How Headlines Change the Way We Think

First impressions matter, global researchers agree. With a constant onslaught of data, reports and opinions online and off, headlines must be thorough, enticing and accurate, suggests Maria Konnikova in an essay for the New Yorker. Busy readers, especially those active on social media, often only have time for headlines. “By now, everyone knows that a headline determines how many people will read a piece, particularly in this era of social media,” she writes. “But, more interesting, a headline changes the way people read an article and the way they remember it. The headline frames the rest of the experience.” The headline both sets tone and markers for the readers to follow, and can cement opinions from the start. A University of Western Australia researcher studied how varying headlines influence reading and retention of material. Among the findings, “misinformation appears to cause more damage when it’s subtle than when it’s blatant.” – YaleGlobal