Mendez, RoqueBell, Michael A.2015-06-012015-06-012015-05Bell, M. A. (2015). <i>The effects of sensational language in news on memory and attitudes</i> (Unpublished thesis). Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.https://hdl.handle.net/10877/5545The present study investigated whether news presented in a sensational style - using language with higher emotional arousal--influenced the readers' attitudes about the article topic, and their memory and comprehension of the factual information, compared to news presented in a less arousing style. Participants (N = 127) read a sensational or calm version of two online news articles. The dependent variables were a composite Knowledge score, comprised of comprehension and recognition memory scores of the article's factual information, and Attitude Change scores. No differences in the dependent variables were found as a function of the arousal manipulation. Robust interaction effects were found between the stories and the order in which they were read.Text71 pages1 file (.pdf)enSensationalNewsLanguageArousalMemoryAttitudesTabloidizationSensationalism in journalismPersuasion (Psychology)Thesis