ABSTRACT
Myths can take a relatively abstract form and might be detected at the level of general beliefs that cultures or subgroups share. This chapter identifies how images and language from advertising combine to form myths of different sorts and the impact they have on our behavior. It identifies different types of myths that have emerged from past and contemporary advertising (both concrete and relatively abstract) and the processes that might be involved in their formation. The chapter identifies frameworks in social and cognitive psychology that help one understand how real-world information is processed and how images and language in advertising might be represented in memory. It uses these theories to show how myths are constructed and the various ways in which they influence our beliefs and behaviors. The chapter discusses how myths acquire the status of "common sense" or "truth" and the forces that lead to their reinforcement, rejection, or change.
