Social psychology phenomena can be seen spread across the media. From the internet to the movie screen; the newscast to the newspaper, phenomena such as fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias, confirmation bias, persuasion, bystander intervention, and cognitive dissonance can be found. In recent headlines, the sniper case has demonstrated cases of confirmation error and bystander intervention.
Found on MSNBC.com, the article entitled, "Sniper suspects" lives offer few clues," shows an instance of confirmation error in showing a relationship between Allen Muhammad and the September 11th terrorists. Since the events of 9/11, Americans have been more ready to accuse those of Arab descent of acts of terror. It was assumed by many Americans that these men were of Arab descent and for them in all actuality to be so, is quite ironic. The article brings into play that Muhammad was sympathetic towards the hijackers, something that does not have a direct correlation to the case at hand. It is easy to draw an erroneous association between last year's event and this current headline due to a person's ethnicity, hence a confirmation error.
The second article, also found on MSNBC.com, "A Pressing Issue," discusses the media's impact on the investigation into the sniper attacks. The phenomenon addressed in this piece of writing is bystander intervention. Since many people witnessed these events, Chief Moose knew that they would be less likely to report it. Understanding human nature in that a person won't give information because they believe the police already know about it from someone else, he had to use the media and press conferences to plead with the public to come forth with anything knowledge. .
Both everyday events and headliners show many social psychology phenomena whether it is indirectly or directly. It may be through an erroneous causation such as in the sniper case in regards to one's ethnicity or through pleading at a press conference for people to give information.
