How Do Headlines Influence Our Thinking?
Headlines are important." "Misleading Headlines Can Deceive You." "How Reading Influences What You See." "How Bad Headlines Leave a Bad Impression." Reasons Why Headlines Matter." "You'll Never Believe How Critical It Is to Have an Accurate Headline." All of these titles were considered by my editor as possible titles for this post. And in fact, the one we choose could be the most crucial aspect of this piece. Everyone understands that a headline influences the number of people who read a story, especially in these days of social media. But, maybe, more importantly, a title affects how people read and remember a story. The experience is framed by the headline. A headline can indicate the type of piece you're about to read—news, opinion, research, or LOLcats—and it can also set the tone for the rest of the article. Psychologists have long recognized that first impressions matter—what we see, hear, feel, or experience in...