Bad news sells, so they say-but the effects of negative news are catastrophic, according to new research by a renowned university in the United Kingdom.
According to Dr. Graham C. L. Davey, an expert in anxiety and professor of psychology at the University of Sussex, UK, “…not only are negatively-valenced news broadcasts likely to make you sadder and more anxious, they are also likely to exacerbate your own personal worries and anxieties.”
In addition, studies published in the British Journal of Psychology in February 1997 show that negative news, both in print and television, contribute significantly to a reader or viewer’s perception, not only introspectively, but also extrospectively – this means that a person’s view of society can be altered by what is published.
“It is because of these impacts on society,” explains Brandon Lurie, Creative Director of the new locally-published online magazine, Ease Mag, “that we saw it as absolutely necessary to introduce a magazine in which only positive news is shared.”
Ease Mag, which has recently been introduced in South Africa, is the first of its kind in sharing relevant news that is positive.
Consequently, as may be understood by Wendy Johnston’s article in the same journal in 2011, entitled, “The psychological impact of negative TV news bulletins”, negative stories may lead to personal anxiety, including misanthropy and, in special cases, paranoia.
Dr. Davey explains that, “…bombarding people with ‘sensationalised’ negativity does have genuine and real psychological effects.”
“There is good in the world,” says Lurie, who adds, saying, “Ease Mag is a publication with the sole aim in changing the way people feel about the world – we are a proud team, dedicated to bringing good news to our readers.”
For more information about Ease Mag, visit: www.easemag.net or contact Brandon@easemag.net.
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