Is the media, broadly, more an influencer of human behavior or a reflection of current human behavior?

Question

I'm sure that there's a bit of both here, but to what extent does the media influence behavior and to what extent is it simply a reflection of current day attitudes, beliefs, etc?

Answer 1

Well there is one thing to not that the shorter answer plainly is yes. Media especially now, but also in the past has had a great deal of influence on the belief and thus the behaviors of both groups and individuals. One of the reason Advertising and Propaganda are so effective. Now the longer form here is a sort of "chicken and egg" question or what was the prime mover. That is tricky to answer because in certain cases "like advertisements" there is a clear and direct link between that piece of media and the effect in peoples behaviors. However as an example if we take racist caricature that exist both in the present and the past is it the beliefs about those races that cause the creation of those piece of media, or the media using those caricatures as a way to influence how people think and few about those groups. The best thing we can do in understanding this, is that it less of cause effect and more of a reinforcing cycle. Where one actively strengths and recreates the other.