Regarding the guilt or innocence of a Hollywood celebrity on trial? Such as OJ? Is it because of their status as a celebrity? Or their gender/ethnicity?
What causes one section of society to ascribe presumed guilt to one celebrity over another (who may be presumed innocent in a similar situation)?
This question has always fascinated me.
Paul
2006-11-28 15:04:21 · 7 answers · asked by dunric 1 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Generally the media guides mass thinking.
2006-11-28 15:08:23 · answer #1 · answered by donewiththismess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that the media influences whether citizens presume a celebrity guilty or not, but you must also take into account the factors that lead the media in one direction or the other. I am sure celebrity status alone is likely to cause the media to cover a story which portrays a particular celebrity in a guilty light. A news story will definitely get more attention if the celebrity is thought to be guilty rather than just on trial. On the other hand, I think other factors, such as gender and ethnicity, may have an effect as well. How the story is delivered depends on the situation and the particular person. As for O.J. Simpson, I believe his race played more of a factor in presuming innocence rather than guilt, because the black community perceived the situation as him being a scapegoat for the murder of a white woman. His being black was the central theme of a biased criminal justice system.
2006-11-28 23:21:28 · answer #2 · answered by IElop 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignorance. The Ignorance and Impatience of wanting to know how or why. Not waiting for the truth. Hate toward the act committed not necessarily the person. When some one is filled with disgust after hearing of an atrocity such as murder rape or otherwise blindsides them from the possibilities that they may have not done it.
2006-11-28 23:22:07 · answer #3 · answered by YaMa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the media's desire to sensationalize everything has conditioned people to think in those terms. We only hear what the media wants us to hear and it has conditioned the majority of the population to jump to conclusions based on media bias. It's a rather lazy approach to life devoid of anything resembling critical thinking. But isn't that what the media and government want from us?
2006-11-28 23:15:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assumptions are made based on personal experience or perception, whether right or wrong we all do it. EG...
A black amn and a white man were in a car... who was driving? Da Police!
2006-11-28 23:10:48 · answer #5 · answered by ••Mott•• 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Intuition plays a big part of assumptions.
2006-11-28 23:09:44 · answer #6 · answered by Sparkles 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
why not?
2006-11-28 23:44:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋