DIRECT EFFECTS

Question 1

direct effects

Answer 1

The media has a powerful and immediate effect on audiences

Question 2

Hypodermic syringe model

Answer 2

• The model suggests that the audience passively accepts the message ‘injected’ into them by the mass media.
• The direct effects do not acknowledge differences between members of the audiences and therefore they are seen as homogenous.
• Therefore the information is sent to everyone as they only see everyone as the same (not pick and choose).

Question 3

Magic bullet theory

Answer 3

• Linked with PACKARDS work of the ‘magic bullet theory’, which illustrates that the media is like a syringe that ‘injects’ its messages into the audiences which is similar to Packards idea that the media is like a bullet that penetrates the audience.
• ome media organisations aim to have this effect on their audiences, for example some newspapers aim to sway voting habits of their audiences.
• The audiences do not engage with the media material and they just simply accept it

Question 4

Newson

Answer 4

• children’s exposure to media violence has a desensitising effect and as a result, they are most likely to commit acts of violence in reality as they have been exposed to violence in the media.
• effects of media violence on children were more subtle and gradual.
• continued exposure to violence in films over several years ‘desensitised’ children and teenagers to violence
• violence as a norm and as a possible way to solving problems.
• led to increased censorship in the film industry (e.g. the british board of film was given power to apply age certificates and tv companies agreed on a 9pm watershed, before which shows would not feature significant sexual or violent scenes).

Question 5

bandura

Answer 5

• media effects on violence and found that children can act more aggressively when given the opportunity to do so
• Bandura showed 3 groups of children real, film and cartoon examples of a bobo doll being beaten with a mallet. A further control group of children were shown no violence
• children who had seen the violent examples imitated the violence by beating the doll themselves, while the children who had seen no violence did not beat the doll.

Question 6

Anderson

Answer 6

• direct effects of music on an audience
• the effect of violent song lyrics on the attitudes and emotions of 500 college students who were asked to listen to songs with: violent, non violent, and humorous lyrics.
• clear pattern of increased aggressive thoughts and feelings of hostility following on from listening to violent song lyrics.
• Their results indicated a relationship between violent song lyrics and increased aggressive thoughts and feelings of hostility.
• They also found that even humorous violent songs did increase aggression levels in comparison to non-violent songs

Question 7

Fesbach and Singer

Answer 7

• catharsis
• watching an exciting film releases aggressive energy into safe outlets as the viewers immerse themselves into the action.
• audiences will not act aggressively in real life as their aggression has been satisfied through the consumption of the media

Question 8

catharsis

Answer 8

• fesbach and singer
• screen violence can actually provide a safe outlet for peoples aggressive tendencies

Question 9

Young

Answer 9

• argue that seeing the effects of violence and especially the pain and suffering it causes to the victim and their families may make us more aware of its consequences
• less inclined to commit violent acts
• people more aware and responsible so they avoid getting involved in violence.