Youth Comm Final

What is autoethnography?

A method where the writer uses self-reflection to connect personal experience to broader cultural meanings.

What are the purposes of autoethnography?

To understand self and society, explore cultural experiences, and bridge personal and academic insights.

How does autoethnography link to media studies?

It helps explore how personal media habits reflect broader cultural patterns.

What are common elements of autoethnography?

Personal narrative, reflection, theory connection, and cultural critique.

What is Beck’s definition of “childlore”?

The peer culture that children create and share—includes stories, jokes, games, etc.

What does “childhood innocence” mean in historical context?

A romanticized view that separated children from adult culture, positioning them as pure.

What is pop culture capital?

Knowledge of popular culture that can enhance social status among peers.

Why are toys important in kids' lives?

They serve as a “lingua franca,” or shared language among children.

What are the differences between “the cute” and “the cool” (Cross)?

Cute = innocence, childlikeness; Cool = autonomy, rebellion, independence.

What does Lim say about media and peer culture?

Media creates a shared culture among peers, shaping identity and interaction.

Why do marketers target kids?

They are three markets: primary (own spending), influence (parents), and future (brand loyalty).

What is a “tween”?

A marketing category for 8–12-year-olds—between childhood and teen years.

What are 6 trends in toy marketing?

Gender targeting, nostalgia, digital tie-ins, unboxing culture, influencer marketing, franchise expansion.

Example of toy advertising strategies?

Ryan’s World (YouTube), Paw Patrol (franchise & merch), Lego Ninjago (narrative + toys).

What’s the difference between explicit and implicit gender labeling?

Explicit: “For girls/boys”; Implicit: color coding, music, themes.

What is gender essentialism?

Belief that boys/girls naturally prefer different toys—no research support.

What is gender constructivism?

Belief that culture and media shape gendered toy preferences—supported by research.

Results of Thompson’s experiment on NIK?

 68% of toy ads showed only boys or girls. Implicit cues reinforced gender norms.

What’s the difference between “child” and “kid”?

Child = innocence/wonder; Kid = play/rebellion.

What are chrononormative narratives?

Societal expectations for adulthood (job, family, home) post-WWII.

Why aren’t adults engaging with childhood like before?

Economic shifts, housing crisis, college debt—less stability and more stress.

What is “growing sideways”?

Adults buying things they missed out on as kids—alternative growth path.

What is the hypercontemporary media trend?

Adult media lacks play and wonder—adults turn to kids' media for those qualities.

What is “childness”?

The qualities of curiosity and imagination associated with childhood.

What is the blurring of childhood and adulthood?

Kids acting older due to media exposure; adults engaging in childlike media/toys.

What are core online teen activities?

Socializing, self-expression, privacy management, sharing content.

What is a networked public?

Online space formed through networked tech where youth socialize and form identity.

What are four affordances of networked publics?

Persistence, visibility, spreadability, searchability.

What is technological determinism?

The idea that technology controls societal outcomes—often oversimplified.

What is moral panic?

Adult fears about youth behavior, especially with new technology.

Shifting fears in 2010s vs 2020s?

2010s: predators, sexting, cyberbullying. 2020s: mental health, especially for girls.

Haidt’s causes of youth mental health issues?

Smartphones, social media, lack of play. He blames cultural shifts and parenting norms.

What are critiques of Haidt’s argument?

Overgeneralization, selective data use, ignores positive tech uses.

Difference between fans, fandoms, and fanatics?

Fans = individual affection; Fandoms = shared identity; Fanatics = intense loyalty, often pathologized.

What is a parasocial relationship?

One-sided connection where a fan feels close to a media personality.

Jenkins’ 4 elements of fandom?

Ideological negotiation, networked communities, active participation, creative transformation.

What are dominant, negotiated, and oppositional readings?

Dominant: Accept message as intended.

Negotiated: Accept parts, reject others.

Oppositional: Reject entirely.

How do fandoms negotiate culture?

By embracing and reshaping mainstream content to fit their identities.

What is participatory culture?

Fans producing, sharing, and mentoring within communities (e.g., fanfic, memes).

What is “girlish social space”?

Space created by Swift that celebrates nostalgia and girlhood.

What is remediation?

Fans using media to recreate or reinterpret experiences (e.g., social posts, fan edits).

What are paratexts?

Extra media that complements main text—helps build fan experience.

What is textual poaching?

Fans selectively taking what they want from content and ignoring the rest.

What is performing emotion?

Presenting genuine emotional investment (e.g., Swift) while downplaying commercial motives.

What is sharenting?

Parents sharing children’s lives online, often without child’s consent.

What is Communication Privacy Management Theory?

Managing who has access to private info; sharing can lead to boundary turbulence.

What is boundary turbulence?

Conflict when rules about private information are violated or unclear.

What is “the right to be forgotten”?

Concept that individuals should have control over erasing personal data online.

What are Steinberg’s 5 recommendations for parents online?

1. Share mindfully

2. Consider child’s future

3. Protect images

4. Use privacy settings

5. Include children in decisions when appropriate.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (2006)

Recognizes children's right to privacy and protection online.