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

a critical element in viewers’ reactions to frightening media. Studies have shown that
excitatory residues from prior arousing experiences can combine with responses of
unrelated, subsequently presented movie scenes and thereby intensify emotional
responses to the movie.” 23
CONCLUSION
According to Barry Glassner, “The success of a scare depends not only on how
well it is expressed, but also on how well it expresses deeper cultural anxieties.” 24 Not
only do vividness and poignancy of entertainment media increase its effect on viewers
emotions, but if it resembles current social situations of the time or if people’s nerves
are already on edge, its potential influence is vast. During the time of the War of the
Worlds broadcast, “Many Americans were having trouble suppressing their fears of war
and at the same time their sense of culpability as their nation declined to intervene while
millions of innocent people fell prey to the barbarous Nazi and fascist regimes. For
many listeners, War Of the Worlds gave expression to those bridled feelings.” 25
Fast forward to September 11, 2001. Many Americans sat in disbelief and horror
as they watched second plane crash into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in
New York City. Initially, thousands, so aghast, figured the footage was a trailer for a
new blockbuster film. Tragically, the images were all too real. Interestingly, although
Americans seemed to be living in a state of cultural fear and anxiety, there was an
overwhelming sentiment of disbelief that something so horrific could be happening in
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