Media Flashcards
Relevant theories
Packard (1957) Hypodermic Syringe Model
Evidence to support that Media only has a direct negative effect:
The media injects messages into the audience directly. The audience is passive. The media is active (intentional). Packard referred only to advertising but the model has been extended to include all media forms.
Dworkin (1981)
Evidence to support that Media only has a direct negative effect:
Radical feminist Dworkin argued that viewing pornography directly resulted in men commiting violence against women.
Anderson et. al. (2003) that argues media only has a direct negative effect:
support
conducted research into the direct effect of music as he studies violent song lyrics on attitudes and emotions of 500 college students who were asked to listen to violent and non-violent lyrics. They found that ones that listened to violent song lyrics had a higher increase in aggression.
Williams et al (1981) - TV in British Columbia a.k.a ‘Notel, Unitel and Multitel Study
Evidence to support that Media only has a direct negative effect:
Conducted a natural experiment and measured children’s behaviour before and after television had been introduced to the town. Also compared the children’s behaviour with that in other towns that did have TV.
Conclusions: Notel showed increased levels of aggression and sex-stereotyped views because of the introduction of TV.
Step two of two step process model
Those who respect the opinion leader internalise their interpretation of that content.
Packard’s (1957) AO3
Hypodermic Syringe Model is a very simple explanation of media effects. It’s simplicity is appealing because it offers an explanation for copy-cat and desensitised violence. However, because it is so simple it treats the audience as homogenous and fails to acknowledge audience differences.
Direct negative effect can have positive outcomes:
Low ecological validity of lab studies (vs. high ecological validity of field studies)
Extraneous variables
Evidence to undermine direct effect theory: Gaunlett (1995)
Gauntlett (1995) - Cruises direct effect theories for blaming television for problems such as crime while ignoring other possible causes, such as social inequality.
Indirect effects Media
The media affects you but you do not have to consume it yourself. You cannot affect it but your personal circumstances affect how it affects you.
Katz and Lazarsfeld (1955) The two-step flow model
Indirect
Personal relationships and conversations with significant others, such as family members, friends, teachers and work colleagues, result in people modifying or rejecting media messages they hear from others.
Direct theories
the media affects you directly as a result of you consuming it. You cannot affect it.
opinion leaders
people of influence whom others in the network look up to and listen to. These people usually have strong ideas about a range of matters.
Active Audience theories
the media affects you (directly and indirectly) and you affect it or its message. There is a dialogue or relationship between you and the media you consume.
Indirect Theories
Step one of two step process model
The opinion leader is exposed to the media content.