# How Crowd Reactions Shape Political Messages Applause and laughter can alter perceptions of controversial political messages. - **Source:** [Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories](https://brifing.si/source/8b0f98da-d179-4c93-871f-7ac460bf9c61) - **Published:** 2026-07-22 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/3f48b711-43d8-4ed3-b222-0bbd1f058c97 ## The Power of Crowd Reactions New research shows that positive crowd reactions like applause and laughter can make controversial political messages more acceptable to viewers. This highlights the importance of how broadcasters and content creators use these reactions. ## Research Findings Psychologist Dr. Carl Senior from Aston University found that crowd reactions can shape public perceptions of populist figures and divisive issues like immigration. This underscores the media's influence on societal perceptions. ## The Role of Media The research suggests that broadcasters can influence how viewers perceive political messages by using applause, laughter, and booing. This highlights the media's power in steering public debates. ## Populist Figures and Perception Crowd reactions can affect how populist leaders' messages are perceived. Positive reactions make these messages seem more acceptable, while negative reactions can have the opposite effect. ## Divisive Issues and Reactions On divisive issues like immigration, crowd reactions can shape viewers' perspectives. This emphasizes the media's role in guiding societal debates. ## Public Perception and Media This research underscores the media's power in shaping public perception. Crowd reactions can determine how controversial political messages are perceived, increasing the media's responsibility. ## Sources covering this story - https://phys.org/news/2026-07-crowd-reactions-people-controversial-political.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._