Media & the Mind: Crash Course Media Literacy #4

Summary

This Crash Course episode delves into how our brains process media, highlighting the cognitive shortcuts and biases that can lead to misinformation. It discusses the automation of routine tasks, the role of schemas in understanding information, and the pitfalls of the Law of Closure and confirmation bias. The video also touches on false memories and information satisficing, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking to navigate media accurately. It concludes by stressing the need for society to work together to recognize and overcome these cognitive patterns for a more media-literate future.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Our brains automatically process and make sense of media, often relying on subconscious reactions and pattern recognition.
• 🔄 The brain uses schemas to automate routine tasks, which can lead to taking shortcuts when processing new or complex media information.
• 👀 The Law of Closure causes our brains to fill in gaps with plausible information based on prior knowledge, making us susceptible to misinformation.
• 🎶 False memories can form when our brains fill in missing details with plausible information, which can be problematic with fake news.
• 🔍 Confirmation bias leads us to seek out information that aligns with our existing beliefs, reinforcing those biases.
• 📰 Media platforms are designed to reward confirmation bias, showing us content we're more likely to engage with, which can perpetuate misinformation.
• 🕵️‍♂️ Information satisficing is when we accept the first plausible answer we find, rather than seeking out the truth, especially when it's not crucial.
• 📖 Our love for stories can make us more likely to believe narratives, even if they're false, because they simplify complex information.
• 💡 Strong critical thinking skills are necessary to overcome our brain's natural tendencies to take shortcuts and fill in the blanks.
• 🤝 Society has a shared responsibility to acknowledge and challenge our biases and thought patterns to improve media literacy.

Q & A

What is the primary function of the brain when it encounters media?

The primary function of the brain when it encounters media is to make sense of whatever media it encounters, including pattern recognition and memory recall to process and understand the information.

How does the brain reduce the cognitive load during routine tasks?

The brain reduces the cognitive load during routine tasks by automating them through the use of muscle memory and schemas, which are thought patterns that help understand tasks, desired outcomes, and strategies.

Why is the brain's efficiency in processing routine tasks not ideal for media consumption?

The brain's efficiency in processing routine tasks is not ideal for media consumption because it tends to take shortcuts, which can lead to misinterpretation or misunderstanding of complex or new information.

What is the Law of Closure, and how does it relate to media consumption?

The Law of Closure is a visual perception phenomenon where the brain perceives a complete picture from incomplete data. In media consumption, it leads to filling in gaps with prior knowledge and experiences, which can be subjective and sometimes misleading.

How does the brain's tendency to create false memories impact the consumption of information?

The brain's tendency to create false memories can lead to the acceptance of misinformation as truth, especially when details are unclear or when influenced by others' recollections. This makes it difficult to correct false information once it's been accepted as a memory.

What is confirmation bias, and how does it affect the way we consume media?

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or values. It affects media consumption by leading individuals to favor and believe information that aligns with their biases, often ignoring or dismissing contradictory evidence.

How do social media algorithms potentially reinforce confirmation bias?

Social media algorithms are designed to keep users engaged by showing them content they are likely to agree with or find interesting, based on their past behavior. This can reinforce confirmation bias by continually presenting users with information that aligns with their existing beliefs.

What is information satisficing, and why can it be problematic in the context of media literacy?

Information satisficing is the act of accepting the first plausible information encountered without further scrutiny. It is problematic in media literacy because it can lead to the acceptance of misinformation or incomplete understanding of complex issues, as it discourages critical evaluation of the information presented.

Why do our brains prefer stories, and how does this affect our media consumption?

Our brains prefer stories because they are simple, easy to understand, and help fill in gaps in our knowledge. This preference affects media consumption by making us more likely to believe narratives, even if they are false, as long as they are presented in a familiar and coherent story format.

What role do critical thinking skills play in overcoming the brain's natural tendencies when consuming media?

Critical thinking skills are essential in overcoming the brain's natural tendencies, such as taking shortcuts and filling in the blanks, when consuming media. They encourage questioning, analyzing, and verifying information, helping to counteract biases and improve media literacy.

How can acknowledging our biases and thought patterns help in the pursuit of truth in media consumption?

Acknowledging our biases and thought patterns can help us recognize when we are falling into cognitive traps, such as confirmation bias or information satisficing. This awareness can prompt us to seek out diverse perspectives and verify information more rigorously, thereby improving our ability to discern truth in media.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Understanding the Brain's Reaction to Media

This paragraph delves into how our brains subconsciously react and respond to media, highlighting the automatic functions of the brain and its tendency to take shortcuts when processing information. It introduces the concept of schema, which are thought patterns that help the brain understand and navigate routine tasks. The paragraph also discusses how these automatic processes, while efficient for everyday tasks, can hinder our ability to critically analyze and understand complex media content. The brain's tendency to complete a picture using prior knowledge and experiences is also explored, which can make us susceptible to misinformation.

05:03

📰 Confirmation Bias and the Impact of Media

The second paragraph focuses on the cognitive bias known as confirmation bias, which leads individuals to favor information that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs. It explains how this bias can significantly influence the way we interpret media, leading to divergent interpretations of the same news by different people based on their political or personal biases. The paragraph uses the example of the 'Russia dossier' to illustrate how different biases can lead to opposing conclusions. It also addresses the role of social media algorithms in reinforcing these biases by showing users content that confirms their beliefs. The concept of 'information satisficing' is introduced, where individuals accept the most readily available information without critically evaluating its accuracy, especially when it is presented in a story format that appeals to our natural love for narratives.

Keywords

💡Media Literacy

Media literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication. In the context of the video, media literacy is crucial for understanding and navigating the complex media landscape. The script emphasizes that being media literate involves overcoming cognitive biases and thought patterns that can lead to the acceptance of misinformation.

💡Schema

A schema is a mental framework or pattern that helps the brain organize and interpret information. The video explains that schemas are used to automate routine tasks and make sense of new information by relying on past experiences. However, this can lead to shortcuts in processing complex media content, as the brain may default to familiar patterns rather than critically evaluating new data.

💡Cognitive Load

Cognitive load is the amount of mental effort required to process information in the working memory. The script discusses how the brain automates routine tasks to reduce cognitive load, but this efficiency can hinder the ability to deeply analyze and understand new or complex media information.

💡Law of Closure

The Law of Closure is a psychological phenomenon where the mind perceives incomplete figures as complete. The video uses the example of recognizing a panda shape from dots to illustrate how the brain fills in gaps using prior knowledge, which can lead to misinterpretations when consuming media.

💡False Memory

False memory is a memory that is created inadvertently, often influenced by external suggestions or leading questions. In the video, false memory is highlighted as a vulnerability in media consumption, where people may 'remember' misinformation as fact, especially when it aligns with their existing beliefs.

💡Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. The script explains that this bias can significantly impact how individuals process media, leading them to favor information that aligns with their views and dismiss contradictory evidence.

💡Information Satisficing

Information satisficing is the act of accepting the first piece of information that comes to hand that is good enough to satisfy a decision or task. The video points out that when people are busy or not highly motivated to find the most accurate information, they may accept the first plausible explanation they encounter, which can contribute to the spread of misinformation.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information objectively to form a judgment. The script emphasizes the importance of critical thinking skills in media literacy, as they help individuals to recognize and overcome cognitive biases and thought patterns that can lead to the acceptance of misinformation.

💡Bias

Bias refers to a prejudice or inclination towards one side or another, often influenced by personal beliefs or experiences. The video discusses how biases shape the way individuals interpret media, leading them to favor information that aligns with their existing views and potentially ignore or dismiss contradictory information.

💡Algorithm

An algorithm is a set of rules or steps used to solve a problem or perform a computation. In the context of the video, algorithms are mentioned as tools used by social media platforms to curate content based on user preferences, which can reinforce confirmation bias by showing users more of what they already like or agree with.

💡Misinformation

Misinformation refers to false or inaccurate information that is spread, regardless of whether there was an intent to deceive. The video highlights the role of cognitive biases and mental shortcuts in making individuals susceptible to misinformation, emphasizing the need for media literacy to discern truth from falsehood.

Highlights

The brain uses pattern recognition to make sense of media references, like spotting a nod to Citizen Kane in a new movie.

Our brains subconsciously react to media, often without our conscious awareness.

The brain automates routine tasks to reduce cognitive load, similar to how a computer uses RAM efficiently.

Schemas are mental frameworks that help the brain understand and navigate through routine tasks and information.

The brain's efficiency in processing familiar tasks does not translate well to complex or new information.

The Law of Closure is a visual perception principle that the brain uses to complete incomplete pictures, which can lead to biases.

False memories can be created when the brain fills in gaps in recall with plausible but inaccurate information.

Confirmation bias leads us to seek out information that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs, reinforcing those beliefs.

Social media algorithms are designed to exploit confirmation bias, showing us content we are likely to engage with.

Information satisficing is when we accept the first plausible answer we encounter, rather than seeking out the truth.

Our love for stories can make us susceptible to narratives, even if they are false, as long as they are coherent and satisfying.

Media literacy is challenged by the brain's natural tendencies to take shortcuts and fill in narrative gaps.

Publishers, advertisers, and tech companies are aware of and exploit our cognitive biases to capture our attention.

Developing strong critical thinking skills is essential to overcoming our brain's thought patterns and biases.

Acknowledging our biases and thought patterns is the first step towards improving media literacy as a society.

Crash Course: Media Literacy aims to help viewers become more aware and critical of the media they consume.

Transcripts

Picture this. You sit down in front of a new movie.

Or you turn on the radio in the car.

What is your brain doing?

Well, a lot of things, hopefully.

But your brain is also working to make sense of whatever media you encounter.

A flicker of pattern recognition and you realize this new movie has a reference to Citizen Kane.

A stab of memory, and you’re singing the hook of that song.

All. Day. Long.

For every conscious reaction and response you have to media, your brain is also subconsciously reacting and responding.

Our brains do plenty of things automatically.

They tell our lungs to breathe and our heart to beat.

And while a lot of these automatic functions are pretty great, there are a few that aren’t. – especially when it comes to media.

So today we look at how our minds react to media.

You wanna be media literate?

Well here's a list of the worst impulses inside your brain that you're going to have to overcome.

This is your brain on media.

[Theme Song]

When was the last time you thought about tying your shoes?

Like, really had to think about it?

Maybe not since you learned how, right?

That’s because your brain has automated the process.

It’s muscle memory.

Our brains are pretty good at automating routine stuff.

They do this to reduce the cognitive load, or the amount of time and attention needed to finish a task.

Imagine your brain is like a computer – it only has so much RAM to use at any moment.

To make the best use of that processing power, the brain relies on schema.

A schema is a thought pattern, a way the brain understands a task, the desired outcomes of that task, and the strategy for getting there.

If you have a routine, any routine, you have a schema to work through it.

What about news gathering?

Maybe before you even open your eyes in the morning you reach for your phone to scroll through the latest headlines on Twitter.

Or maybe you turn the TV on while you cook and listen to the news.

Or maybe you just hope someone will have a copy of today’s paper on the bus so you can read it when they’re done.

With any news habit, your brain is not only automating you picking up your phone in the morning or turning on the TV.

It’s also automating how you make sense of information in that app or article.

All that efficiency in our brains, which is ideal for brushing your teeth or opening a door, is not ideal for parsing through complex or new information.

Our brains are basically designed to take shortcuts.

And shortcuts are bad for business when we’re trying to do the hard work of navigating the media landscape.

So are there other parts of the brain that protect us from this?

Whoo-boy, it’s not even close.

Bad news my friends: It’s exactly the opposite.

The human brain is a mysterious thing.

We can remember what we did one day 12 years ago, but not remember what we had for breakfast.

We’ll recall ungodly amounts of song lyrics but can never remember what that one actor’s name is. (It’s Bill Paxton)

We’ll be totally exhausted, but when our head hits the pillow, suddenly we want to recap every embarrassing thing we’ve done since second grade.

But for all its wacky inconsistencies, one thing the brain does really well is complete a picture.

When we’re talking about visual perception – you see a bunch of dots in the shape of a panda, and you think “panda” – that’s called the Law of Closure.

As we move through the media environment, we’re constantly trying to form this type of closure.

And our brains don’t do this objectively.

Each time we take a bit of info and complete the picture, we’re using prior life experiences and knowledge.

So, for instance, when you read a headline like “DiCaprio and Winslet recreate epic scene from Titanic,” you’d use prior knowledge to fill in the gaps.

You know Frank DiCaprio and Maggie Winslet didn’t star in that film, so it must be referencing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

It’s like the brain’s version of when Google knows you’re searching for “how to know your cat loves you” just from the letter H.

No? Is that...is that just me?

This inherent desire to connect the dots, to see the whole instead of its parts – is exactly what makes humans vulnerable to misinformation.

Consider another unhelpful brain reflex: false memory.

Sometimes when we can’t exactly recall the details of an event, our brain will just fill in the blanks with something plausible.

For instance, say you witnessed a robbery.

The police show up and ask you, “What color shirt was the robber wearing?”

It happened so fast you think, huh I’m not quite sure.

And another witness says, “I think it was purple.”

And suddenly maybe you remember the robber was wearing a purple shirt.

It’s not that you are trying to lie.

It’s more like your brain thinks, “yeah, that sounds about right,” and the line between memory and imagination is just too thin to notice.

The trouble with a false memory, especially when it comes to misinformation and “fake news,” is it’s much easier to create a memory than it is to change one.

So when a Facebook page built to spread fake news sends a lie out into the world, readers are more likely to remember that lie than to update their memory of it later.

Even when they have the right info.

Another time-saver the brain uses is hunting for information we already believe to be true.

This is called confirmation bias, and it’s a huge problem.

Let’s jump into the Thought Bubble to check it out.

Each and every one of us wakes up in the morning biased.

Biased toward early mornings or late nights, biased towards conservatism or liberalism,

biased towards reading news or watching it on TV.

Our life’s worth of experiences shape us to prefer, understand, and believe certain things.

When we’re confronted with an avalanche of information, which is difficult to wade through, we seek out things we already prefer, understand, and believe.

It’s just easier, cognitively and emotionally, to only deal with things we already like.

This means that if we’re presented with a message that aligns with or confirms our biases, we’re extra likely to believe it.

On the other hand, if that message opposes our biases, we’re extra likely to think it’s false.

It also means that if you and I both experience the same media, we could take away completely different meanings.

Take this Washington Post article from October 2017, for example.

“Clinton campaign, DNC paid for research that led to Russia dossier”

It says that Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid for research into Donald Trump’s campaign.

This dossier was very controversial when it was revealed in 2016.

Many Clinton supporters and liberal Americans believed the dossier was proof of Trump’s collusion with a foreign power.

Many Trump supporters and conservative Americans believed it was proof that the Democratic party was trying to take down the Republican candidate.

Now, if you already have a Democratic bias you might think, “Wow, the dossier must have been legit.

Why would the Democratic party spend time and money on a phony story?”

And If you have a Republican bias, you could conclude the opposite:

“Wow, the dossier must have been phony the whole time, if it was financed by the Democratic party.”

This means that a piece of information can do the same thing for different people: communicate, simply, what you already believe is true is true.

Thanks, Thought Bubble.

Social media presents an extra obstacle: most platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, are built to reward confirmation bias.

Those companies want you in their apps as long as possible, so their algorithms are tuned to keep showing you stuff you like.

Which would be fine, if 38% of U.S. adults didn’t rely on them for news.

Which brings us to another brain time-saver: information satisficing – a bizarre combo of “satisfying” and “sufficing.”

Sometimes when we’re busy or not really that concerned with hunting down the right answer, we’ll accept whatever answer’s laid out in front of us.

Say, your second-favorite celeb couple breaks up.

They won’t talk to the press about it, but a tabloid at the grocery store says he cheated with the nanny. Scandalous!

You think that sounds plausible, and since this info isn’t life-or-death important, this answer suffices.

Searching through old interviews to look for clues of a slowly dissolving romance –

we’ve all got things to do, like figure out whether our cat loves us.

Age-old tabloid tales like cheating with the nanny prey on another aspect of our brain’s desire to complete the picture.

We love stories. Really, we love stories.

If it’s simple, easy to understand, and fills in the gaps for us, we are ready to believe.

But the human instinct for storytelling is straight up dangerous to media literacy.

Stories are sense-making tools; they help us understand the world around us.

So when something is complex or difficult to understand and the media turns it into a familiar narrative for us, we welcome it with wide, open arms – even if it’s false.

To sum up, your brain on media is prone to taking shortcuts and filling in the blanks of a story whenever, and however, it can.

What’s worse, publishers, advertisers, and tech companies know all of these tricks, too!

They use them against us all the time to hold (or steal) our attention.

If you’ve absolutely never fallen prey to fake news or some other kind of misinformation – well congratulations.

But for the rest of us, it’s not always easy to spot our brain’s thought patterns at work, let alone break them.

That’s where strong critical thinking skills come in, and the shared responsibility of doing this work together, as a society.

The more we acknowledge our biases and thought patterns, the better we get at smashing through them to find the truth.

We’ll continue that hard work together on the next episode of Crash Course: Media Literacy.

For now, I’m Jay Smooth. See you next week!

Crash Course Media Literacy is filmed in the Dr. Cheryl C. Kinney Studio in Missoula, MT.

It’s made with the help of all of these nice people, and our animation team is Thought Cafe.

Crash Course is a Complexly production.

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