Psychology
Agenda-Setting Theory in Mass Media and Public Opinion
Quick fact
A landmark 1968 study by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw during the U.S. presidential election found a nearly perfect correlation between the issues the media covered and the issues voters said were most important—showing that media can shape the public agenda.
Why this is interesting
You flip through the news and feel overwhelmed: every channel covers the same crises. But what if the media isn't just reporting the world, but telling you what to care about?