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Staying informed without a cost: No effect of positive news media on stress reactivity, memory and affect in young adults.
Longpré, Charlotte; Sauvageau, Claudia; Cernik, Rebecca; Journault, Audrey-Ann; Marin, Marie-France; Lupien, Sonia.
  • Longpré C; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, CIUSSS Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Sauvageau C; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Cernik R; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, CIUSSS Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Journault AA; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, CIUSSS Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Marin MF; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
  • Lupien S; Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, CIUSSS Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
PLoS One ; 16(10): e0259094, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1496528
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

We read, see and hear news from various media sources every day. A large majority of the news is negative. A previous study from our laboratory showed that reading negative news is associated with both increased stress reactivity (measured via the stress hormone cortisol) and recall of the negative news segments in women.

OBJECTIVES:

The present study investigated the effects of positive news on cortisol stress reactivity, memory and affect using a methodology highly similar to the study on negative news that was previously used by our team.

METHODS:

Sixty-two healthy participants aged between 18 and 35 years (81% women) were randomly exposed to either positive or neutral news segments, followed by a laboratory stressor. We assessed participants' affect three times during the procedure and measured cortisol in saliva eight times (at 10-minute intervals). Twenty-four hours later, participants were contacted by phone to assess their recall of the news segments.

RESULTS:

Results showed that exposure to positive news, relative to neutral news, did not modulate participants' cortisol levels in response to the laboratory stressor. Positive news had no impact on memory recall of the news and did not change participants' positive or negative affect. Bayes factors suggested that these nonsignificant results are not attributable to low statistical power.

CONCLUSION:

Contrary to negative news, positive and neutral news do not modulate stress reactivity, memory and affect. These results suggest that people can stay informed without physiological and psychological costs when the news to which they are exposed adopt a positive or neutral approach.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Stress, Psychological / Hydrocortisone / Cognition / Emotions / Mass Media / Memory Type of study: Experimental Studies / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Young adult Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0259094

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Stress, Psychological / Hydrocortisone / Cognition / Emotions / Mass Media / Memory Type of study: Experimental Studies / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Female / Humans / Male / Young adult Language: English Journal: PLoS One Journal subject: Science / Medicine Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Journal.pone.0259094