The Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing or LC4MP is an explanatory theory that assumes humans have a limited capacity for cognitive processing of information, as it associates with mediated message variables; moreover, they (viewers) are actively engaged in processing mediated information[1] Like many mass communication theories, LC4MP is an amalgam that finds its origins in psychology.
Specifically, this theory has its origins in the Limited Capacity Model for understanding cognitive information processing.
In the most lay terms, these are basic fight or flight responses that happen in mere nanoseconds.
Within this model, media messages may receive insufficient or limited processing for two basic reasons (i.e., cognitive overload).
In addition, viewers are storing new information in memory and activating existing knowledge to aid in comprehending the program.
[5] If the person is exposed to a stimulus, and they choose to pay attention, the brain will treat that mediated message like it was reality.
In either event, the next step in the message engagement process is to move the information into storage.
Storage is conceptually modeled as a cognitive sub-processing of information into and through the general associative network.
[9] Associative networks are conceptual “nodes” that map brain uses as sensor stores—for short-term and long term memory.
Measuring free recall is based on an individual's levels of sensitivity to stimuli, without being cued to the information.
This is accomplished because the mechanism of allocating resources to memory message processing is effective in low, medium, and high edit conditions.
This is important, secondarily, because the entire illusion of a commercially driven media system is premised on the concept that advertising sells products.
Methodologically, the LC4MP uses three primary sets of measures to study how people allocate resources and process information.
Secondary task reaction time (STRT) is a measure of the amount of resources allocated to attention.
For example, a cut to an unrelated scene tends to tax resources because of the new information that needs to be processed, and STRT is slower.
[17] A second set of methodological tools involves physiological measures such as heart rate, galvanic skin responses (sweating) or muscle activity.
[18] When people show an aroused response, their heart rate decelerates for a few seconds before returning toward their baseline.
Conversely, with a complex message, the addition of features that increase ORs tends to lead to decrements in memory, which suggests that ORs automatically drew resources away from encoding processes and resulted in worse memory.