Page 40 - Media Effects Advances in Theory and Research

2. EXEMPLIFICATION THEORY OF MEDIA INFLUENCE 29

the representativeness and availability heuristics. The prediction of the
growing superior influence, over time, of exemplars of concrete situations
also follows from these assumptions. Specifically, because retention of
concrete events extends for longer periods than retention of complex,
abstract information, it becomes increasingly likely that exemplars rather
than quantifications impose themselves from memory and eventually
exert unopposed influence on judgment. The effect under consideration is
known as a relative sleeper effect (cf. Gruder et al., 1978). The influence of
both exemplars and base-rate information is presumed to diminish over
time, but that of exemplars is expected to fade less rapidly, thereby creat-
ing the predicted sleeper effect.

2. A series of exemplars of concrete events influences issue percep-
tion more strongly than a series of exemplars of abstract events,
especially when the concrete events are iconically rather than
symbolically displayed. In relative terms, the superior influence
of concreteness increases with time.

This prediction, including the projected dominance of exemplification
by images of concrete situations, derives from Assumptions 1 and 2 as
well as from the availability heuristic. Imagery can be considered a basal
form of representation that is partial to concreteness. As such, it places
fewer demands on information processing than alternative forms of rep-
resentation that require the ideation of concrete situations.

3. A series of exemplars of events that arouse emotions influences
issue perception more strongly than a series of exemplars of
events that are emotionally inconsequential, especially when the
emotion-arousing events are iconically rather than symbolically
displayed. In relative terms, the superior influence of emotional
exemplification increases with time.

These predictions derive from Assumption 2 along with the availability
heuristic.

4. A series of exemplars of events that differ in relevant characteris-
tics fosters issue perception in which the proportions of the distri-
bution of relevant characteristics are approximately correctly rep-
resented.

Assumption 3, the quantification heuristic, is the basis of this prediction.
On condition that all exemplars entail similarly engaging situations and do
not appreciably differ in presentational features that affect attention and