Analyzing Influenceson Health

• I will analyze the influence of culture, media,technology, and other factors on health.

How aware are you of all of the things that influence your health? It can be quite a long list. Family members, friends, and peersmight influence you. Ads in magazines and in the media can bestrong influences on you. How strong is their influence? Do you respond to advertising by making responsible decisions and practicing healthful behaviors?

Matthew Roharik Photographic

What You’ll Learn1. Discuss steps to follow to

analyze influences on health.(p. 35)

2. Explain why it is important tobe media literate. (p. 36)

3. Identify questions to ask whenevaluating ads. (p. 37)

4. Identify ten appeals used inadvertisements. (p. 38)

Why It’s ImportantThe influence of media ortechnology can be very strong.Having the skill to analyzeinfluences helps you to stay incharge, make responsibledecisions, and practice healthfulbehaviors for optimal health.

Key Terms• media• advertisement (ad)• commercial• technology• culture • media literacy• advertising

34 UNIT 1 • Health Skills

Writing About Influences Suppose that you are shopping with afriend when you see an advertisement in a store window promoting a skincleanser that will solve teens’ acne problems overnight. Your friend wants togo into the store and buy the cleanser. After you read the information aboutadvertisements on page 37, write an entry in your health journal aboutwhat you would tell your friend about the ad she saw.

4

Influence is the ability to indirectly sway an opinion, a choice, or an outcome. A quick look

around will tell you that you are surrounded every day by any number of things that affect

what you wear, read, eat, or say. You can’t easily escape their influence. But you can take

charge of the amount of influence these things have on your health. There are four steps you

can take to master this life skill.

How to Analyze Influences on Health1. Identify people and things thatmight influence you. Make a list ofthe people who have the most influ-ence on you. What family membersinfluence you? What friends or peershave the most influence on you?Don’t forget famous people, such aspoliticians, movie stars, and sportheroes, and people in your commu-nity, such as doctors or members ofthe clergy.

Now think about things that influ-ence you. One possible influence isthe media. are the variousforms of mass communication. Thereare commercials and advertisementsin the media. An

is a paid announcement about aproduct or service. A isan advertisement on television orradio. Ads appear online, on TV,radio, and billboards, and in maga-zines and newspapers. Ads are paidfor by companies and people whowant to influence consumers.

in media takes theform of using high-tech equipment tocommunicate information. Thinkabout the computer games you mighthave played. Some of these may have

a very strong influence on mentalhealth and how an individual looksat other members of society.Advertisements that pop up whenyou log on to the Internet can affectwhat you purchase or how often youmight want to use services. CD-ROMs, videos, or DVDs also mightinclude behaviors that could influ-ence you.

Culture also can have a strong in-fluence on your life. is thearts, beliefs, and customs that makeup a way of life for a group of people at a certain time. Your culture influ-ences you.

Culture

Technology

commercial(ad)

advertisement

Media

LESSON 4 • Analyzing Influences on Health 35Photodisc/Getty Images

Commercials Theaverage Americanchild may view up to40,000 commercialson television each year.

Computer or video games can have aninfluence on physical andmental health.

2. Evaluate how the influence mightaffect your health behavior and deci-sions. How do you react to each of the influences in your life? Use theGuidelines for Analyzing Influenceson Health shown below. If youanswer “yes” to the questions, then aparticular influence has a positiveeffect on you. If you answer “no” toone or more of the questions, thenthat particular influence has a nega-tive influence on you.

For example, think about the per-son who influences you the most.Write down three behaviors this per-son practices and ask yourself thequestions in the guidelines. Then youwill know whether or not to imitatethis person’s behavior.

Using these guidelines to evaluatemedia messages can help you to de-velop media literacy.is the skill of being able to recognizeand evaluate the influence of mes-sages in media.

3. Choose positive influences onhealth. Your goal is to be influencedonly in positive ways. Suppose a

person encourages you to exerciseregularly. Your answer to each ques-tion in the guidelines will be “yes.”This person is making a valuablecontribution to your health by influ-encing you in a positive way. Supposeyou watch a television commercial inwhich a star talks about being drugfree. This commercial makes a valu-able contribution to your health byinfluencing you in a positive way.

Associating with people who influ-ence you to make responsible deci-sions and practice healthfulbehaviors is a smart choice. It also iswise to watch television programs,play computer games, and listen tomusic or lyrics that encourage posi-tive responses from you.

4. Protect yourself from negativeinfluences on health. As you analyzedifferent influences, you will becomeaware of some that are more negativethan positive. Negative influencescan motivate people to choose behav-iors that are harmful, unsafe, illegal,disrespectful, in disagreement withfamily guidelines, or demonstratebad character. Whenever possible,reduce your exposure to negativeinfluences on health.

For example, suppose you turn onthe radio and begin to hear lyrics to asong that include inappropriate lan-guage and suggest using violence.These are negative influences. Whatcan you do to protect yourself frombeing influenced to curse or act inviolent ways? You could choose tochange to a station that plays musicthat doesn’t promote these negativeinfluences. Other choices include notto sing the lyrics or purchase the CDmade by this group or individual.

Media literacy

Make theConnection

Media For moreinformation onevaluating the effectsdifferent forms ofentertainment have onbehavior anddecisions, see page558 in Lesson 52.

Guidelines for Analyzing Influences on Health

• Does this influence promotehealthful behavior?

• Does this influence promotesafe behavior?

• Does this influence promotelegal behavior?

• Does this influence promotebehavior that shows respectfor myself and others?

• Does this influence promotebehavior that follows theguidelines of responsibleadults, including my parentsor my guardian?

• Does this influence promotebehavior that demonstratesgood character?

36 UNIT 1 • Health Skills

Answer these questions before you allow something or someone toinfluence you.

Aform of selling products and services is The advertising industry is big

business. Advertising agencies help companies by designing ads to influence people’s

choices. A lot of money, time, and effort goes into the production of ads. People who

create ads carefully develop them to appeal to the wants and needs of a certain audience.

How to Evaluate Advertisements

advertising.

Ads are designed to influence people.A person’s feelings as to what life willbe like if he or she used a certainproduct are influenced by ads. Forexample, ads for beverages or ciga-rettes often show people, usuallyyoung adults, having a great timewith lots of friends. These ads send astrong message that people whosmoke and drink alcohol will have agood time and will be popular.

Most teens want to be popular.People who create ads know this anddesign ads to appeal to this need. Adsusually show young, healthy, vibrant,happy, attractive people. As a result,people who see these ads get a mes-sage that the product shown will makethem attractive, youthful, and happy.

Advertisers think very carefullyabout when and where to place theirads. They want to place them wherethey will have the greatest effect. Forexample, commercials for children’stoys often are shown during Saturdaymorning cartoons. Commercials forbeer and cars often appear during tel-evised football, baseball, and basket-ball games. Advertisements forclothes for teens often are placed inteen magazines and the other placeswhere teens will see them.

Tobacco and alcohol ads are notallowed in teen magazines, but manyteens read young adult magazines

and are exposed to these productsanyway. Advertisers pay athletes towear company logos during sportsand social events.

Products that actors and actressesuse in movies and on television pro-grams are intended to influence yourchoices. At one time, fake brands ofsoft drinks or household productsappeared in movies. Now, companieswith name brands pay to have theirproducts appear in the media.Practice media literacy. Always eval-uate ads before being motivated topurchase a product or service justbecause it is being used by someonewho is famous. The Questions toEvaluate Ads listed here can helpyou make healthful choices.

Make theConnectionSmoking For moreinformation on tobaccouse (a leading cause ofdeath), see page 426in Lesson 38.

Questions to Evaluate Ads

• What is being advertised?• Where and when did the ad

appear?• Why was this particular type

of media selected?• Who appears to be the tar-

geted audience?• What advertising appeals

(page 38) are used in the ad?

• What does the advertiserwant me to believe?

• What do I know to be fact?• Will the product or service in

the ad promote health andsafety? Is it legal? Will its usepromote self-respect andrespect for others, followfamily guidelines, anddemonstrate good character?

LESSON 4 • Analyzing Influences on Health 37

Smart consumers ask these questions whenever they see an advertisement.

1. List five placesadvertisements canappear.

2. What is medialiteracy?

Ten Advertising AppealsCompanies often use advertisingappeals to influence people to choosetheir product. Learn to recognize thehidden message behind the appeal.

Brand loyalty appeal This techniquetries to convince a person that oneparticular brand is better than allthe others.

False image appeal This advertisingtechnique tries to convince peoplethat they will have a certain image byusing a particular product or service.

Bandwagon appeal This advertisingtechnique implies that everyone youknow is using this brand. Teens whowant to be “in” may “jump on thebandwagon” and buy the product.

Humor appeal This advertising tech-nique contains something that sticksin the mind. It may be a catchy slo-gan, jingle, or cartoon. A teen mayremember this “hook” and purchasethe product.

Glittering generality appeal Thistechnique contains an exaggerated

appeal that gets to your emotions.Teens may believe that a product willtake care of their needs and buy it.

Scientific evidence appeal This tech-nique uses data from surveys and lab-oratory test results to try to convinceyou this product is the best. Teensmay believe that because data isshown, it has to be the best choice.

Progress appeal “The latest versionis the best one to buy because it isnew!” People often want to be knownfor having purchased the “latest.”

Reward appeal This advertising tech-nique often offers a special prize, gift,or coupon. People can be tempted bythis technique because they think thatthey will get something for nothing.

Sex appeal This technique tries toconvince you that a certain brandwill make you attractive and alluringbeyond your wildest dreams.

Testimonial appeal This techniqueuses a spokesperson, who sometimesis famous, to name the benefits of theproduct or service.

38 UNIT 1 • Health SkillsJack Hollingsworth/CORBIS

Analyze Influences: Evaluating AdsThere are many subtle ways to influence people’s choices. Certainly not all of these things will

harm your health, but influence is a strong factor in your life. To analyze influences onhealth, follow these four steps: 1) Identify people and things that might influence you; 2)

Evaluate how the influence might affect yourbehavior and decisions; 3) Choose positive

influences on health; and 4) Protect yourself fromnegative influences on health.

1 Study the ten advertising appealsshown on this page. Find ads inmagazines that demonstrateat least five of the advertisingappeals. Write the name of the ad-vertising appeal onthe back of each ad. 2Keep track

of the type

of magazine that the a

d is in.

It could be a magazine

for

teens, men,women, hea

lth, science,

tools, cooking, news, o

r fishing.

3Share the ads in class.Classmates can read the adsand label them with the type ofadvertising appeal used. Have yourclassmates explain why they think itis that type of appeal.

When you are looking atthe ads online or in a

newspaper, magazine, orcatalog, keep in mind that

photographers work forhours to create the perfect

photos in which all themodels look attractive

and happy.

4STUD

Y

GUIDE

Key Terms ReviewComplete these fill-in-the-blank statements with the lesson Key Terms on the left. Do not write in this book.

Recalling The Facts

1. A(n) is a paid announcement abouta product or service.

2. is the arts, beliefs, and customs thatmake up a way of life for a group of peo-ple at a certain time.

3. is skill in recognizing and evaluat-ing the messages in media.

4. is a form of selling products.

5. are the various forms of masscommunication.

6. A(n) is an ad on TV or radio.

7. In media, takes the form of using high-tech equipment to communicate information.

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

advertisementadvertisingcommercialculturemediamedia literacytechnology

8. Name four influences that can affect healthbehavior.

9. What is the difference between an adver-tisement and a commercial?

10. Name four places where commercials canappear.

11. What are the six guidelines for analyzinginfluences on health?

12. What six behaviors can result from nega-tive influences?

13. What are advertisements designed to do?

14. What eight questions can you ask to evalu-ate an ad?

15. Name five advertising appeals and makeup an example to illustrate each one.

16. Why is it important to know how to ana-lyze the influences in your life?

17. Name two places ads are placed to influ-ence a specific group.

18. What is the goal of an advertising agency?

Critical Thinking19. How can teens analyze influences on their

health behavior and decisions?

20. Create two strategies to show disapprovalof people using inappropriate language infront of your peers.

21. Discuss the following statement: Beingmedia-literate means disregarding allhealth-related ads and commercials.

22. Today, ads and commercials appear ininnovative places. Describe several unexpected places you have seen ads.

Real-Life Applications23. What strategies would you use to evaluate

information in a televised news reportabout West Nile virus? Explain your choices.

24. Describe a situation in which youresponded to a positive health influence.

25. Describe a situation in which youresponded to a negative health influence.

26. What questions might you use to evaluatean ad for a fungal foot powder in which asports figure is the spokesperson?

Activities

LESSON 4 • Study Guide 39Matthew Roharik Photographic

Sharpen Your Life Skills28. Analyze Influences on Health

Compose a television commercial for animaginary product. Target the commercialto teens. Include one or more of the adver-tising appeals from this lesson. Presentyour commercial to your classmates. Havethem tell which appeal(s) were used.

Responsible Decision Making27. Write a Response After your friend

sees a TV commercial in which a well-known athlete promotes a brand of athleticshoes, he wants to buy the shoes. How canyou help your friend make a responsibledecision? Refer to the Responsible Decision-Making Model on page 61 for help.

Visit www.glencoe.com for more Health & Wellness quizzes.

http://www.glencoe.com

Health & WellnessTable of ContentsUNIT 1 Health SkillsLesson 1 Taking Responsibility for HealthLesson 2 Accessing Valid Health Information, Products, and ServicesLesson 3 Practicing Healthful BehaviorsLesson 4 Analyzing Influences on HealthLesson 5 Using Communication SkillsLesson 6 Setting Health Goals and Making Responsible DecisionsLesson 7 Being a Health Advocate

UNIT 2 Mental and Emotional HealthLesson 8 Developing Good CharacterLesson 9 Developing a Healthy MindLesson 10 Expressing Emotions and Managing StressLesson 11 Dealing with DepressionLesson 12 Dealing with Loss and Grief

UNIT 3 Family and Social HealthLesson 13 Developing Healthful Family RelationshipsLesson 14 Adjusting to Family ChangesLesson 15 Examining Dating and FriendshipsLesson 16 Practicing Abstinence From SexLesson 17 Recognizing Harmful RelationshipsLesson 18 Preparing for Marriage and Parenthood

UNIT 4 Growth and DevelopmentLesson 19 Keeping Your Body HealthyLesson 20 Learning About the Reproductive SystemsLesson 21 Learning About Pregnancy and ChildbirthLesson 22 Caring for Infants and ChildrenLesson 23 Developing Learning and Planning StylesLesson 24 Aging Healthfully

UNIT 5 NutritionLesson 25 Choosing Healthful FoodsLesson 26 Following Dietary GuidelinesLesson 27 Using Diet to Guard Against DiseaseLesson 28 Developing Healthful Eating HabitsLesson 29 Maintaining a Healthful Weight

UNIT 6 Personal Health and Physical ActivityLesson 30 Having Regular Physical ExamsLesson 31 Being Well-GroomedLesson 32 Getting Adequate Rest and SleepLesson 33 Participating in Physical ActivityLesson 34 Practicing FitnessLesson 35 Exercising Safely

UNIT 7 Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other DrugsLesson 36 Using Prescription and OTC Drugs SafelyLesson 37 Choosing an Alcohol-Free LifestyleLesson 38 Choosing a Tobacco-Free LifestyleLesson 39 Avoiding Illegal Drug UseLesson 40 Avoiding Drug DependenceLesson 41 Resisting Pressure to Abuse DrugsLesson 42 Reducing Risk by Being Drug FreeLesson 43 Assessing Treatment Options

UNIT 8 Communicable and Chronic DiseasesLesson 44 Avoiding Communicable Diseases.Lesson 45 Dealing with Respiratory Diseases, Asthma, and AllergiesLesson 46 Reducing the Risk of STDs and HIVLesson 47 Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular DiseasesLesson 48 Managing Chronic Health ConditionsLesson 49 Reducing the Risk of Cancer

UNIT 9 Consumer and Community HealthLesson 50 Acquiring Knowledge of Health LawsLesson 51 Managing Time and MoneyLesson 52 Analyzing Media MessagesLesson 53 Accessing Reliable Health CareLesson 54 Investigating Health CareersLesson 55 Learning About Public Health

UNIT 10 Environmental HealthLesson 56 Learning About Environmental IssuesLesson 57 Preventing Air and Water PollutionLesson 58 Preventing Noise and Visual PollutionLesson 59 Practicing Recycling and ConservationLesson 60 Protecting the Environment

UNIT 11 Injury Prevention and Personal SafetyLesson 61 Reducing Unintentional InjuriesLesson 62 Staying Safe During Severe Weather and Natural DisastersLesson 63 Reducing the Risk of ViolenceLesson 64 Respecting Authority and Obeying LawsLesson 65 Protecting Yourself From Physical ViolenceLesson 66 Protecting Yourself From Sexual ViolenceLesson 67 Staying Away From GangsLesson 68 Reducing Weapon InjuriesLesson 69 Performing Common First Aid ProceduresLesson 70 Performing Emergency First Aid Procedures

Health ResourcesEnglish/Spanish GlossaryIndexCredits

Feature ContentsActivity: Using Life SkillsSpeaking OutHealth NewsFacts AboutJust the Facts

Student WorkbooksReading EssentialsTo the StudentUnit 1: Health SkillsLesson 1: Taking Responsibility for HealthLesson 2: Accessing Valid Health Information, Products, and ServicesLesson 3: Practicing Healthful BehaviorsLesson 4: Analyzing Influences on HealthLesson 5: Using Communication SkillsLesson 6: Setting Health Goals and Making Responsible DecisionsLesson 7: Being a Health Advocate

Unit 2: Mental and Emotional HealthLesson 8: Developing Good CharacterLesson 9: Developing a Healthy MindLesson 10: Expressing Emotions and Managing StressLesson 11: Dealing with DepressionLesson 12: Dealing with Loss and Grief

Unit 3: Family and Social HealthLesson 13: Developing Healthful Family RelationshipsLesson 14: Adjusting to Family ChangesLesson 15: Examining Dating and FriendshipsLesson 16: Practicing Abstinence From SexLesson 17: Recognizing Harmful RelationshipsLesson 18: Preparing for Marriage and Parenthood

Unit 4: Growth and DevelopmentLesson 19: Keeping Your Body HealthyLesson 20: Learning About the Reproductive SystemsLesson 21: Learning About Pregnancy and ChildbirthLesson 22: Caring for Infants and ChildrenLesson 23: Developing Learning and Planning StylesLesson 24: Aging Healthfully

Unit 5: NutritionLesson 25: Choosing Healthful FoodsLesson 26: Following Dietary GuidelinesLesson 27: Using Diet to Guard Against DiseaseLesson 28: Developing Healthful Eating HabitsLesson 29: Maintaining a Healthful Weight

Unit 6: Personal Health and Physical ActivityLesson 30: Having Regular Physical ExamsLesson 31: Being Well-GroomedLesson 32: Getting Adequate Rest and SleepLesson 33: Participating in Physical ActivityLesson 34: Practicing FitnessLesson 35: Exercising Safely

Unit 7: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other DrugsLesson 36: Using Prescription and OTC Drugs SafelyLesson 37: Choosing an Alcohol-Free LifestyleLesson 38: Choosing a Tobacco-Free LifestyleLesson 39: Avoiding Illegal Drug UseLesson 40: Avoiding Drug DependenceLesson 41: Resisting Pressure to Abuse DrugsLesson 42: Reducing Risk by Being Drug FreeLesson 43: Assessing Treatment Options

Unit 8: Communicable and Chronic DiseasesLesson 44: Avoiding Communicable DiseasesLesson 45: Dealing with Respiratory Diseases, Asthma, and AllergiesLesson 46: Reducing the Risk of STDs and HIVLesson 47: Reducing the Risk of Cardiovascular DiseasesLesson 48: Managing Chronic Health ConditionsLesson 49: Reducing the Risk of Cancer

Unit 9: Consumer and Community HealthLesson 50: Acquiring Knowledge of Health LawsLesson 51: Managing Time and MoneyLesson 52: Analyzing Media MessagesLesson 53: Accessing Reliable Health CareLesson 54: Investigating Health CareersLesson 55: Learning About Public Health

Unit 10: Environmental HealthLesson 56: Learning About Environmental IssuesLesson 57: Preventing Air and Water PollutionLesson 58: Preventing Noise and Visual PollutionLesson 59: Practicing Recycling and ConservationLesson 60: Protecting the Environment

Unit 11: Injury Prevention and Personal SafetyLesson 61: Reducing Unintentional InjuriesLesson 62: Staying Safe During Severe Weather and Natural DisastersLesson 63: Reducing the Risk of ViolenceLesson 64: Respecting Authority and Obeying LawsLesson 65: Protecting Yourself From Physical ViolenceLesson 66: Protecting Yourself From Sexual ViolenceLesson 67: Staying Away From GangsLesson 68: Reducing Weapon InjuriesLesson 69: Performing Common First Aid ProceduresLesson 70: Performing Emergency First Aid Procedures

HelpInternet LinkPrevious DocumentSearch - DocumentSearch - Full Page NavigatorExit