Television and the Rise of Emotional Politics

Suma Modukuri -

Welcome back to my blog everyone! This week has been mostly focusing on collecting information from different sources and filtering through them to what would be most relevant to the evolution of different types of media. 

So far, I’ve been sifting through different primary and secondary sources in order to narrow down my scope further and gain a clearer sense of what specifically contributes to increased polarization with respect to different types of media consumed. One of the main studies I’m working with deals with television’s impact on voting behavior. This study went into how the widespread and normalized use of television as a way to consume news and other political content increases a user’s perceived “access” to any given politician, creating a more emotional connection between a voter and a politician. Television also influences what advertisements are run, prioritizing larger, eye-catching methods to draw in viewers.  Analyzing the frequency of keywords used to describe politicians in either a positive or negative light found that voters in the 1960s focused more on the presumed character or background of a politician, whereas the 1970s marked a turn in focusing on the personal qualities of a politician, like their perceived humility or adaptability. This turn marks a shift in how television makes viewers believe they know politicians on a “personal level” due to the availability and prominence of their appearance.  

The findings from this study on television’s influence are crucial in understanding how media contributes to polarization. This week’s research has provided a strong foundation for further investigations into how different media platforms shape our perceptions. I look forward to sharing more soon!

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Comments:

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    diya_d
    Hi Suma! The shift in how voters viewed politicians from the 1960s to the 1970s is really interesting. Do you think this trend in focusing on personal qualities has continued with the increase in social media usage?
    March 4, 2025 at 4:58 pm - Reply
    tisya_o
    Hi, Suma! It's bizarre to see how much can change in just a decade. I know you referenced qualities focused on characteristics/personality, but do the personal qualities described in the study include physical appearance? Or is it a more recent trend to focus on a politician's appearance?
    March 5, 2025 at 10:46 am - Reply
    Ms. Maureen Sullivan
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    March 5, 2025 at 1:22 pm - Reply
    Anonymous
    Suma, Media is evolving at such a staggering rate! Interesting study. Following.
    March 5, 2025 at 1:24 pm - Reply
    suma_k
    Hi Diya! I think social media being so prevalent and being a continuously relevant way to get information is a huge factor in the increased focus on personal qualities. Social media serves as a way to increase perceived connection with any given politician, especially considering many politicians have their own personal accounts.
    March 5, 2025 at 2:49 pm - Reply
    suma_k
    Hi Tisya! Personal qualities also tend to include physical appearance as well, as people tend to unconsciously correlate "positive" physical characteristics to more positive personality traits, especially when presented with them on screen. T.V.'s relevance in politics (starting around the 1960's) definitely marks a change in focusing more on physical appearance.
    March 5, 2025 at 2:52 pm - Reply
    Brittany DeFoe
    I think that this was a great place to start your research. It does make me wonder, with the decline in TV viewership over the last 15 years or so and the transition to streaming platforms instead, how might that impact political socialization and polarization? I think there are definitely future implications of this project.
    March 7, 2025 at 10:37 am - Reply
    sriya_s
    Hi Suma! This is really interesting. Do you think any particular candidates in politics have historically or recently benefitted from this trend?
    March 9, 2025 at 6:40 pm - Reply

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