The document discusses media's effect on the brain and conformity. It defines media and conformity, and shows how media can influence teens. Mirror neurons are discussed, which fire both when we perform and observe actions. Negative media images can impact youth development and promote conformity as teens emulate what they see. Charts show most teens own social media devices. The media plays a key role in adolescent life and can distribute positive or negative images.

1. Media's Effect on our brains.
By: Jasmine Townsend
ECE 275

2. How would you define media?
"Media is the means of communication, as
radio and television, newspapers, and
magazines, that reach or influence people
widely".

3. Social Devices
Here is a chart of teens and their devices that
represent some specific type of social
communication as of 2004.

4. Adolescents and the Media
• The media plays a key role in the development
of a young adult's life.
• The media distributes images whether they be
positive or negative.
• Negative images in today's media can have a
disturbing effect for parents in the world who
wish to protect their children.
• Teens and young adults tend to reflect their
behavior based on what they perceive.
• This may result in teens breaking down to
conformity.

5. What is conformity?
• conformity: "A type of social influence
involving a change in belief or behavior in
order to fit in with a group".
• The media may distribute advertisements
that obtain portions of conformity.
• These ads try to get others to follow what
they are trying to promote or sell.
• Conformity ads can be found in numerous
popular magazines, music videos and on tv
as well.

6. Medias effect on conformity
Here is a prime example of the media's effect on
conformity. They're convincing the world how they
should look with their display of worst and best bodies.

7. Mirror neurons and media
• The media may cause Mirror neurons to
arouse in our systems.
• Mirror neurons: "Are neurons that fire
during a familiar action and when thinking
of or observing others performing it".

8. Facts of Mirror neurons
In reference to the video and our text we
know Mirror neurons:
• are how we evaluate others actions.
• are how we understand the intentions of
someone else
• "They respond not only to actions but also to
mental images of those actions".
(Sweeney,2009,p.155)
• They occur in our cerebral cortex.

9. Works Cited & References
1. "Media's Influence on the Teenage Brain | Psychology Today." Psychology Today:
Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist. Meg Meeker, PhD, 6 Aug. 2010.
Web. 12 Aug. 2012. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-
•
matters/201008/medias-influence-the-teenage-brain>.
This website had some very interesting points and views on the media
affecting children and teens worldwide, and how to help prevent some of these
changes.
2. conformity. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete &
Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/conformity (accessed: August
•
12, 2012).
This website was used as a source to define the word "conformity"

10. To be continued..
3. " Google Image Result for
http://chill5.chillopedia.com/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
4C81Aw7WngQ/T4sXZBO4GEI/AAAAAAAABEQ/tePzSkdE400/s1600/bra
in.jpg%26t%3D3fb15f1088bb876ac7fb756ca8924b43." Google. Heather
Johnson, 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.
• This website was from where I got the interesting brain image.
4.<http://www.google.com/imgres?q=media%27s+effect+on+brains&um=1&h
l=en&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&biw=1136&bih=714&tbm=isch&tbnid=p
MxfBLea5aOo8M:&imgrefurl=http://chillopedia.com/interesting/social-
media-is-ruining-our-brains-
infographic/&docid=k001bov3KRMFxM&imgurl=http://chill5.chillopedia.
com/http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
4C81Aw7WngQ/T4sXZBO4GEI/AAAAAAAABEQ
• On this website it contained the very creative brain photograph with the
social networking companies inside of the brain. I was very fascinated by
it.

11. To be continued..
5. media. Dictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged
10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers.
•
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/media (accessed: August 12, 2012).
This website was my source to define the word "Media" on slide number
two. it has a very reliable dictionary source.
6. Lenhart, Amanda, Paul Hitlin, and Mary Madden. " The vast majority of
teenagers own some type of media device. | Pew Internet & American Life
Project ." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project . Amanda
Lenhart, Paul Hitlin, Mary Madden, 25 July 2005. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.
<http://fe01.pewinternet.org/Reports/2005/Teens-and-Technology/05-
Technological-and-Social-Contexts/02-The-vast-majority-of-teenagers-
•
own-some-type-of-media-device.aspx>.
This online article provided a graph of teens with social devices such as
phones, laptops, tablets etc.

12. Final works cited page
7. McLeod, Saul. "What is Conformity." Simply Psychology - Psychology Articles
for Students Learning Psychology. Saul McLeod, n.d. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.
•
<http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformity.html
This online article has a brilliant definition and example of conformity.
8. "25 questions Mainstream Media can’t answser « Expect 2 Change." Expect 2
Change. N.p., 14 July 2012. Web. 12 Aug. 2012.
<http://expect2change.wordpress.com/2012/07/14/25-questions-
•
mainstream-media-cant-awnser/>.
This website contained the photo I used for my social media on the 2nd
slide.
9. Sweeney, Michael S.. Brain: the complete mind : how it develops, how it
works, and how to keep it sharp. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic,
2009. Print.
• This text provided the definition I used for mirror neurons and the
explanation of where they're located.