Different theories: Flashcards
what is an enigma code?
a mystery within a text that it not immediately answered- as an audience we assume that the mystery will be solved. if the mystery isn’t solved, the audience could be frustrated but if the mystery is revealed too quickly, then they could be let down
what is an action code?
parts of a narrative which are related to things happening “ gary started to crack his knuckles threateningly”- the audience assume that gary is going to punch someone. Action and engima codes can create suspense
what do the audience do to the action code?
they decode it and assume that an action means something
what is a semantic code?
something within a text that means something often multiple meanings- e.g wearing a watch, having a large house or fancy car can allude to a character’s status or personality
what does polysemic mean?
there can be multiple meanings within a text
what is a symbolic code?
the deeper meaning of a text, e.g that red can symbolise danger or sexuality or a certain dress can symbolise wealth, luxury and glamour.
what is a referential code?
where a part of a text refers to something outside of the text, for example in a TV show where a character references star wars or a different movie. Referential codes can be the basis for humour, and as an audience you are more likely to get the joke if you have knowledge of these texts.
what are Barthes five narrative codes?
- action code
- referential code
- symbolic code
- semantic code
- enigma code
what is another code of Barthes?
the cultural code
what is the cultural code?
the idea that your wider knowledge like ideologies and beliefs can impact their view on a media product
what are the three types of signs? (Charles saunders)
-symbolic signs
-iconic signs
-indexical signs
what are symbolic signs? (saunders)
signs that are not related to the objects that they refer
what are iconic signs? (saunders)
signs that have a resemblance with the objects that they portray. they look, sound, taste, smell or feel similar to their referents
what are indexical signs? (saunders)
signs that are directly connected with their referents e.g smoke as a sign of fire, fever as a sign of illness etc
what is claude levi-strauss theory?
that as audiences, we encode and decode the world around us by universally shared principles, such as characters, narratives, themes, mise-en-scene, camera work, editing styles etc
what are 6 examples of universally shared principles?
- editing styles
- mise-en-scene
- characters
- narratives
- themes
- camera work
what is stuart hall’s theory?
the media is responsible for creating stereotypes within society. whilst stereotypes can be challenged, minority groups and those who are stereotyped find it hard to find representation in society. Often if a group doesn’t follow a stereotype/ societal norms they are seen as the ‘other’.
other/otherness: (stuart hall)
groups that are excluded from power within a society or mainstream culture because they do not follow societal norms or stereotypes
power circularity: (stuart hall)
stereotypes both reflect the attitudes of society whilst also reinforcing stereotypes
neutralisation: (stuart hall)
repeated messages that some groups are more proposed/inclined to commit certain acts
what is hegemony? (stuart hall)
a dominant viewpoint of the world from a white middle class point of view
what is David Gauntlett’s theory?
media has brought us more representation and allowed us to view the world differently- therefore we have more choice and liberty to create our own identity- We as an audience use media texts to create our own identities
fixed identity: (david gauntlett)
people have little choice about their identity- this is fixed by factors such as religion and beliefs in the home
what things can fix your identity? (david gauntlett)
beliefs in the home and religion
active audience engagement: (david Gauntlett)
audiences are in control of the media they watch and engage with. audiences actively create their own media and use it to shape their identities.
fluid identity: (david Gauntlett)
our identities can change and adapt- we do not have to conform to rigid societal norms and ideologies that have been passed down through the generations.
what does Guantlett believe in?
he argues against all other representations/ theories and that we pick and choose what we want from the media
what is van-zoonen’s theories?
-culture informs and plays a vital part in informing audiences about gender/gender roles. culture reinforced/put in place 5 main gender roles.
The media portray images of stereotypical women and this behaviour reinforces societal views.
what are the 5 main things that culture put in place for gender? (van-zoonen)
- the media invites audiences to look at women via the male gaze
- restricting females to secondary roles
- constricting women as passive participants e.g needed to be rescued by a male hero
- framing women differently e.g costume and camera frames that sexualise women
- reinforces beauty ideals (this is attractive and this isn’t)
what is meant by the ‘male gaze’? (van-zoonen)
women are looked at in the perspective of a man (objectified and sexualised)
what is george gerbner’s ‘effects theory’?
The idea that audiences are cultivated by the media.
The mainstream media plant an ideology or message- the message is constantly exposed- (overexposure) and overtime, the audience member is convinced of a particular ideology or message (the idea is cultivated)
what is george gerbner’s ‘mean world’ theory?
The idea that the saturation of crime and violence in media make audiences feel like the world is meaner/worse than it actually is. the audience have an exaggerated perception of crime.
what is meant by desensitised? (george gerbner)
audiences become desensitised to violence and death as they see it so often in the media. People struggle to tell the difference between reality and what is constructed
what is Bell hooks intersectionality theory?
suggests that people have a different experience of what being a woman is like depending on your race and class e.g a white upper class woman has a different experience of being a woman compared to a coloured lower class woman.
what does Paul Gilroy do?
uses the transatlantic slave trade to highlight the influence of ‘routes’ on black identity and suggests that the media is still influenced by colonial attitudes. he also believes in the idea of the ‘white saviour’
what is judith Butler’s theory of ‘gender performance’?
gender is a ‘performance’ that we put on- we stereotypically act in feminine and masculine ways
what is gender performitivity? (judith butler)
gender is made up of the acts that make a man or woman. it is through the repeated gendered acts that the illusion of gender identity is created
What is Curran and Seaton’s profit and power theory?
Curran and Seaton argue that conglomerates dominate the media industry and are primarily driven by the logic of profit and power- the fact conglomerates control the majority of media is known as ‘media concentration’. This media concentration typically inhibits or limits variety, creativity or quality
what is Hesmondhalgh’s cultural industries theory?
Companies use tried and tested methods (risk averse formatting) in order to minimise risk and maximise audiences and subsequently maximise profit
what is clay Shirky’s end of audience theory?
the internet and digital technologies have had a profound effect on the relationship between the media and individuals. In the age of the internet, audience members are no longer passive consumers of mass media content, now they have the ability to participate in culture that offers a vital social dimension.
Audience behaviour has progressed from passive consumption of media texts to a much more interactive experience.
What do livingstone and lunt suggest in their regulation theory?
There is an underlying struggle between the need to further the interests of the citizens (protection from harmful materials) and the interests of the consumer (choice, value and competition).
what do Livingstone and Lunt suggest is the effect of globalised media ownership on regulation?
if there is globalised media ownership:
-there is an increased focus on profit and commercial successes which could then lead to a potential decline in investigative journalism and public interest reporting
-increased lobbying power from large media conglomerates can influence regulatory decisions.
