, such as commenting, liking, or disappropriating, or by adjusting social media watchlists to avoid future dissonance.
3. Changes in the news framework and the attitudes of the audience
Examine how journalism can alleviate or exacerbate the cognitive dissonance of audiences through specific frameworks, thereby influencing audience attitudes and behaviors. For example, explore how different reporting frameworks can trigger or alleviate cognitive dissonance when reporting on controversial social issues (e.g., sexual marriage, immigration policy).
Paper recommendation
This study summarizes the application results of this theory in information system research by combing the relevant literature at home and abroad, and discusses the limitations of the current research and the future research directions. Therefore, it is concluded that the application of cognitive dissonance theory in information system research mainly includes six aspects: information system design and optimization, information system use, and network information search behavior.
3. Stereotypical content model
Theoretical Introduction:
The Stereotype Content Model (SCM) is a theoretical model proposed by psychologist Susan Fiske and her colleagues in 2002 to explain and classify stereotype content among different groups. The model is based on two fundamental dimensions: Warmth and Competence, which are considered to be the core factors that make up our stereotypes of different social groups.
1. Warmth: This dimension reflects whether a group is seen as friendly, kind, honest, and cooperative. Affinity is evaluated based on the group's intentions and motivations, in particular whether they conflict with the interests of the observer or the group to which they belong. High-affinity groups are often considered to be those that do not pose a threat and have good social relationships.
2. Competence: This dimension assesses the efficiency, ability, and success of a group. Often, groups of high social status and influence are considered to be more capable. Judgments of competence are often associated with the economic status and professional achievements of the group.
Combining these two dimensions, the stereotype content model classifies groups into four main types:
1. Enviable group: Considered both capable and friendly. For example, a middle-class or professional in a society is often considered to be both competent and approachable.
2. Despised group: both incompetent and unfriendly. This type is usually given to those with low social status and marginalized groups, such as certain poor or minority groups.
3. The envied group: capable but not friendly. This perception is common among groups that are financially successful but perceived as selfish or competitors, such as certain business elites.
4. Sympathetic group: Friendly but incompetent. This usually applies to groups that are seen as harmless but helpless, such as the elderly or disabled.
Stereotypical content models are widely used to explain bias and discrimination across race, gender, age, and more. This model helps researchers analyze and understand various social dynamics, such as why certain groups suffer more hostility or marginalization, and how social structures affect perceptions of different groups. In addition, the model has been used to develop strategies to reduce bias and discrimination, promoting broader social inclusion and equality by changing people's perceptions of the affinity and abilities of specific social groups.
Specifically, you can use the topic
1. The relationship between group image in the news media and public policy support
Research can explore how news media influence public support for specific social policies through different stereotypes (affinities and abilities). For example, analyze how media portrayals of immigrant groups of competence and affinity affect public attitudes towards immigration policies. This research can be combined with the existing literature on the influence of media on public opinion to provide a deeper understanding.
2. Social media influencers' portrayal of group stereotypes
Explore how influencers or influencers on social media can shape or change stereotypes about a group by posting content. Research can analyze whether these personalities' portrayals of specific groups (e.g., working women, older people) promote positive or negative stereotypes and explore the social consequences of this impact.
3. Stereotypes in news reporting and emotional resonance with viewers
Examine how stereotypes used in news reporting affect viewers' emotional resonance and response to reported events. For example, analyze how affinity and ability to describe a disaster-stricken group in a story, such as the underprivileged in a natural disaster, affect viewers' donation behavior.
Paper recommendation
This study attempts to highlight the cultural attributes of stereotypes through cross-cultural redefinition, and to carry out a series of literature related to journalism and communication at home and abroad based on the clues of "country-ethnicity-field", so as to clarify the focus, hotspots and development trends of current research, and provide reference for future stereotype research to better move from the laboratory to the field, from single-field thinking to interdisciplinary linkage.
Based on the media equivalence theory and stereotype content model, this study investigated the stereotype classification of the appearance of social robots among the elderly in Wuzhi County, Henan Province, and how the stereotype classification affects their perceived loneliness risk and willingness to use robots. Through stratified sampling, 730 elderly people watched 18 images of social robots with differences in warmth and ability, and the results showed that the stereotypes formed by the elderly about the appearance of robots were divided into two dimensions: warmth and ability, and both the perception of warmth and the ability to perceive could promote their willingness to use.
This paper examines the process of regional image construction in Northeast China through media evolution. The early impression of Northeast China went through the construction process of oral communication, group interaction and literary communication. In the era of mass communication, the comprehensive elements that determine the impression of Northeast China are precipitated into the stereotype of Northeast China through news reports and film and television art. In the "post-communication" society, social media places Northeast China in the mode of "mass self-construction", and mass media pushes Northeast elements to the "three-dimensional communication" structure, and the multi-dimensional presentation of Northeast regional images has changed the single cognition of the group, and the "stereotyped" impression of Northeast China has changed, but it has become more complex.
Fourth, the theory of emotional contagion
Theoretical Introduction:
Emotional contagion theory is a concept used in psychology to explain how emotions are transmitted among people. This theory mainly explores how individuals perceive and imitate the emotions of others through non-verbal behaviors (such as facial expressions, voice intonation, posture, etc.) when interacting with others, so as to spread emotions in the group. Emotional contagion can occur in any social interaction, including settings such as home, workplace, social activities, etc.
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Basic mechanisms of emotional contagion:
People often unconsciously imitate the facial expressions, postures, and movements of others. This imitation can elicit an intrinsically similar emotional experience in the imitator, allowing the emotional state to be transmitted from person to person.
Psychological and neuroscience studies have shown that mirror neurons in the human brain are activated when observing the expressions and movements of others, which may be the neural basis for emotional infection. Mirror neurons enable individuals to understand the behavior and emotional states of others, thereby unconsciously synchronizing the emotions of others.
Emotional contagion is also influenced by an individual's emotion regulation strategies. For example, people with high emotional intelligence may be better able to recognize and manage the process of emotional contagion, thereby regulating their own emotional responses.
Emotional contagion has important implications for individual and group behavior:
1. Team and organizational behavior: In a work environment, a leader's emotional state can quickly spread to team members, affecting the overall atmosphere and productivity of the team. Positive emotions can enhance teamwork, while negative emotions can lead to low morale.
2. Social activities and public events: In group activities such as sporting events, concerts or protests, emotional contagion can quickly spread emotions among the crowd and form collective emotions.
3. Social Relationships and Health: Emotional contagion also affects personal relationships and physical and mental health. Long-term exposure to negative emotions can increase the risk of psychological stress and physical illness.
Specifically, you can use the topic
1. Emotional communication and public emotional response in film and television works
Study how popular movies or TV series in 2023 or 2024, such as sci-fi masterpieces such as The Three-Body Problem, affect audience sentiment through their narrative and character presentation. Analyze how these emotions are further disseminated and reinforced through social media, and how this communication affects the acceptance and market performance of the work.
2. Collective mood swings in major sporting events
Using the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as an example, this paper examines how media coverage at a major sporting event triggers mood swings across the country. Analyze how emotions such as national pride spread among different groups before and after the results of the competition were announced, and their long-term impact on national identity.
3. The emotional resonance of social hot events and fan groups
Select a specific social hot news story to collect the public's emotional response to the event through media coverage and social media analysis. Then, the path and speed of the spread of these emotions in the fan community are studied, especially how they are amplified in the fan community through images, videos, and words. Finally, evaluate the long-term impact of this emotional contagion on the celebrity's public image and commercial value.
Paper recommendation
This study analyzes the causes of audience emotional communication in the Beijing Winter Olympics, summarizes the generation mechanism of emotional communication in the Beijing Winter Olympics, and reflects on emotional communication, which is helpful to use positive emotions to empower and promote the smooth progress of large-scale sports events.
By analyzing the relationship between emotion, emotion and cognition, this study summarizes the three roles of emotion and emotion in activating cognition, triggering resonance and reaching consensus in public opinion. And put forward the possible ways to achieve the goal of cognitive competition with the help of emotions and emotions: first, increase the emotional content of information to win attention and gain exposure advantages; the second is to carry out collective rituals to promote emotional contagion and aggregate group cognition; The third is to strengthen collective emotions and cultivate social consensus, so that it can become a "cognitive defense line" to guard mainstream values and resist competitive cognition in cognitive competition. This study is helpful to re-understand the differential role of emotions and emotions in cognitive competition, and provides a new thinking direction and action path for the future international public opinion war.
Psychological theories have not only enriched the research of journalism and communication, but also exerted great influence in practice. The next time you don't have an idea for a topic, you might as well pay more attention to these theories! Which of these theories introduced today do you pick the most? Welcome to leave a message in the comment area!
bibliography
[1] Yu Jialing, Wang Rui, Yuan Qinjian. Social Identity Theory and Its Application and Prospect in Information System Research [J]. Journal of Modern Information, 2020, 40 (10): 159-167.
[2] Lin Yanxia, Xie Xiangsheng. User Portrait of Weibo Group Based on Social Identity Theory [J]. Information Theory & Practice, 2018, 41 (03): 142-148. DOI:10.16353/j.cnki.1000-7490.2018.03.027.
[3] Liu Qiqi, Huang Qi, Yuan Qinjian. Theory of cognitive dissonance and its application and prospect in information system research [J]. Journal of Modern Information, 2020, 40 (06): 154-162.
[4] Chen Sitian. A Review of Stereotypes in Cross-Cultural Contexts: From the Perspective of Journalism and Communication [J]. Young Journalists, 2023, (12): 29-32. DOI:10.15997/j.cnki.qnjz.2023.12.008.
[5] Shen Qi, Shao Yiming. Robots into Life: Appearance Stereotypes and Risk Perception of Social Robots among the Elderly [J]. Modern Communication(Journal of Communication University of China), 2021, 43 (10): 156-162.
[6] Wang Xiuyan. The Media Construction of Regional Image and the Diachronic Communication of Stereotypes in Northeast China [J]. Social Science Front, 2021, (02): 267-273.
[7] Gu Xue, Zhou Xiangdong. Analysis of Emotional Transmission Mechanism in Large-scale Sports Events: A Case Study of Beijing Winter Olympics [J]. Media, 2024, (03): 94-96.
[8] Zhu Jing. Activation, Resonance and Consent: The Role of Emotions and Emotions in Cognitive Competition [J]. Young Journalists, 2023, (22): 27-31. DOI:10.15997/j.cnki.qnjz.2023.22.036.
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