Social and Political Issues Chapter 13

1. Social and Political IssuesChapter 13 Jodi Hallsten I’m Your Teacher 

2. 2 Types of Media Research • Media Effects Research • Analyzes people’s use of media • Content Analysis • Examines media content

3. Early Media Effects Studies • “Magic Bullet Theory” • “Hypodermic needle” theory • Media ideas directly affect people’s behavior • Proven untrue • “Direct Effects” Media Model • The Cantril Study • 1939, Studied “War of the Worlds” • Contradicted Payne findings • The Laswell Model • Who-says what-on which channel-to whom-with what effect? Bartolomiej Stroinski/stock.xchnge

4. Media Effects Studies • The Cantril Study • 1939, Studied “War of the Worlds” • Contradicted Payne findings • “People w/certain personality characteristics interpreted the broadcast differently” • “Limited Effects” Model: Media + Something Else • The Laswell Model • Who-says what-on which channel-to whom-with what effect? Matias Puga/stock.xchnge

5. Television and Children’s Behavior • TV in the Lives of Children • Children’s watch a lot of TV • Found different effects for different people • Fantasy / Diversion / Instruction • TV and Social Behavior • Violence and TV: Gerbner • Could not prove connection between violence on TV and violent behavior in children • The Early Window • 1988: No one, single cause of any social behavior Bill Aron/Photo Edit

6. Children and TV Advertising • Television Advertising to Children • Average child sees 20,000 ads a year • Average child sees 3 hours a week of TV ads • Many children do not distinguish between ads and programming • Called for ban on ads for young children Bill Arun/Photo Edit

7. Television & Violence • Television and Behavior • Direct correlation between TV violence and aggression • Cannot be predicted • Heavy TV viewers are more fearful • “Pro social” programming can lead to responsible behavior Erik Dungan/stock.xchnge

8. The Media & National Politics • Franklin D. Roosevelt • Fireside Chats, 1933 • The People’s Choice • Media activate people to vote and reinforce already held opinions • “Opinion leaders” help shape other’s opinions • Obtain information from media and share it with friends and family • “2-step flow” model of communication • Media  Opinion Leaders  Everyone • Political advertising sways swing voters Library of Congress Franklin D. Roosevelt

9. Mass Media and Cultural Values • “Spiral of Silence” • Elisabeth Noelle Newman • Media forms a consensus • Opposing viewpoints become fewer • “Vocal Minority – Silent Majority” • No Sense of Place • 1985, Joshua Meyerwitz • Television breaks down distinctions • Between men and women • Between child and adult • Loss of childhood Tim Spence/stock.xchnge

10. Mass Media and Cultural Values • Television and school performance • Students who watched more TV scored lower Carlos Alvarez/Getty images Halle Berry

11. Multiculturalism & the Mass Media • Media slow to reflect evolving multiculturalism • NY Times content analysis, 1934-1994 • Nonwhites visible “in glimpses” • Minorities “outside” American Society • Content analysis of network TV, 1994-1995 • Only 2% of prime time characters Latino Vince Bucci/Getty Images Brad Pitt

12. Diverse lifestyles and American media 1993 For Better or For Worse comic strip introduced gay character 1996 New Yorker Men kissing on the cover L.A. Law 1991; Ellen 1997 Lesbian kisses on TV Queer Eye for the Straight Guy 2003 Possible indications of wider tolerance Gender Issues & the Mass Media Hector Mata/AFP/Getty Images

13. Review Questions • The “Magic Bullet Theory” of media effects has received much support from recent research (True or false?) • Research on the effects of television on children tends to view the effect as negative, but is not conclusive (True or false?) • American media continue to struggle with issues of multiculturalism (True or false?) (See “Notes Page” under the View Menu for the answers)