David Gauntlett- theories of identity Flashcards
Who is David Gauntlett?
media theorist who focuses on the ways in which modern media texts shape the identity of audiences
What does Gauntlett suggest we model our identity on?
the media we consume and the products we buy:
-products such as cars, clothes and mobile devices that con contribute to our values and attitudes
-Interests in music, books, films and games can also be a major part in defining a person’s identity
In this sense, media texts provide us with tools we need to construct our identities - most people will take different styles from different texts
What is negotiated identity?
The process by which people consider the elements that influence their identity
It also refers to the way in which people assess their relationships and agree on ‘who is who’ in their social circles
What is collective identity?
The process by which someone is made to feel as though they belong to a particular group- media texts enable this as they inspire fandom and companionship between audiences
Why does Gauntlett’s theory stress that negative stereotyping is so negative?
audiences can be heavily influenced by the representations they see in media texts. It’s therefore important for producers to avoid negative stereotyping and to ensure they are not glamourising harmful behaviour
Many fear that the prominence of violent male protagonists might encourage young boys to model their identities based on these characters
How has an increase in technology promoted gender fluidity?
There is a casual link between innovations in technology and the increasingly diverse representations available to audiences. In previous decades, audiences could only learn about the world’s events through newspapers and a limited number of TV and radio channels. Now, there is hundreds of online resources and channels. These modern audiences are naturally exposed to a wider range of representations.
How can media producers respond to Gauntlett’s claims?
They are now constructing representations in a way that is guarented to appeal to the desires of their target audience
What is a pick and mix consumer?
The idea Gauntlett proposes is that audiences now choose which aspects of products they want to consume and which aspects they don’t want to. They can:
-skip sections of a netflix show
-make note of a magazine star’s make up, but ignoring the rest of her outfit
-reading the gossip part of a tabloid but ignoring anything political
Now representations are more diverse audiences are enabled to construct their own identity which is layered and complex
