Citation

Kennard M, McLellan T, McKinlay A. Aust. Psychol. 2018; 53(1): 97-102.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Australian Psychological Society, Publisher Wiley-Blackwell)

DOI

10.1111/ap.12272

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Concussion is poorly understood by the general public who are regularly exposed to this type of injury via televised sports such as the National Rugby League (NRL). This study investigated media representations of concussion by examining the terminology used by the commentators during the 2010 and 2011 NRL seasons.

METHOD Data was obtained through a surveillance design where commentary statements were recorded for each observable concussion.

RESULTS Dramatic terminology was the most frequently used followed by entertaining and humorous terminology. Commentators often portrayed the way the incident had occurred and the player's reaction to being concussed. However, information about a player sustaining an injury that required medical attention was rarely conveyed.

CONCLUSION Media tend to trivialise concussion and this may have an impact on the public's knowledge of, and influence their response to, concussion.

Language: en

Keywords

brain injury; concussion guidelines; media representation; rule compliance; sports concussion; terminology