Argument for the need for a cognitive theory of media literacy

The thesis of this article is that the individual should be regarded as the locus of media literacy-not schools, parents, or the media industries. Furthermore, the article argues that it is not sufficient to educate individuals about the nature of the media and the potential harm of various messages. There is an issue more fundamental than education and that is the building of greater understanding about how the human mind works. Therefore, we need a cognitive theory that will focus on the special characteristics of media exposure and will explain how people filter messages and construct meaning from those messages.