All Theorists Flashcards
What is props theory?
Character theory
List four different characters?
Hero, villain, damsel in distress, helper, dispatcher, donor and false hero
What is Todorov’s theory?
Narrative theory
What is the typical narrative structure?
Equilibrium - balanced, normal and no problems
Disruption - some problem occurs, and the hero has to go sort it out
New Equilibrium - happy ending back to “normal”
What is Roland Barthes theory?
Semiotic theory
List the five different types of codes
Symbolic codes, semantic codes, action codes, enigma, codes, and cultural codes
What is Levi Strauss‘s theory?
Binary opposite theory
Define binary opposite in a media context
Binary opposite is when two things have been represented as completely different
What is David Gauntlets theory?
Identity theory
Explain identity theory
Identity theory is the idea that audiences get a sense of their own identity from the media that they consume.
The past used to have a very simple representations of gender. Whereas now representations are much more diverse.
What is Van Zoonens theory?
Feminist theory
Explain the Feminist Theory
Van zoonen believes that our ideas of gender come from discourse and that we learn what being “female” and “male” is.
Discourse - communication from the media
What is Hesmondhalghs theory?
Cultural industries theory
Explain cultural industries theory
The idea that companies minimise risk and maximise audience
What is Butler’s theory?
Theory of Gender Performativity
Explain gender performativity
The idea that gender is constructed based on what we do. E.g. certain activities make you more female/male
What is Livingstone and Lunt’s theory
Regulation theory
Explain regulation theory
The idea that all media products are regulated. Often to do with protecting us from harm, trauma etc… (cap)
Technology has made it much harder to regulate all media
What is Henry Jenkins theory?
Fandom theory
Explain fandom theory
Jenkins believes that the audience is a huge part of the media product. Raving fans who produce around the media product
What is Curran and Seatons theory?
Power and Media Industries theory
Explain power and media industries theory
The idea that most media industries are dominated by a few companies. Which leads to a lack of innovation and creativity in the media.
Belief that media companies only care about profit and power. (Not all)
What is Clay Shirkey’s theory
End of audience theory
Explain end of audience theory
The idea that audiences are no longer passive and know want to interact with the world of the media product. Technology has made us much more active audiences.
What is Bandura’s theory
Media effects theory
Explain Media Effects theory
The idea that children would copy the behaviour they saw, particularly violent behaviour.
Problems: done in a lab, kids might be trying to please researcher.
