The value of the third-person effect in theory building

The third-person effect sheds light on the self–other discrepancy in perceived media effects on subsequent behavioral consequences. Despite the practical impetus and growing theoretical interest in the third-person effect, very little attention has been given to evaluating its value and efficacy for a more rigorous theory construction. The current research embraces a holistic approach to assess the worth of the third-person effect in theory building based on the six criteria for the evaluation of theory: explanatory power, predictive power, heuristic value, parsimony, testability, and internal consistency. Building on the discussion of its theoretical merits and limitations, new agendas for the third-person effect research are proposed.