ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN THE AWARENESS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES
Dr. Shazia Hasan,(Author/ Corresponding Author)
Assistant Professor
COMSAT Institute of Information Technology,
Lahore-Pakistan
Mr.Farhan Kamrani (1st -Coauthor)
M.Phil/Ph.D Student
and
Dr.Uzma Ali(2nd Coauthor/)
Associate Professor
Institute of Clinical Psychology,
University of Karachi-Pakistan
ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN THE AWARENESS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGIES
ABSTRACT
Mass Media is a very important institution of society. Current study was
conducted to explore people’s perception about media as a source of awareness of
psychopathologies. A Likart type survey questionnaire was constructed. A
conveniently sampled population’s (N=112, Mean age=24.28, SD=2.406) form
Karachi (Pakistan) participated in current study. Results show that generally
people consider that mass media has a positive role in spreading awareness of
psychopathologies and information appearing in media is credible. People see
Newspapers and Films as the most important sources of information while people
do not perceive periodicals and radio doing much for the awareness of
psychopathologies.
INTRODUCTION
According to a mass communication theorist (Dominic, 1993) media’s functions for society are,
1. Information: Transmitting information is the journalistic function of the media.
2. Entertainment: The entertainment function is also basic. The top rated television
shows are consequently entertainment oriented.
3. Persuasion: Media are used for public opinion, influence votes, change attitudes,
moderate behavior and sell products.
4. Service the economic system: In capitalistic societies media are also involved in
service to the economic system.
5. Transmission of culture: although media may not deliberately set out to transmit
culture, education is an inevitable result of the other functions. Every media
message, if it finds an audience, will have a socializing effect, no matter how slight.
Media message for good or bad well lead to the homogenization of the society.
All of the above stated functions of mass media have their psychological importance but the
most important in this regards is persuasion. Many researchers specifically Bandura(1977)
explored the social learning effects of mass media.
Although many mass communication
theorists (for example Klapper, 1965) argue that people do not expose themselves to mass media
in a psychologically blank state (in which anything can be written in their minds) but they are
protected by existing predispositions. There are differences in the opinion of experts in the
media’s power in forming and changing attitudes but it cannot be denied that it has become the
primary source of information for the masses and have trust over the information that appears in
them.
In Pakistan Mass communication underwent a rapid expansion in the last decade. In the
beginning there was only radio and motion picture as mass media in Pakistan. Pakistan
Television (PTV) started its transmission in 1964 from Lahore (Pakistan Television Corporation
Limited, 2010 ). Indian movies were banned to be shown in Pakistani cinema after 1965 PakIndia war (The Indian News, January 03, 2009). In 80s era by the spread of VCRs and
availability movies in cassettes, people gained another medium of entertainment. In 1990 the
first private Pakistani channel started its transmission. In 1995 satellite dish became very popular
and affordable for the masses. In 1999 cable TV networks started to emerge giving one the
opportunity to see as many channels as one could imagine and in 2002 private Pakistani channels
emerged (PEMRA, 2006). This short history of mass media can be coupled with Pakistan’s
political history. Media brought attitudinal change towards many issues that include political,
social, religious, sexual and psychological domains.
When we see mass media’s role in the awareness of psychological problems we explore
media’s function of persuasion in changing attitudes, challenging the stigma’s and stereotypes
related to psychopathology or, in a negative sense, creating new stigmas and stereotypes in this
regard. Some megahit movies address certain psychological disorders or the main characters
were shown suffering from any disorder. In west and east the most widely portrayed disorder in
movies is multiple personality disorder (for instance Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Priyadarshan &
Sameer,2007) and antisocial personality(for instance Psycho) disorder. These movies may also
have contributed to the stigmatization of clinical population. One such Indian movie is
Aankhen(Shah & Desai,2002) in which a paranoid schizophrenic is shown in a negative role (a
conspirator, killer and planner of a bank robbery). Some other movies did not portray
psychologically disturbed people negatively but showed technically flowed details. For example
Kyon ki (Priyadarshan, 2005) in which a mental asylum is portrayed. But some other movies like
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Forman & Kesey , 1975), Rain Man(Levinson,1988), Taare
Zameen Par (Khan & Gupta, 2007) and My Name Is Khan (Johar, 2010) accurately portrayed
people suffering form disorders like Dyslexia, Schizophrenia, Autism, Aspergers syndrome.
These movies helped many in getting proper diagnoses and treatment and created empathy in
masses.
The most relevant questions in this regard include; how are the people who suffer from
any psychological of emotional problem portrayed in the mass media? Is the information
technically accurate? Is mass media increasing or decreasing the problems that psychologically
disturbed people face? Current research is designed to know the attitudes of people regarding the
role of mass media in the awareness of psychopathologies. As there is scarce research on this
important aspect in Pakistan and an empirical account is needed for a proper evaluation of the
perception of masses in this context.
METHOD
Participants
The sample of current study comprised of 112 participants (Male=44, female=68)
conveniently sampled from general population of educational level intermediate and above of
Mean age 24.28(SD=2.406), most of the sample belonging to middle socio economic class, form
different public sector universities in Karachi Pakistan.
Material
13 item survey questionnaire
An Urdu Language Likart type survey questionnaire was developed through discussion
and concept generation by clinical psychologists. Items were generated that tap the perceptions
of masses related to following domains, perception of mass media in the awareness of
psychopathologies(in general and specifically of Television channels, Radio, Films, Newspapers
and Periodicals), role of mass media in the screening of psychologically disturbed people, role of
mass media in the guidance of people for the appropriate treatment of psychopathologies, role of
mass media in motivating people to support people who suffer form psychopathologies and
negative role of mass media in spreading wrong details and inducing fear of people who suffer
form psychopathologies.
Demographic sheet
That included items for getting information about participant’s gender, age, educational
level, occupation, socio economic status and residential area.
Procedure
The researcher approached different academic institutions and then took the consent for
research. The student’s of the institutions that agreed were individually approached Students
were briefed about the study and their consent was taken for participation. The students who
gave consent were tested in the classroom settings with the questionnaire and their demographic
information was also taken. Participants were debriefed at the end of the administration of
questioners. After data collection every item’s percentages were calculated thorough frequencies
in every response category.
RESULTS
Table no 1: Percentages of responses on items (n=112)
Items
Complete
Disagreemen
disagreement t
1. Mass media play an important
5.35%
21.42%
role in the awareness of
psychopathologies.
2. Mass media give accurate
5.35%
35.71%
awareness of psychopathologies.
3. Information appearing in mass
0.00%
28.57%
media helps in the screening of
people with psychological
problems.
4. Information appearing in mass
1.78%
30.35%
media guide people who are
suffering form
psychopathologies to right
treatment.
5. Information appearing on
0.00%
16.06%
mass media persuades to support
people who suffer from
psychopathologies.
6. Television channels play
16.6%
53.57%*
important role in the awareness
of psychopathologies.
7. Radio channels play important
5.35%
16.06%
role in the awareness of
psychopathologies.
8. Films play important role in
7.14%
12.5%
the awareness of
psychopathologies.
9. Newspapers play important
1.78%
10.71%
role in the awareness of
psychopathologies.
10. Periodicals play important
1.78%
51.78%*
role in the awareness of
psychopathologies.
11. Mass media portray wrong
0.00%
48.21%*
image of psychopathologies.
12. Due to the information
7.14%
25.00%
appearing in mass media public
becomes fearful of people
suffering form
psychopathologies.
13. In the awareness of
5.35%
71.42%*
psychopathologies mass media’s
Don’t
know
5.35%
Agreement Complete
agreement
48.21%*
19.64%
10.71
%
8.92%
42.85%*
5.35%
51.78%*
10.71%
10.71
%
44.62%*
3.57%
16.06
%
55.35%*
12.5%
7.14%
21.42%
1.78%
28.57
%
42.85%*
7.14%
10.71
%
62.5%*
7.14%
5.35%
71.42%*
10.71%
21.42
%
16.07%
8.92%
23.21
%
28.57
%
25.00%
3.57%
32.14%*
7.14%
8.42%
1.78%
12.5%
character is negative.
DISCUSSION
Current study aimed to investigate the attitudes of people toward role of media in the
awareness of psychopathologies. Examiner, in an exploratory fashion, did not make any
hypothesis. Following are the major findings of the survey.
On the first question that investigated the role that mass media plays in the awareness of
psychopathologies, most of the people agreed that it does (48.21%) and there was a sizeable
portion in the sample (19.64%) that completely agreed how ever there are people who do not
consider that media has any important role in this regard (21.42%).
Second question was related to the accuracy of the awareness related to psychopathology
that is given by the media. Majority of people considers media as a credible source of
information related to psychopathologies (42.85%), a sizeable portion of sample don’t know this
(10.71%) while a significant portion disagree(35.71%) on this question.
On the third question that investigated if the Information appearing in mass media helps
in the screening of people with psychological problems, most of the population agrees (51.78%).
Fourth question that investigated role of mass media in guiding people to right treatment
most of the people agree (44.62) while a significant portion (30.35) of population disagree.
On the fifth question that inquired the role of media in persuading people to support
people who suffer psychopathologies most of the people agreed (55.35%).
On the sixth question that investigated specifically the role of television channels in the
awareness of psychopathologies most of the sample agreed (53.57) while a sizeable portion
completely agreed (16.06%).
On seventh question that enquired the role played by radio in the awareness of
psychopathologies majority of people agreed (42.82%) while there was a significant number of
people who don’t have any knowledge regarding this (28.57%).
Eighth question investigated the role of films in he awareness of psychopathologies. Most
of the people think (62.5%) that films play a significant role in it.
On Ninth question that investigated Newspapers role in the awareness of
psychopathologies. Most of the people sampled thinks that newspapers have a very important
role in the awareness of psychopathologies (71.42% agree and 10.71% completely agree).
Tenth question explored the role of Periodicals in the awareness of psychopathologies.
Most of (51.78%) the people think that periodicals don’t play an important role in the awareness
of psychopathologies while a sizeable portion (21.42%) don’t have knowledge in this regard.
On the eleventh question that investigated if mass media portray wrong image of
psychopathologies, majority of people (48.21%) disagreed while a sizeable portion of the
population agreed (25.00%).
Twelfth question that asked if information appearing in mass media makes public fearful
of people suffering form psychopathologies. Majority of people agreed(7.14% completely agree
while 32.14% agreed) while there was a significant number of people(28.57%) who did not have
knowledge related to this phenomenon.
On the thirteenth question that asked if In the awareness of psychopathologies mass
media’s character is negative, most of the people disagree (5.35 completely disagree while 71.42
disagree) and a sizeable number of people(12.5%) don’t have knowledge in this regard.
Conclusion
To conclude this discussion it can be said that generally people consider that mass media
has a positive role in spreading the awareness of psychopathologies. People consider the
information appearing in media and the portrayal of psychopathologies as real and credible.
According to a media researcher (Zaidi, 2010) when action conforms to the projected images
then Image building is expected to produce desirable perceptions therefore media must be
portraying truthful image (in general) to attain a credible image. People see Newspapers and
Films as the most important sources of information while people do not see periodicals and radio
doing much for this cause.
Recommendations

The forms of mass media that are not paling any significant role in the awareness of
psychopathologies should focus on this very important problem specifically radio and
periodicals that have a high reach in the masses.

In any portrayal or in any set of information that is prepared for the masses should be
checked by consulting experts (i.e. psychiatrists, psychologists) to rectify any technical
error(s) or details that are far from real.

Mass media can play an important role in removing the stigma that is attached to
psychological treatments by portraying the right picture.
REFERENCES
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Dominic, J. R. (1993). The Dynamics of Mass Communication. New York: McGraw Hill, Inc
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Hitchcock, A.(Director) & Stefano, J.(Writer) (1960)Psycho. USA: Paramount Films
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Johar, K. (2010). My Name Is Khan. India : Dharma Productions
Khan, A.(Director) & Gupta, A. (Writer) (2007)Taare Zameen Par. India: Aamir Khan
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