Sociology Final Exam

cyberfeminism

application to and promotion of feminism online; increasingly prominent in the discussion of new media and feminism

design patents

patents that are granted when someone has invented a new and original design for a manufactured product; commonly conferred in architecture and industrial design

digital divide

the uneven access to technology around race, class, and geographic lines; e.g. students in well-funded schools receive more exposure to technology than students in poorly funded schools. Those students with more exposure gain more proficiency, making them far more marketable in an increasingly technology-based job market, leaving our society divided into those with technological knowledge and those without; the issue of the digital divide had to do with communities that received infrastructure upgrades that enabled high-speed internet access, upgrades that largely went to affluent urban and suburban areas, leaving out large swaths of the country

e-readiness

the ability to sort through, interpret, and process digital knowledge; a gap that is getting increasingly more evident even as access is improved

embodied energy

the sum of energy required for a finished product including the resource extraction, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and disposal; currently there is a debate about the true cost of energy consumption for products. This cost would include what is called the embodied energy costs of a product; one contested claim is that the energy cost of a single cell phone is about 25% of the cost of a new car

evolutionary model of technological change

a breakthrough in one form of technology that leads to a number of variations, from which a prototype emerges, followed by a period of slight adjustments to the technology, interrupted by a breakthrough; e.g. floppy disks were improved and upgraded, then replaced by zip disks, which were in turn improved to the limits of the technology and were then replaced by flash drives; a generational model for categorizing technology (first-generation technology is a relatively unsophisticated jumping-off point leading to an improved second generation, and so on)

gatekeeping

the sorting process by which thousands of possible messages are shaped into a mass media-appropriate form and reduced to a manageable amount; the people in charge of the media decide what the public is exposed to, which, as C. Wright Mills notes, is the heart of media’s power. New media renders the gatekeeper role less of a factor in information distribution (e.g. self-policing in Youtube and Facebook; encouragement to report inappropriate behavior)

knowledge gap

the gap in information that builds as groups grow up without access to technology

media

all print, digital, and electronic means of communication

media globalization

the worldwide integration of media through the cross-cultural exchange of ideas

misogyny

personal, social, and cultural manifestations of the hatred of girls and women

narcotizing dysfunction

when people are too overwhelmed with media input to really care about the issue, so their involvement becomes defined by awareness instead of by action about the issue at hand

neo-Luddites

those who see technology as a symbol of the coldness of modern life; symbolic interactionist perspective

new media

all interactive forms of information exchange; e.g. social networking sites, blogs, podcasts, wikis, and virtual worlds; tends to level the playing field in terms of who is constructing it (i.e. creating, publishing, distributing, and accessing information), as well as offering alternative forums to groups unable to gain access to traditional political platforms, such as groups associated with the protests. There is no guarantee of the accuracy of the information offered.

panoptic surveillance

a form of constant monitoring in which the observation posts are centralized and the observed is never communicated with directly; increasingly realized in the form of technology used to monitor our every move; this surveillance was imagined as a form of complete visibility

planned obsolescence

when a technology company plans for a product to be obsolete or unable to be repaired from the time it’s created; the natural extension of new and emerging technologies; it costs far more to fix something than to replace it with a newer model; e.g. the nylon stocking (they get “runs” or “ladders” after a few wearings which requires the stockings to be discarded and new ones to be purchased); results in nostalgia for older products

plant patents

patents that recognize the discovery of new plant types that can be asexually reproduced; e.g. food giant Monsanto which patents corn with built in pesticide

technological diffusion

the spread of technology across borders

technological globalization

the cross-cultural development and exchange of technology

technology

the application of science to solve problems in daily life

technophiles

those who see technology as symbolizing the potential for a brighter future; symbolic interactionist perspective

utility patents

patents that are granted for the invention or discovery of any new and useful process, product, or machine

structural functionalist perspective on technology and media

focus on what social purposes technology and media serve (e.g. the web links individuals and nations in a communication network that facilitates both small family discussions and global trade networks); interested in the manifest functions of media and technology, as well as their role in social dysfunction

critical perspective on technology and media

focus on the systematic inequality created by differential access to media and technology (e.g. how can Canadians be sure the news they hear is an objective account of reality, unsullied by moneyed political interests?)

interactionist perspective to technology and the media

seek to understand the difference between the real lives we lead and the reality depicted on “reality” television shows

important forms of technology developed during the Stone Age

fire and stone tools

how does the equality regarding technology change with time?

technology often creates changes that lead to ever greater inequalities. In short, the gap gets wider faster.

the two forms of technological stratification

1. differential class-based access to technology in the form of the digital divide

2. a knowledge gap; results from the digital divide; an ongoing and increasing gap in information for those who have less access to technology

result from technological stratification

new focus on ensuring better access for all

what is the new divide emerging?

as technological devices gets smaller and more mobile, larger percentages of minority groups are using their phones to connect to the internet. The digital divide might not mean access to computers or the internet but rather access to the kind of online technology that allows for empowerment, not just entertainment (e.g. harder to update a resume or fill out a job application on a phone than on a wired computer)

gender digital divide

although the gender digital divide has decreased in the sense of access to technology, it remained in the sense that women, who are accessing technology shaped primarily by male users, feel less confident in their internet skills and have less internet access at both work and home

global digital divide

resulted from both the economic and sociopolitical characteristics of countries

Three types of innovation that the U.S Patent Office will patent

Utility patents, design patents, plant patents

what led to the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment?

the invention of the printing press as it was a way to spread knowledge and information more efficiently

how did newspaper use change with time?

with the invention and widespread use of television in the mid-20th century, newspaper circulation steadily dropped off, and in the 21st century, circulation has dropped further as more people turn to internet news sites and other forms of new media to stay informed

what results from the decline in newspaper usage?

as newspaper decline, news sources become more fractured, so that the audience can choose specifically what it wants to hear and what it wants to avoid. The real challenge to print newspapers is that the revenue sources are declining much faster than circulation is dropping. The concept of embodied energy is also impacted. The print newspapers are responsible for much of these costs internally. Digital media has downloaded much of these costs onto the consumer through personal technology purchases.

the first “live” mass medium

radio

similarities between radio and television

in both cases, information (and entertainment) could be enjoyed at home, with a kind of immediacy and community that newspapers could not offer

difference between radio and newspapers

radio survives because it is a “personal medium” and because it is local (the broadcast news and programming is mostly local in nature)

what does the influence of Canadian television reflect?

a struggle with the influence of U.S television dominance, the language divide, and strong federal government intervention into the industry for political purposes (there were thousands of televisions in Canada receiving U.S broadcasting a decade before the first two Canadian stations began broadcasting in 1952. Public television, in contrast, offered an educational nonprofit alternative to the sensationalization of news spurred by the network competition for viewers and advertising dollars.

similarity between television and film

both were unifying for society

is there a linkage between violent video games and violent behavior?

Yes, research determined that there are causal linkages between violent video game use and aggression. They found that children who had just played a violent video game demonstrated an immediate increase in hostile or aggressive thoughts, an increase in aggressive emotions, and psychological arousal that increased the chances of acting out aggressive behavior. Repeated exposure to this kind of violence leads to increased expectations regarding violence as a solution, increased violent behavioral scripts, and making violent behavior more cognitively accessible.

how is company advertising changing?

increasingly, synergistic advertising practices ensure you are receiving the same message from a variety of sources. Advertising has changed, as technology and media have allowed consumers to bypass traditional advertising venues. Conventional advertising is on the wane. Advertising revenue in newspaper and on television have fallen significantly showing that companies need new ways of getting their message to consumers. The big players in new media are responding in innovative ways.

what is needed for successful new media marketing?

research.

What is one way that Thomas Friedman states that technology has “flattened” the globe?

he states that core economic concepts were changed by personal computing and high-speed internet. Access to these two technological shifts has allowed core-nation corporations to recruit workers in call centers located in China or India

Primary vehicle of media globalization

Lyons suggests that multinational corporations are the primary vehicle of media globalization. These corporations control global mass-media content and distribution

what is mass media control and ownership concentration like in Canada

mass media control and ownership is highly concentrated in Canada

vertical control

company that “might own a broadcast distributor, conventional television stations, pay and specialty television channels, and even the content for its broadcasters; e.g. Rogers

complex issues on the exchange of technology from core nations to peripheral and semi-peripheral ones (critical approach)

someone using a critical sociology approach might focus on how much political ideology and cultural colonialism occurs with technological growth (those who bring technology to less developed nations usually have an agenda).

complex issues on the exchange of technology from core nations to peripheral and semi-peripheral ones (functionalist approach)

focus on how technology creates new ways to share information about successful crop-growing programs, or on the economic benefits of opening a new market for cell phone use.

complex issues on the exchange of technology from core nations to peripheral and semi-peripheral ones (interpretive perspective)

emphasize the way in which global exchange of views creates the possibility of mutual understanding and consensus

problems that come with the benefits of a more interconnected globe

risk of cultural imperialism, the loss of local culture, potential censoring by national governments that let in only the information and media they feel serves their message, core nations such as Canada have seen the use of international media such as the internet circumvent local laws against socially deviant and dangerous behaviors such as gambling, child pornography, etc.

How does China act as the global poster child for the uncomfortable relationship between internet freedom and government control?

it is a country with a tight rein on the dissemination of information. China has long worked to suppress what it calls “harmful information,” including dissent concerning government politics, dialogue about China’s role in Tibet, or criticism of the government’s handling of events. China has an authoritarian government ruling over this new form of internet communication.

what is technological globalization impacted by?

technological diffusion, the spread of technology across borders

benefits and challenges from the rapid improvement in the spread of technology to peripheral and semi-peripheral nations

in general, the report found that technological progress and economic growth rates were linked, and that the rise in technological progress has helped improve the situations of many living in absolute poverty; rural and low-tech products can benefit from new technological innovations, and that, conversely, technologies like mobile banking can aid those whose rural existence consists of low-tech market vending; technological advances in areas like mobile phones can lead to competition, lowered prices, and concurrent improvements in related areas such as mobile banking and information sharing

what is the growth of technology use like among peripheral and semi-peripheral countries?

while the growth of technology use among countries has increased dramatically over the past several decades, the spread of technology within countries is significantly slower among peripheral and semi-peripheral nations. In these countries, far fewer people have the training and skills to take advantage of new technology, let alone access it.

where does technological access tend to be clustered?

technological access tends to be clustered around urban areas, leaving out vast swaths of peripheral-nation citizens. While the diffusion of information technologies has the potential to resolve many global social problems, it is often the population most in need that is most affected by the digital divide,

how has mobile phone access changed in Africa’s poorest countries?

While landline access has not changed appreciably during the past 10 years, there’s been a marked fivefold increase in mobile phone access; more than a third of people in sub-Saharan Africa have the ability to access a mobile phone

Structural Functionalism of technology and media

focuses on how media and technology contribute to the smooth functioning of society. A good place to begin understanding this perspective is to write a list of functions you perceive media and technology to perform

Functions of technology and media

commercial function, entertainment function, social norm functions, and life-changing functions

Commercial function

companies that wish to connect with consumers find television an irresistible platform to promote their goods and services. Television advertising is a highly functional way to meet a market demographic where it lives

Entertainment function

there is a clear entertainment factor to the use of new innovations

Social norm function

we are socialized and resocialized by media throughout our life course. All forms of media teach us what is good and desirable, how we should speak, how we should behave, and how we should react to events. Media also provide us with cultural touchstones during events of national significance

Life-changing function

near impossibility of disconnecting from technology, leading to an expectation of constant convenient access to information and people. Such a fast-paced dynamic is not always to our benefit. Some sociologists assert that this level of media exposure leads to narcotizing dysfunction, a term that describes when people are too overwhelmed with media input to really care about the issue, so their involvement becomes defined by awareness instead of by action about the issue at hand

critical perspective on technology and media

focuses on the creation and reproduction of inequality-social processes that tend to disrupt society rather than contribute to its smooth operation; one major focus is the differential access to media and technology embodied in the digital divide; looks at who controls the media, and how the media promotes the norms of upper-middle-class white demographics while minimizing the presence of the working class, especially people of color; critical theorists suggest that the way North American media is generated results in an unbalanced political arena (e.g. those with the most money can buy the most media exposure, run smear campaigns against their competitors, and maximize their visual presence)

feminist perspective on technology and media

believe it is crucial in creating and reinforcing stereotypes; e.g. online female avatars conform to gender stereotypes enhancing negative attitudes toward women and media (advertising in particular) promotes gender stereotypes; gender gap in tech-related fields. One report suggested that gender stereotyping is one reason for this gap, acknowledging the bias toward men as keepers of technological knowledge. Press coverage in the media reinforces stereotypes that subordinate women, giving airtime to looks over skills, and disparaging women who defy accepted norms. New media could offer alternative forums for feminist groups and the exchange of feminist ideas.

Symbolic interactionism perspective on technology and media

technology itself may act as a symbol for many; they can serve as a social indicator of wealth and status. For those adopting an ideological middle ground between Neo-Luddites and technophiles, technology might symbolize status or failure; focus on the social construction of reality, an ongoing process in which people subjectively create and understand reality

How does media construct our reality?

Media constructs our reality in a number of ways. e.g. for some, the people they watch on a screen can become a primary group, meaning the small informal groups of people who are closest to them. For many others, media becomes a reference group: a group that influences an individual and to which an individual compares himself or herself, and by which we judge our successes and failures

Mass media

refers to the print, radio, television, and other communication technologies (incl. internet, twitter, etc). MASS=reaches many people. MEDIA=communication that is not face-to-face

who uses Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter more: Canadians or Americans? why?

Canadians use it more because we generally have less entertainment

why is learning about media and technology important?

because it is something we do a lot outside of work and sleep and it affects the way we think and ultimately the way we behave

what are examples as to how media affects what we think and how we behave?

exposure to media images depicting the thin-ideal body is related to body image concerns including anorexia and eating disorders; people who watch crime news are more likely to believe that blacks are violent (racial bias because there is often bias in reporting); increased usage of Facebook is related to disclosure of symptoms related to depression (increases group comparison)

what caused the Growth of Mass Media and how?

1. The protestant reformation. The bible was the first book ever printed and translated in mass numbers. Protestants grew because Luther protested to reform the church and said that people could get to God through scripture and faith alone but not everyone had a bible or was literate.

2. Democratic movements

3. Capitalist Industrialization. We have the right to produce many things at a very fast rate. It proliferated the need to communicate product information

Protestant Reformation. What was the first mass media product?

1500s. Christianity broke into two primary groups: Catholics vs. Protestants. Martin Luther said that everyone should read the Bible. This led to the technological innovation of the Gutenberg’s printing press. The Bible was the first mass media product. The Catholic Church was more visually led because people who were Catholic couldn’t really read.

Democratic Movements

1700s-1800s. Promotion of democracy and informed citizenship. Encouraged equal rights to learning. Everyone should have access to information. States that everyone has a right to the Bible. Today: T.V, Radio, and Internet

Capitalist Industrialization

1. Need ways to advertise their product. Media markets to a particular audience for advertising purposes. Reaching a target group is also referred to as reaching a niche/segmented audience. Diverse markets require diverse mass media products and as markets become more diverse, we have more products (e.g. cartoons are now being suitable for other generations other than kids).

2. A great way to make a profit on the medium itself (e.g. the show itself makes a lot of money when looking at a show about a bottle)

3. Supplements a more efficient means to communicate; increases the speed and scope of delivery. Industrialization focuses on speed, scope, and scale (e.g. telephone and fax machine from the past, internet in the present)

What are the functions of media?

1. Entertainment (curates itself; gives quick boost of dopamine)

2. Agent of socialization (structures how we think of gender roles; e.g. disney stories resonate with kids so their products last long therefore making them legacy items)

3. Enforcer of social norms

How is mass media an enforcer of social norms?

it makes us think of what is normal (what is normalized through these shows?), what is successful, and what is acceptable

How does mass media act as a conferral of status?

it tells us what is important to focus on. We believe that whatever the news shows us is what is important

How does mass media promote consumption?

The news is filled with ads. If there are no products and ads then there is no media.

conflict perspective on mass media

media industries own interests in a variety of areas (i.e. radio and television production and broadcasting, motion pictures, movie theatres, and music companies, newspaper, periodical, and book publishing, internet services and content providers. A few media giants control most of the world’s information i.e. Time, Warner, Sony, Viacom, Disney, NBC Universal, and News Corporation.

how do a few mega corporations control most media businesses and outlets today?

through ownership concentration, cross-media ownership, conglomerate, and vertical integration

ownership concentration

one owns one type (i.e. Brunswick News Inc. owns all newspaper outlets in NB); problem: bias

cross-media ownership

one owns many types (i.e. Bell Media-owns television and radio; radio is important in Canada because many people in Canada drive)

Conglomerate

one owns many types and others (i.e. Rogers owns networks, cable, magazines, and sports outlets)

vertical integration

one owns the entire process (i.e. Disney owns the creation, production, and distribution); when you own the entire process there is no middle man and no royalties need to be paid

gatekeeping

small number of people making decisions for many

how is gatekeeping achieved through direct means?

through sponsorship-product placement and censorship and regulation-controlled by the state (e.g. Iron Man 3 in China has an alternate ending),

how is gatekeeping achieved through indirect means (filtering)?

framing-convey perceptions with visuals (e.g. lots of control over what gets printed and when it’s printed it can’t be changed; framing targets; how we give off a perception with things other than actual content) and bias-selective reporting (we know a lot from the world about what is being reported; bias-if we don’t report it, we don’t talk about it, if we don’t talk about it than it’s not a problem; e.g. not many homicides in Canada but there are many reports on them while suicide is actually more common but it is not really talked about in the news; e.g. education-little education on Indigenous culture in Canadian textbooks)

Cultural hegemony

when one powerful social class dominates and its ideas are the ruling ideas; these ruling ideas permeate society and become “common sense”; talks about symbolic violence; when there is a powerful class in society, cultural hegemony is a set of ideas that are seen as ruling ideas; not usually challenged; persuasive in a non coercive manner; help to maintain the status quo; impacts our understanding of marginalized groups

how is cultural hegemony seen?

we have a very eurocentric idea of what is high status. When we brand and put a hierarchy to things and when those in history dictate the way it is communicated, they are able to elevate their culture above all things and by default rank other cultures below.

who played romantic male leads historically?

white men; traditional Asian males were not seen as masculine (they were usually seen in comedies)

what percentage of people use the TV? Newspaper? Radio? Internet?

TV-67%, Newspaper-36%, Radio-40%, Internet-80%

what is the biggest barrier to being on the internet?

age (gender is pretty much the same between the two)

what type of people were the most connected to the internet?

those who were university educated were very connected while those who has less than a high school education were not very connected; income was not too much of a deterrent (the internet is less costly; although if they come from a higher income bracket they are 50% more likely to be on the internet)

what type of person is on the internet the least?

a person who is old, not very educated, and doesn’t make lots of money is not on the internet but would probably use the radio and TV and possibly the newspaper for the news

how filtered is social media? newspaper? radio? TV?

social media has a little less filtered information than the newspaper, radio, and TV which are more filtered

what is Canada like with internet connectivity?

the median age is very high around 3 hours north compared to older, smaller towns and not many people move into those communities. There are 3 or 4 cities in Canada which are highly connected and highly technologically advanced while other cities are not really there.

Who tends to use the internet? TV? Radio?

the internet is the most popular for those who are 15-34. If they are young they are more likely to be on the internet bracket. TV serves to a huge market for the older generation because it is easy to use and takes less buttons to figure out than the internet. The radio is popular for the driving community. Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver are outliers. Other cities function differently.

digital divide

refers to the gap between those who have access to the latest information technologies and those who do not; haves and have-nots of technology