Television as a media consists of a constant visual signal of 50 half-frames per second. Our hypotheses regarding this essential nature of the medium itself are:
“1) The constant visual stimulus fixates the viewer and causes the habituation of response. The prefrontal and association areas of the cortex are effectively dominated by the signal, the screen.
“2) The left cortical hemisphere–the center of visual and analytical calculating processes–is effectively reduced in its functioning to tracking changing images on the screen.
“3) Therefore, provided, the viewer keeps looking, he is unlikely to reflect on what he is doing and what he is viewing. That is, he will be aware, but unaware of his awareness….
“In other words, television can be seen partly as the technological analogue of the hypnotist.”