Mass Communication and Media Effects Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key research methods, scholars, and media theories from the lecture notes.

Longitudinal Research Cohort Study

A study design observing different samples at multiple time points, such as the Sesame Street study on the readiness of kindergarteners.

Experiments (Criteria for Causality)

Research outcomes designed to assess causal relationships based on three criteria: correlation, time order, and no third variable cause.

Laboratory Experiments

Studies in controlled settings where cause is easier to identify, featuring researcher control, low cost, and easy replication, but susceptible to artifact settings and experimental bias.

Field Experiment

Studies of participants in real-life settings where behaviors are more natural, which do not allow for much physical control and may raise ethical issues.

Meta-Analysis

A means of systematically integrating the findings from many empirical studies to provide a 'big picture' and identify patterns across studies.

Triangulation

The use of multiple methodologies to produce combined results that are more compelling than any single methodology.

Anomie

Defined in the lecture notes as 'Normal-ness'.

Magic Bullet Theory

A direct media effects theory holding that human nature and isolation result in direct, immediate, powerful, and uniform effects where symbolic bullets strike every eye and ear.

Payne Fund Studies

The first major research series commissioned to examine the content, audience, and effects of film on children and adolescents.

Invasion from Mars Study (Cantril, 1940)

An Office of Radio Research study on a radio broadcast heard by about $12\text{ million}$ people, of whom about $2\text{ million}$ panicked or thought it was real.

Carl Hovland

Researcher who conducted experimental research on media effects regarding attitude change and performed the first experiments in mass communication.

Harold Lasswell

Scholar who introduced the five question model and identified three societal functions of mass communication: surveillance of the environment, correlation of society's response, and transmission of cultural heritage.

Kurt Lewin

Scholar who studied the dynamics of group communication and conducted the 'Sweetbreads' study.

Paul Lazarsfeld

Researcher who focused on opinion leaders and the two-step flow model of media effects.

Samuel Stouffer

Pioneer in the use of empirical research and statistical methods for media research.

Douglas Waples

Scholar who expanded Lasswell's communication definition by adding the dimension 'under what conditions'.

Mediating Variable

An intervening variable that helps explain observed phenomena.

Moderating Variable

A variable that regulates a phenomenon by controlling when or the extent to which it occurs.

Materialism

A typology of culture-society relations where society drives media ($\text{society} \rightarrow \text{media}$).

Idealism

A typology of culture-society relations where media drives society ($\text{media} \rightarrow \text{society}$).

Mass Society Theory

A theory corresponding to the dominance model of media power, in which media controlled by a dominant elite produce standardized content to promote their own interests.

Marxist Theory (Media)

Perspective holding that the ruling class monopolizes media to preserve the status quo, operate in owners' interests, and create a false consciousness among the proletariat.

Functionalism

Perspective viewing society as interdependent institutions (including media) that contribute to societal needs by promoting order, control, and stability.

Critical Political-Economic Theory

Theory stating that media economics and technology concentrate ownership, causing commodification of content/audiences and decreasing information diversity.

Communication Technology Determinism

The view that social change is a direct result of communication technological innovation, with each new technology being inherently biased.

Information Society Theory

Theory characterized by an economy based on the production of information as a commodity and a greater volume of information flow.

Normative Theory

Theory concerning value judgments regarding how media ought to operate.

Theory of Social Responsibility

Theory concluding that media ownership is a public trust, requiring press to be truthful, accurate, objective, free, and self-regulated.

Traditional Content Analysis

A research technique for the objective, systematic, and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication.

Signifier

The physical part of a sign, such as a word, sound, or image.

Signified

The mental representation or meaning of a sign.

Denotative Meaning

The surface level or literal meaning of a sign.

Connotative Meaning

Meaning derived from the associations and images invoked by signs.

Information Theory

Theory viewing communication as the intentional transfer of information, judging content by efficiency in reducing uncertainty.

Model

A graphic means of explicating an abstract process such as communication.

Survey Research Pros and Cons

A research method whose main pro is generalizability and whose main con is poor quality of self-report data.

Survey Research Descriptive Utility

A feature of survey research noting that it is expedient for providing descriptions.