Relationship with the Audience Flashcards
(56 cards)
1
Q
What are 5 methodological problems with studying the effects of media?
A
- Causality
- Disentanglement
- New Media
- Impossibility
- Ethics
2
Q
Methodological problems: Causality
A
Establishing a direct causal link between media exposure and its effects on behaviour or attitudes is problematic because individuals are influenced by a wide range of variables, including personal background, social context, and psychological factors. This makes it difficult to isolate media as the sole cause of any observed change.
3
Q
Methodological problems: Disentanglement
A
It’s challenging to disentangle media influence from other social or cultural factors. For example, media exposure occurs alongside influences from family, peers, and education, making it hard to determine the specific contribution of media to changes in behaviour or attitudes.
4
Q
Methodological problems: New Media
A
The fast-paced evolution of digital platforms such as social media, streaming services, and online gaming introduces complexity in media research. With constantly changing content, user interaction, and consumption habits, studying long-term effects or even keeping up with trends becomes harder, as new media forms continuously emerge.
5
Q
Methodological problems: Impossibility
A
- Completely isolating individuals from media exposure to study its pure effects is nearly impossible.
- People are constantly interacting with various media sources in daily life, making it unrealistic to design experiments that can control all variables or completely eliminate external influences.
6
Q
Methodological problems: Ethics
A
- Researching media effects on vulnerable groups (e.g., children) raises ethical concerns.
- Exposing participants to harmful content may cause psychological distress.
- Researchers must prioritize participant protection, limiting the types of studies possible
7
Q
Outline the hypodermic syringe model?
A
- Views the audience as passive and homogenous.
- Media messages are directly and immediately “injected” into viewers.
- Assumes the audience accepts media content uniformly without questioning or interpretation.
- Suggests a linear, one-way influence from media to audience.
8
Q
What 2 groups support the idea of the hypodermic syringe model?
A
- Marxists
- Feminists
9
Q
What 5 feminists support the hypodermic syringe model?
A
- Orbach & Wood
- Dines
- Morgan
- Denmark
10
Q
Why do feminists Orbach and Wood support the hypodermic syringe model theory in relation to body image?
A
- Media directly shapes women’s views on body image and femininity.
- Promotes narrow, unrealistic beauty standards e.g being thin
- Repeated exposure causes women to internalize these images.
- Leads to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and pressure to conform.
- Suggests media messages have a powerful, uniform impact with little individual resistance.
11
Q
Why do feminist Dines support the hypodermic syringe model theory in relation to attitudes?
A
- Consumption of pornography directly influences attitudes toward women.
- Repeated exposure to degrading and objectifying images promotes harmful stereotypes.
- This leads to normalized misogyny and sexual violence.
- Contributes to the dehumanization of women in society.
12
Q
Why does feminist Morgan support the hypodermic syringe model theory in relation to sexual violence?
A
- Television pornography normalizes aggression and objectifies women.
- This promotes sexual violence and negatively influences viewers’ behavior.
13
Q
Why does feminist Denmark support the hypodermic syringe model theory in relation to pornography?
A
- Pornography can improve sex lives and enhance sexual knowledge.
- It fosters more positive attitudes toward the opposite sex.
- Highlights the educational potential of pornography.
14
Q
Why does marxist Marcuse support the hypodermic syringe model theory?
A
- The media transmits a mass culture to control the proletariat.
- It fosters false class consciousness and creates false needs.
- Constant consumerist messages distract the working class from their exploitation.
- This prevents revolutionary awareness.
- Ensures the dominance and continuation of the capitalist system.
15
Q
Evaluate the hypodermic syringe model in 5 points
A
- Oversimplifies media effects by assuming passive, uniform audience acceptance.
- Lacks empirical evidence for direct media influence.
- Ignores audience diversity (age, gender, culture, education).
- Seen as deterministic, denying individual agency.
- Overestimates media power, overlooking other social and psychological influences on interpretation.
16
Q
Name 4 arguments for the idea that media causes violence
A
- Imitation
- Desensitisation
- Psychological disturbance
- Edgework theory
17
Q
Media causes violence: Imitation
A
- Media violence can lead to real-world violence through imitation.
- Younger audiences are especially influenced.
- Seeing aggression rewarded or normalized encourages copying such behaviours.
- Viewers may believe violent actions are socially acceptable or effective.
18
Q
Media causes violence: Desensitisation - Himmelweit [1958] / Newson [1994]
A
- Repeated exposure to media violence desensitizes viewers.
- Emotional responses to real-world violence decrease over time.
- Violence becomes normalized and less shocking.
- This can increase tolerance for, or likelihood of, violent behaviour.
19
Q
Media causes violence: Psychological Disturbance
A
- Media violence can worsen psychological issues, especially in those with existing mental health problems.
- Violent content may be seen as justification or inspiration for real aggression.
- This blurs the boundary between media fantasy and acceptable real-life behaviour.
20
Q
Media causes violence: Edgework Theory - Katz
A
- Media violence attracts thrill-seekers.
- Such individuals may imitate extreme behaviors from violent media to seek adrenaline or excitement.
- This can lead to real-life violent actions as they push social boundaries.
21
Q
Name 4 arguments for the idea that media doesn’t cause violence
A
- Cathartis
- Sensitisation
- Fear of violence
- Minority
22
Q
Media doesn’t cause violence: Catharsis
A
- Media violence offers a safe outlet for aggression.
- Viewers can vicariously experience and release emotions through violent content.
- This emotional release may reduce the likelihood of real-life violent behavior.
23
Q
Media doesn’t cause violence:Sensitisation
A
- Media violence can increase sensitivity to violence rather than desensitize viewers.
- Viewers may become more aware of violence’s real consequences.
- Heightened emotional responses can discourage violent behavior by fostering aversion to aggression.
24
Q
Media doesn’t cause violence: Fear of Violence
A
- Media violence can create a fear of violence in viewers.
- Witnessing negative outcomes of violence in media makes individuals more cautious or risk-averse.
- Fear of real-life harm or punishment may lead to avoidance of aggressive behavior.
25
Media doesn't cause violence: Minority
- Most people exposed to media violence don’t engage in violence .
- Personal traits, social environment, and individual experiences influence how media affects someone.
- Media violence alone is usually not enough to cause real-world violence in most viewers.
26
Who is the sociologist behind the two step flow model
Katz and Lazerfeld [1965]
27
Outline the two step flow model
- Media messages first reach opinion leaders—individuals more engaged with and informed by media.
- Opinion leaders interpret and filter the messages.
- They then pass their interpretations to others in their social groups.
- Therefore, media influence is indirect, working through these opinion leaders rather than affecting audiences directly.
- Moral entrepreneurs may also play a role in shaping public understanding of media content.
28
Outline 2 criticisms of the two step flow model
- Opinion leaders can be influenced by the media that they consume, such as media violence.
- The people most influenced by the media may be socially isolated who do not have access to an opinion leader.
29
Who is the sociologist behind the selective filler model?
Klapper 1960
30
Outline the selective filter model
Media influence is limited and mediated by various personal and social factors and must pass through three filters in order to have any affect on the Audience. The filters are selective exposure, selective perception and selective retention.
31
Selective filter model: Selective Exposure
Individuals selectively expose themselves to media content that aligns with their existing beliefs and attitudes, avoiding information that contradicts their views.
32
Selective filter model: Selective Perception
People perceive and interpret media messages in a way that fits their preexisting beliefs, filtering out discordant information.
33
Selective filter model: Selective Retention
Individuals are more likely to remember information that is consistent with their existing attitudes and forget or distort information that is not.
34
Evaluation of the selective filter model: Assumption of Rational Behaviour
The model assumes that individuals always engage in rational and conscious selective processes, ignoring the potential for subconscious influences and emotional responses to media content.
35
Evaluation of the selective filter model: Changing Media Landscape
The model does not fully account for the evolving media environment, including the impact of new media technologies and the ways in which digital and social media can bypass traditional selective filters.
36
Name the 4 sociologists behind the User & Gratification Model
Blumer and McQuail 1968
Lull 1995
Watson 2008
37
Outline the User & Gratification Model
People use the media to satisfy certain biological, psychological and social needs, but this is relative and can be influenced by age, gender, class or ethnicity.
38
User & Gratification Model: Diversion
We use the media to escape the mundanities, problems and lack of satisfaction in real life.
39
User & Gratification Model: Personal relationships
Compensating for the decline in community by making connections with characters in a TV show or book.
40
User & Gratification Model: Personal Identity
Help to shape or modify personal identity by exposing people to new ideas. Also allows people to have more control over how they present themselves to the world.
41
User & Gratification Model: Surveillance
People use information to gather news and information about he social world to help them make sense of it and shape their opinions.
42
Evaluation of the User & Gratification Model: Overemphasis on Choice
If focuses too much on individual choices, ignoring the influence of media power and societal factors.
43
Evaluation of the User & Gratification Model: Self-Report Bias
Research often relies on self-reported data, which can be biased and inaccurate.
44
Evaluation of the User & Gratification Model: Ignores Unconscious Influences
It assumes people make rational choices about media use, neglecting unconscious habits and influences.
45
Name the sociologists behind the Reception analysis Model
Hall and Morley
46
Outline the reception analysis model
Audiences actively interpret media content based on their own cultural background, social context, and personal experiences.
47
According to the reception analysis model what are the 3 types of reading
- Preferred (Dominant) Reading
- Oppositional reading
- Negotiated reading
48
Reception analysis model: Preferred (Dominant) Reading
Reflects the consensus within society, which is widely accepted as legitimate and truthful.
49
Reception analysis model: Oppositional reading
A minority who oppose the messages in mainstream media
50
Reception analysis model: Negotiated reading
The audience reinterprets the content to fit their own opinions and values
51
Evaluation of the reception analysis model (3 points)
- Overestimates the active role of audiences
- Underestimates role of the media
- Focuses more on how audience interpret the media instead of the actual affects of media on behaviour
52
Which sociologist group is behind the cultural effects model?
GUMG
53
Outline the cultural effects model
- Media reflects the values of its owners and professionals.
- Audiences are expected to accept these preferred views.
- Alternative perspectives are excluded via agenda setting and gatekeeping.
- The “Drip Drip effect” gradually exposes audiences to dominant ideology.
- Over time, this shapes public opinion, encouraging criticism of groups like immigrants or benefit claimants.
- While audiences interpret media, their understanding is constrained by long-term ideological conditioning.
54
Evaluation of the cultural effects model: Overemphasis on Media Power
Critics argue that the model overstates the power of media in shaping beliefs and attitudes, ignoring the agency and critical thinking skills of audiences.
55
Evaluation of the cultural effects model: Simplistic View of Audience
It tends to generalize the audience as passive and homogenous, not accounting for the diverse and active ways people engage with media.
56
Give 2 examples of the hypodermic syringe model
- Bandura's Bobo doll experiment
- Murder of Jamie Bulger
