The Third-Person Effect

The Third-Person Effect is a psychological phenomenon where people tend to believe that media messages influence others more than they influence themselves. Essentially, individuals think that advertisements, news, or other content have a greater impact on others’ opinions, attitudes, or behaviors, while underestimating how much it affects their own. This bias can affect how people perceive media, potentially leading to support for censorship or regulation based on the belief that others are more vulnerable to potentially harmful influences. It highlights how perceptions of influence are often skewed, not necessarily based on actual effects.