Effects of Interactive Media are Greater than those of Passive Media

In today's society we are surrounded by a wide array of media. Whether it be interactive medium- like video games, or more passive medium like a newspaper. Our exposure and interactions with these types of media may be different, but they all have an effect on us- even if it is minuscule. This being said; some mediums have greater effects on their audience/users than others. Interactive media where the audience is directly responding and acting with the medium, have greater effects on the audience than passive mediums.

Interactive media's ability to greatly affect its audience, can be attributed to the fact that unlike passive media, the audience of interactive media have a certain degree of control. This unique property enables interactive media to have such extensive effects on its audience. The topic of framing is discussed on page 438, of the book Converging Media: A New Introduction to Mass Communication. We group things in categories according to our schema in order to give them valuable meaning. Framing also relates to how we view the media we are being exposed to, and the point of view it is being told from. For example: in a passive medium like a news article, the author can frame the story in a skewed manner. This can make people be skeptical of such mediums, because they are aware that they are framed. In an interactive medium like a video game however, it is harder for the audience to see the framing of the medium, so they are not that skeptical.

There are also negative aspects to interactive media's ability to greatly affect its audience. This becomes evident when examining the ways in which violent video games affect children. Video games are often blamed for glamorizing violence, and thus encouraging kids to become violent. In his article in CBS News: Violence in Video Games Make Kids Violent, Study Suggests, Ryan Jaslow discusses the negative impacts of violent video games on children. The article cites numerous studies that conclude that children who frequently play violent video games become violent. Children apply what they see in the games in their real lives, thus engaging in violent behaviors. With the constant improvements in the graphics of video games, they are becoming increasingly realistic, which can make people feel like concepts in the game are applicable to their everyday lives. This highlights how greatly interactive media can affect its audience.