Media Induced Fear and Anxiety - Georgetown University: Web ...

assault, from fear of contracting cancer to fear of terrorism, from fear of killer bees to
fear of gun wielding teenagers, many Americans seem to be living in an unprecedented
state of fear. Indeed, the sort of generalized anxiety and paranoia that seems to have
infected much of American society is a new trend. Rather than being afraid of one thing
in particular, many people seem to be experiencing a general sense of anxiety where
they can’t designate a single cause for their dread. There must be some factor, other than
the natural cultural environment and individual behaviors, responsible for this outbreak
of fear in modern society.
OMNIPRESENT MEDIA
Considering that the United States is the most media-saturated society in the
world, and that media messages are increasingly more realistic, more graphic and more
negative, it certainly seems possible that the media may be at least somewhat
responsible for the present state of heightened fear and anxiety. Media images invade
our homes through an endless number of television channels, radio stations, Internet
connections, print publications and even telephone outlets. In the car, we listen to the
radio, pass elaborate billboards, see buses adorned with advertisements, stop by
numerous newsstands and encounter the occasional political bumper sticker. In the
office, waiting room, café, shopping center and even classroom, there is usually a
television and sometimes a computer, there is almost always a nearby newspaper or
magazine, and as long as there are other people around, someone is likely talking about
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