Learning Unit 2

Question 1

What is the limited effects theory?

Answer 1

• argument from 1800s - 1950’s = media disrupt existing social order
• Lazarsfeld conducted empirical research to test these assumptions
• used empirical, social research to validate/disprove claims

Question 2

What are the findings of the limited effects theory?

Answer 2

• media doesn’t have the impact we think it does
• only a few people are open to psychological manipulation
• media is powerless in shaping opinion because individuals and groups are different to each other
• media rarely influences decision making
• direct propaganda comes from others (opinion leaders influence)
• adult audiences already have opinions different from media
• only socially isolated may be directly influenced

Question 3

What are the media user’s categories relevant to the limited effects theory?

Answer 3

Gatekeepers
Screen media messages that help others shape their views

Opinion leaders
Pass on info to opinion followers

Opinion followers
Receive info from opinion leaders

Question 4

List the challenges of the limited effects theory.

Answer 4

1. Reductionism
2. Neo-Marxists
3. British Cultural Studies

Question 5

Explain “reductionism” as a challenger of limited effects theory.

Answer 5

• Americans reduced and simplified complex communication processes and social phenomenon
• made European students resentful

Question 6

Explain “neo-marxists” as a challenger of limited effects theory.

Answer 6

• European social theorists who believed the media allowed social elites to promote their own worldview and therefore create and maintain their power
• argued that elites could use media to promote their own values, ideals and cultures
• lead to hegemonic culture in which elites influenced, controlled and manipulated the media for their benefit

Question 7

Explain “British cultural studies” as a challenger of limited effects theory.

Answer 7

• believed by some neomarxists - focused on mass media’s role in promoting a dominant, hegemonic worldview and culture among subgroups in society
• media use led to individuals supporting the ideals, values and world views put forward in the media by dominant elites
• study found that some resisted hegemonic ideals and, instead demanded alternative interpretations

Question 8

What makes the uses and gratifications theory different from other media related theories?

Answer 8

• doesn’t look at the effects, looks at how or why we as the audience use the mass media

Question 9

Findings of the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 9

• the audience consumes media to fulfill a basic need

- the media meets those needs

Question 10

List and explain the categories of Needs met by the media according to the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 10

Diversion
To escape the busyness of life/problems (passive viewer)

Personal relationships
Companionship, form relationships, fit into social group

Personal identity
Find out about ourselves (explore, adjust and confirm personal ID)

Surveillance
Use the media to find our about events happening around us (inform about issues that may affect us)

Question 11

Explain the first revival of the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 11

• New survey research methods and data analysis techniques allowed development of NB new strategies for studying and interpreting audience uses and gratification (added use)
• some media researchers developed increasing awareness that people’s active use of media might be an NB mediating factor, making effects more or less likely (active audience will satisfy different needs to a passive audience)
• some researchers were concerned that the effects research was focusing too much on unintended negative effects of media while intended positive uses of media were being ignored

Question 12

Explain the second and more recent revival of the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 12

• constant development and growth of the internet, which has affected people’s media choices and expectations
• researchers examining new technology and its potential impact on individuals and society have found this approach to be useful

Question 13

List the assumptions of the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 13

• the audience is active and it’s media use is goal oriented
• the initiative in linking need gratification to a specific media choice rests with the audience member
• the media compete with other sources of need satisfaction
• people are aware enough of their own media use, interests and motives to be able to provide people with an accurate picture of that use
• value judgements regarding the audience’s linking its needs to specific media or content should be suspended

Question 14

Explain “the audience is active and it’s media use is goal oriented” as an assumption of the uses and gratification theory.

Answer 14

• an individual can display various levels of activity when interacting with the medium of their choice, even if it’s a minimal activity level

Question 15

Explain “the initiative in linking need gratification to a specific media choice rests with the audience member” as an assumption of the uses and gratification theory.

Answer 15

• it’s up to the individual to decide which medium to expose him or herself to satisfy a need ( i.e. You choose which movie will satisfy your need)

Question 16

Explain “the media compete with other sources of need satisfaction” as an assumption of the uses and gratification theory.

Answer 16

• you have a variety of choices when wanting to satisfy needs. You’re less likely to turn to media to fill a need that your friends have filled.

Question 17

Explain “people are aware of their own media use to be able to provide people with an accurate picture of that use” as an assumption of the uses and gratification theory.

Answer 17

• researchers are suggesting that individuals are aware of their media choices ( they’re not usually passive consumers of media)
  I.e. You actively choose which magazine to buy.

Question 18

Explain “value judgements regarding the audience’s linking its needs to specific media or content should be suspended” as an assumption of the uses and gratification theory.

Answer 18

-researcher needs to be objective and hold no value judgements about the individual’s choice of media and their reasons for making that choice

Question 19

Give the strengths of the uses and gratifications theory.

Answer 19

• focuses attention on individuals instead of media
• respects intellect and ability of media consumers
• provides interesting analyses of how people experience media content
• differentiates active users of media from more passive users
• Studies the use of media as part of everyday social interaction
• provides useful insight into adoption of new media (digital and social media)

Question 20

What are the weaknesses of the uses and gratifications theory?

Answer 20

• relies on functional analysis, which can create a bias toward the status quo
• can’t easily address the presence or absence of effects
• many of its key concepts are criticized as unmeasurable
• is too oriented toward micro level (too focused on the individual)

Question 21

Explain the social cognitive theory.

Answer 21

• through observation, experience and self regulation, we learn to associate with each other in socially acceptable ways
• when behaviour isn’t socially rewarding or leads to punlishment, we’re persuaded to stop the behaviour (vice versa)
• Bandura observed that components of learning occur through observation and modeling of behaviours (this lead to social cognitive theory)
• we are presented with a stimulus and then we respond - stimulus becomes a negative reinforcer
• in reality we observe the process of stimulus-response-reinforcement indifferent settings then we choose to avoid a similar stimulus
• i.e. You don’t have to experience something to know that there will be negative consequences
• we can learn through modeling (imitation)

Question 22

What are the assumptions of the social cognitive theory?

Answer 22

• learn through observation and modeling
• internal process and cognition of observed behaviour may lead to learned behaviour
• behaviour is goal oriented (set goals to motivate for changed behaviour will lead to accomplishment of goals
• behaviour is self regulated
• punishment and reinforcement indirectly affect the learning process

Question 23

List the ways in which social cognition through media representations operates in one or more of three ways.

Answer 23

• observational learning
• inhibitory effects
• disinhibitory effects

Question 24

Explain how social cognition through media representations operates in observational learning.

Answer 24

• consumers of representations in the media can acquire new patterns of behaviour by watching these representations
• children mimic what they see on tv, adults might try a recipe they saw on cooking show

Question 25

Explain how social cognition through media representations operates in inhibitory effects.

Answer 25

• watching someone being punished for exhibiting certain behaviour decreases the likelihood that individuals will make the same response if faced with the same stimulus
• viewers feel as if they are punished themselves

Question 26

Explain how social cognition through media representations operates in disinhibitory effects.

Answer 26

• media representation that depicts reward for threatening or prohibited behaviour is often enough to increase the chance that the viewer will make the same response given the same stimulus
• tv shows which show internet clips of people doing stunts (these clips don’t dissuade people from trying stunts)

Question 27

What are the strengths of the social cognitive theory?

Answer 27

• demonstrates causal link between media and behaviour
• applies across several viewer and viewing situations
• has strong explanatory power

Question 28

What are the weaknesses of the social cognitive theory?

Answer 28

• research findings aren’t generalizable
• experimental demonstration might overestimate media power
• has difficulty explaining long term effects of media consumption
• underestimates people’s active use of media messages
• focuses too narrowly on the individual rather than on cultural effects