Paul J. Elliott

Assignment 1

BCA 600 Fall 2005

Considering there are 30 visual centers in the human brain, perception and learning are very complex processes in gathering information. Understanding the multiple layers of visual processing lies within the realm of psychology, but is applicable in the understanding of language development and in communication.

Within mass communication, the overload of information that can be digitized and transmitted across the media often ignores the basic human functions of learning and perception. Television screens condense a plethora of visual and auditory information, crawlers, bugs and flashing updates without much consideration of the audience's ability to process properly the continuous flow of messages. In his lectures, Ramachandran explains the abnormalities that occur because of the ways the brain maps incoming signals. The cross-talk or cross wiring of impulses which he explains in several examples results in garbled messages much like interrupted computer data being sent out across networks.

When broadcasters send out multiple messages contained in various pattern of colors, sounds, visual cues, and textual information, there seems to be little regard for the audience's ability to process all the various, often conflicting information.

As I watched the overabundance of Hurricane Katrina coverage last week, I was overcome by such cognitive dissonance never before experienced in years of watching news coverage. For example the initial reports that New Orleans had been spared the worst was offset by the developing flooding in the city. Instead of the expected orderly evacuation, a chaotic fight for survival ensued. The media never could grasp the enormity of the situation because of its selective nature. Pre-hurricane coverage from "safe harbors" like Baton Rouge and Fort Walton Beach gave a false impression of what was coming to the Mississippi coast and New Orleans. The post-hurricane coverage of the death and destruction conflicted sharply with what had actually been expected.

The news crawlers that continued and reported on other news events and sports scores further increased the dissonance of information and showed a split of what was happening on the Gulf coast and what was continuing in other parts of the country. Because such coverage of the hurricane was overwhelming, the coverage on C-Span, minus the crawlers, analysis and commentary made it easier to digest.

Often the statements of bureaucrats flew in the face of what stations were broadcasting split-screen. This disconnect not only created the natural conflict of political infighting but it flew in the face of viewers' perception and was very unsettling. The post-disaster relief efforts and the more personal stories began to close the gap between reality and perception.

I believe television networks need to be aware of the clash of so much information they have to offer, often unedited, unverified and ever changing. Human perception can process several impulses but the ability to coordinate so many messages is a complex process of brain activity that Ramachandran successfully lays out in his five lectures. As he indicated, psychology is the next logical step in neuroscience. In the field of mass communication, I believe there is a responsibility to consider the psychological effects of information overload, especially in extreme situations, such as has occurred with coverage of Hurricane Katrina.