Intro to Mass Media and Communication - Chapter 2

Stereotype

An image or character that generalizes and oversimplifies a particular group of people 

Theory

An idea or system of ideas intended to explain something 

Direct Effects Theory

A theory that assumes audiences passively accept media messages and react to those messages 

Agenda-Setting Theory

A theory stating that the mass media determine the issues the public considers important 

Uses and Gratifications Theory

A theory stating that individuals use media to satisfy specific needs or desires 

Symbiotic Interactionism

A theory stating that the self is derived from and develops through human interaction 

Spiral of Silence

A theory stating that individuals who hold a minority opinion silence themselves to prevent social isolation 

Media Logic

A theory stating that common media formats and styles serve as a way of perceiving the world 

Cultivation Analysis

A theory stating that heavy exposure to media cultivates an illusory perception of reality 

Content Analysis

A research method in which the content of media is analyzed 

Social Role Analysis

A research method that analyzes the roles that individuals take in the media 

Depth Interview

A research method in which researchers conduct lengthy interviews with test subjects 

Focus Groups

A group interview in which participants respond to questions posed about a certain subject 

Rhetorical Analysis

A research method that examines the styles used in media 

Participant Observation

A research method in which researchers try to become a part of the groups they are studying 

Media Effects

is perhaps the largest field in the study of communication

“No TikTok on Government Devices Act”

Due to concerns that the Chinese-made app might be a national security danger, congress passes

Direct Messages

Televised public service announcements and Political advertisements on places like Facebook and YouTube are examples of

“Hidden messages”

Less obvious, more abstract, less direct messages of the media 

Propaganda

the “manipulation of information to influence public opinion”; not inherently good or bad

Media Bias

Has been an issue in American culture since the founding of the nation 

Low

In general, is the trust for the media high or low?

Walter Lippman

Wrote the book Public Opinion to help understand stereotypes; called stereotypes a necessary defense against the complexity of modern life; thought stereotypes were an essential aspect of human thought

Cultural Stereotypes

Can marginalize certain groups

People Stereotyped by Mass Media

List is long and limitless

Views People as Passive

Common criticism of Direct Effects Theory

Two-Step Flow Theory

One person sees news or other information and shares it to private groups, allowing others to see the information

What to Think About

Does media tell us what to think, or what to think about?

Unable to prove cause and effect

Criticisms for Agenda-Setting Theory

People do not always use media to fulfill a function (unconscious or social rituals might be at play)

Criticisms for Uses and Gratifications Theory

Spiral of Silence Theory

This theory can explain the role of mass media in the formation and maintenance of dominant opinions

Symbolic Interaction Theory

States that people learn to interpret and give meaning to the world through their interactions with others (interactions take place through symbols, especially words and images)

Marshall McLuhan

Emphasized another way to study media - by focusing on the medium itself

Media Theories

Provide the framework for the study of media

Archival Research

Focuses on reviewing and analyzing older media and documents (old newspapers, company histories, past publications)

Survey

Questionnaires that record data on anything from political preferences to personal hygiene to classroom evaluations

Descriptive Survey

Aims to find the current state of things (public opinion, consumer preferences); establish television ratings

Analytical Survey

Attempts to find out why a particular situation exists; researchers pose questions and hypotheses and then answer their questions through this

Experiments

Expose a test group to an experience involving media and measure the effects of that experience; Then apply these measurements to a control group that had key elements of experience removed

Media Research Methods

The procedures for carrying out a research project