{"id":99,"date":"2025-06-09T13:56:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T20:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/?page_id=99"},"modified":"2026-01-11T11:13:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T19:13:13","slug":"media-literacy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Media Literacy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wsu-hero wsu-width--full wsu-pattern--wsu-light-radial-left \">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wsu-background-slider wsu-background-slider--effect-fade\" \n\tdata-delay=\"5000\">\n\t \n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-background-slider__slide wsu-slide--active\">\n\t\t\t<img class=\"wsu-background-slider__image\" \n\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg\"\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0774-scaled.jpg 2048w\"\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\"\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Library Statue of Books\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 50% 25%\"\n\t\t\t\t\/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<button class=\"wsu-button-pause-background wsu-background-slider__pause-button\" aria-label=\"Pause Animation\"><\/button>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wsu-overlay wsu-pattern-after wsu-overlay--dark-left wsu-pattern--wsu-light-radial-left\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__content\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-hero__caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 id=\"title-id-69d3c55bbd8ac\" class=\"wsu-title wsu-hero__title\"><span>Media Literacy<\/span><\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Media Literacy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-2\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>Media Literacy is the ability to <strong>Access<\/strong>, <strong>Analyze<\/strong>, <strong>Evaluate<\/strong>, <strong>Create<\/strong>, and <strong>Act<\/strong> using all forms of communication.<\/p>\n<cite> &#8211; National Association of Media Literacy Education<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Media literacy encourages individual media users to think critically about the source and content of the media they engage with, while also considering their own biases, desires, and attitudes when interpreting the information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Collaborative for Media and Health Promotion Research explores media literacy as a developmental process to better understand how individuals engage and develop their critical thinking skills and how it affects their decision-making skills. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ct\/article\/34\/4\/167\/7756519\">Media Literacy Theory of Change<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-792x442.png\" alt=\"Media Literacy Theory of Change Model\" class=\"wp-image-287\" width=\"580\" height=\"324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-792x442.png 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-396x221.png 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-1536x857.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.33.18\u202fPM-2048x1143.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Media Literacy Theory of Change<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Media Literacy Theory of Change explains that message interpretation incorporates both cognitive and affective components of information processing. Media literacy can enhance critical thinking about the source of a message, which can facilitate the analysis of the content in a media message (<a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ct\/article\/34\/4\/167\/7756519\">Austin &amp; Domgaard, 2024<\/a>). As individuals interact with media and technology, they can experience forewarning cues that motivate them to assess the source of information. Critical thinking about sources can motivate individuals to evaluate message content more critically as well. These lead to beliefs that are partially based on logic and partially based on affect, such as expectancies (if-then beliefs). This process leads to potential behavioral outcomes (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.taylorfrancis.com\/chapters\/edit\/10.4324\/9781003436409-23\/watch-media-literacy-relationship-health-communication-pop-culture-andrew-sutherland-erica-weintraub-austin\">Sutherland &amp; Austin, 2025<\/a>). Media literacy skills to interpret and create media messages can be learned and developed at any age. Because affect can contribute usefully or counterproductively to how people process information, media literacy skills help individuals manage how affect informs their management of the information environment, leading to better-informed outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ct\/article\/34\/4\/167\/7756519\">Message Interpretation Process Model<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-792x296.png\" alt=\"The Message Interpretation Process Model\" class=\"wp-image-292\" width=\"645\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-792x296.png 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-396x148.png 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-768x287.png 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-1536x573.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Screenshot-2025-06-17-at-2.39.54\u202fPM-2048x765.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Message Interpretation Process (MIP) model illustrates how individuals evaluate messages by comparing the logical dimensions of the message to their personal experiences and respond with affective reactions, thereby determining the extent to which the individual accepts or rejects the presented message content (<a href=\"https:\/\/ramakertamukti.wordpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/07\/encyclopedia-of-children-adolescents-and-the-media-1412905.pdf\">Austin, 2007<\/a>, pp. 535). Drawing from social cognitive theory (<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1985-98423-000\">Bandura, 1986<\/a>) and persuasion theory (<a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/978-1-4612-4964-1\">Petty &amp; Cacioppo, 1986<\/a>), the MIP theorizes that media consumers&#8217; wishful identification with media portrayals can influence expectancies and enhance efficacy. Individuals evaluate the logical elements of a message such as media portrayals as perceived realism, and the source\u2019s credibility against their personal and observed experiences as well as their affective responses, such how desirable portrayals seem (<a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/1997-35837-003\">Austin &amp; Johnson, 1997<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/ct\/article\/34\/4\/167\/7756519\">Austin &amp; Domgaard, 2024<\/a>). Previous research has shown that when engaging with media, individuals will evaluate the logic-based factors of a message, such as how realistic the message is, and reflect on the affect-oriented beliefs one develops through engaging with such messages (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0140197118301003\">Vahedi et al., 2018<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S036013151930123X\">Xie et al., 2019<\/a>). The MIP model thereby expands on the understanding that critical thinking about sources and content can help build evidence-based decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/10810730.2021.1899345\">Media Literacy for Source &amp; Content<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Building on the Media Literacy Theory of Change Model and the MIP Model, media literacy processing engages in critical think about both the source of information and the content that is being presented. When evaluating the Media Literacy for Source of information, individuals consider the background, credibility, and expertise of the person creating the message, while considering the potential motivation and purpose of the delivery of the message. In the case of Media Literacy for Content, individulas critically evaluate the accuracy, up-to-date, and the completeness of the information that is being presented, while also taking into consideration other credible sources of information before they accept the information as believable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Science Media Literacy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Science Media Literacy explores how people evaluate both the source and content of media that discusses science-based topics. Science Media Literacy for source and content constructs are based on these principles and are adapted from the Media Literacy for source\/content for marketing and for news constructs that we have used before and that have been verified as valid and reliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Pages<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-card-wrapper wsu-card-wrapper--per-row-3\" >\r\n    \n<article class=\"wsu-card wsu-card--style-framed\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image--ratio-16-9\">\r\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-work-group\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-scaled.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-scaled.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-396x237.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-792x474.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-768x460.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/life-impacting-research-hero-1536x919.jpg 1536w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Seven members of the Media and Health Promotion Lab holding an award.\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 50% 50%\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-work-group\/\">\t\t\t\tMedia Literacy Work Group\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<a class='wsu-card__link' href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-work-group\/\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" ><\/a><\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card wsu-card--style-framed\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image--ratio-16-9\">\r\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-measures\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-scaled.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-scaled.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-396x297.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-792x594.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/IMG_0772-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Murrow Hall with a clock tower in the background\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 50% 50%\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-measures\/\">\t\t\t\tMedia Literacy Measures\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<a class='wsu-card__link' href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-measures\/\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" ><\/a><\/article>\n\n<article class=\"wsu-card wsu-card--style-framed\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-image-frame wsu-image--ratio-16-9\">\r\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-resources\/\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-scaled.jpg\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-scaled.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-396x264.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-792x528.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-labs\/uploads\/sites\/3017\/2025\/06\/Media-Lab-2.19-8-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\"\r\n\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\"\r\n\t\t\t\talt=\"Group of people working in the Edward R. Murrow Center for Media &amp; Health Promotion Research\"\r\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"object-position: 50% 50%\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\/>\r\n\t\t<\/a>\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"wsu-card__content\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wsu-title \">\r\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-resources\/\">\t\t\t\tMedia Literacy Resources\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<a class='wsu-card__link' href=\"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/media-literacy-resources\/\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" ><\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is Media Literacy? Media Literacy is the ability to Access, Analyze, Evaluate, Create, and Act using all forms of communication. Media literacy encourages individual media users to think critically about the source and content of the media they engage with, while also considering their own biases, desires, and attitudes when interpreting the information. The [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44148,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44148"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":402,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/99\/revisions\/402"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=99"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.wsu.edu\/ericawaustin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=99"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}