ABSTRACT
The role of photographic images in the acquisition and retention of information has received considerable research attention, primarily in the area of news. Attempting to determine whether a picture is indeed worth a thousand words, studies have examined ways in which images are capable of enhancing information transmission, focusing on the information processing capabilities of the human brain. Only recently, however, has interest turned to what may be considered a more socially significant effect of photography: its influence on issue perception. Throughout the past decade, Dolf Zillmann has been the leading force behind research efforts to examine the effects of news images on how individuals perceive social phenomena. This chapter briefly summarizes the effects of visuals on information acquisition and retention and then examines in more detail what scholars have learned in recent studies of the effects of photography on issue perception.
