What We Think Others Think: Cause and Consequence in the Third-Person Effect

by: Albert Gunther

Communication Research, Vol. 18, No. 3. (1 June 1991), pp. 355-372.

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Abstract

The third-person effect hypothesis suggests that people systematically overestimate the extent to which others are affected by mass media messages. It also proposes that people act in accordance with their estimates of effects on others. This study set out to test both estimations and actions and to explain the phenomenon in terms of attribution theory. An experimental design manipulating the trustworthiness of the source of a defamatory newspaper article produced a third-person effect. Subjects' estimates of the damaging effects of the article, however, did not correspond to their assessment of a penalty against the newspaper. They took more account of source motivation than of impact on the audience when taking action. 10.1177/009365091018003004

@article{citeulike:1914006, abstract = {The third-person effect hypothesis suggests that people systematically overestimate the extent to which others are affected by mass media messages. It also proposes that people act in accordance with their estimates of effects on others. This study set out to test both estimations and actions and to explain the phenomenon in terms of attribution theory. An experimental design manipulating the trustworthiness of the source of a defamatory newspaper article produced a third-person effect. Subjects' estimates of the damaging effects of the article, however, did not correspond to their assessment of a penalty against the newspaper. They took more account of source motivation than of impact on the audience when taking action. 10.1177/009365091018003004}, author = {Gunther, Albert }, citeulike-article-id = {1914006}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009365091018003004}, journal = {Communication Research}, keywords = {attribution\_theory, communication}, month = {June}, number = {3}, pages = {355--372}, posted-at = {2007-11-14 12:46:21}, priority = {3}, title = {What We Think Others Think: Cause and Consequence in the Third-Person Effect}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009365091018003004}, volume = {18}, year = {1991} }

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TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:1914006 L3 - citeulike-article-id:1914006 N2 - The third-person effect hypothesis suggests that people systematically overestimate the extent to which others are affected by mass media messages. It also proposes that people act in accordance with their estimates of effects on others. This study set out to test both estimations and actions and to explain the phenomenon in terms of attribution theory. An experimental design manipulating the trustworthiness of the source of a defamatory newspaper article produced a third-person effect. Subjects' estimates of the damaging effects of the article, however, did not correspond to their assessment of a penalty against the newspaper. They took more account of source motivation than of impact on the audience when taking action. 10.1177/009365091018003004 IS - 3 JF - Communication Research EP - 372 TI - What We Think Others Think: Cause and Consequence in the Third-Person Effect VL - 18 SP - 355 KW - attribution_theory KW - communication AU - Gunther, Albert PY - 1991/06/01/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009365091018003004 ER -

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