Media effects models P2

Question 1

What is moral panic? (Stanley Cohen’s moral panics theory)

Answer 1

Situation where public fears + state interventions greatly exceed threat to society by an individual/group who claimed to be responsible for making threat in first place

Where public fear a threat even when its not that threatening

Question 2

What are the 3 distinguishing characteristics that moral panics have?

Answer 2

• Focused attention on behaviour (real or imagined) of groups/individuals referred to as ‘folk devils’ by mass media
• Gap between concern over situation + threat that it poses. Usually threat is less than what’s portrayed by media
• Fluctuation over time in level of concern of condition/situation

Question 3

What is an example of moral panic?

Answer 3

Covid 19 - Public fear exceeded threat posed to society since info from experts not spread quick enough since virus happened suddenly

Question 4

What are folk devils?

Answer 4

Individuals who are defined or socially alleged to be responsible for bringing a threat to society

Question 5

What is the uses and gratification theory?

Answer 5

Approach to understanding why + how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy basic needs

Audience-centred approach to understanding mass communication

Question 6

What does the uses and gratification theory assume about the audience?

Answer 6

Assumes audience members aren’t passive

Audience has power over their media consumption + assumes an aftive role in interpreting + integrating media into their lives + choosing media to meet their desires

Implies medis compete against other info sources for viewers’ gratification

Question 7

What are conceptual maps? (Stuart Hall reception theory)

Answer 7

Everyone has a map, based on experiences in life, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, political beliefs, etc

The conceptual maps you have will be a key factor in how you think or engage with media texts

Question 8

What is audience position? (reception theory)

Answer 8

Each media text is constructed to place audience in a particular position in relation to the text

Question 9

What is myth making?

Answer 9

Influence of agenda setting + framing can create myths in media about how the world should be, things we value, + how we must act to become ‘correct’

Question 10

What is the reception theory about?

Answer 10

Meaning of the message can change in the way the audience see it fit according to their social context

Perception of the text can be put into 3 categories: Dominant reader, negotiated reader, oppositional reader

Question 11

What is encoding? (reception theory)

Answer 11

Encoded messages usually contains shared rules + symbols common with other people

So encoder (sender) has to think how receiver will perceive the message

Question 12

What is decoding? (reception theory)

Answer 12

Decoding is successful only if message sent by encoder is understood completely

Question 13

Define dominant reader:

Answer 13

Audience who takes in texts from director with no extra notes attached

Question 14

Define negotiated reader:

Answer 14

Audience who know the acts in the film are bad but accept it because theres a reason behind it

Question 15

Define oppositional reader:

Answer 15

Audience has no acceptance for author’s takes on concept of film or subject it handled

Question 16

What does agenda setting deal with? (reception theory)

Answer 16

Deals with things that are high on the media agenda + things which tend to acquire more significance with the public (structure)

Question 17

What is framing? (reception theory)

Answer 17

Its about how the issues are presented to the public, to organise their social experience (representation)

The media has power to focus public discussion on particular issues + create awareness and cincern if issues by news media