Representations Flashcards
3 representations of women
Not shown as much
Traditional role
Sexual objects
Ferguson (1983)
- women in the traditional role
Women are represented in the media in traditional roles with a focus on him, home and looking good - pleasing the man (housewife)
Tuchman (1978)
- women not shown as much
Suggested a narrowing range of the role for women amounted to their symbolic annihilation
Bristol Fawcett Society
- Women not shown as much
30 % of characters on CBeebies in 2008 were female
60:40 ratio male to female speaking roles
Sports coverage varies for men to women
Laura Mulvey
- women as sex objects
Male gaze - movies centred around the male gaze, passive female fulfils male fantasies
Contemporary example of women not shown as much to support and contradict
✔️ No increase in women’s sports coverage since 2012 (London olympics)
✖️orange is the new black
Contemporary example of women in the traditional role to support and contradict
✔️ Cinderella & snow white
✖️ moana, Milan
Contemporary example of women as sex objects to support and contradict
✔️ Jessica rabbit
✖️ this girl can campaign
2 representations of men
Traditional masculinity
New man
Eastthorpe (1990)
- traditional masculinity
Found the myth of traditional masculinity to be evident in Hollywood films and computer games
Eg hulk, the thing, Indiana Jones
Simpson (metrosexual male)
Links to new man
Changing view of men, fashion and grooming attracts women
Gauntlet
Men still are the lead roles -> superheroes - save women
Suggested that the role is changing but has reached a plateau and hasn’t changed for a decade
Traditional masculinity
Miss of men it’s possessing strength competitive spirit and aggression and violence of the basis of biological predisposition
The ‘new man’
Able to express emotions, takes an interest in personal grooming and fashion and undertakes new roles within the home and family
Landis (2002)
- representation of old people
Confused stereotypes in media identified a number of stereotypes for older people
- Grumpy old man, feisty old woman, sickly old person, mentally deficient, depressed or lonely, having wisdom, busy body, having a second childhood
Contemporary examples of old people
Carl from ‘UP’ - grumpy old men
Sheila from neighbours - busybody, feisty old woman
Della Reese - wise, godly, motherly
Stan lee - having second childhood
Grandpa Joe from Charlie and the chocolate factory - sickly old person
Old people shown more positively
Studies such as …
Carrigan
Biggs
Carrigan (2001)
- Positive representation of old people
Describe the “grey pound “this is the idea of people have money to spend. This led to more positive images of ageing and positive roles for old people
Biggs (1993)
- Positive representation of old people
How do you is that there is evidence of changing representations of older people, and they are appearing in a considerable number of soap operas there is a view towards a more active old person
2 key Representation of young people
> Vulnerable
> Deviant
How are young people vulnerable
Children and young people are portrayed as being vulnerable in the media as there is an increasing media representation of children as consumers
Children or a Portrait is more effective use this on consumers of the media than adults e.g. Schoppee from high school musical being advertised
Katherine Heintz-Knowles 2002
- young people as vulnerable
Examined children entertainment programmes portraying child characters
They are often in peer or romance relationship, they never show children understanding important issues
Commercial broadcasts - show children engaging in anti-social behaviours and getting positive results (vicarious reinforcement)
Ethnic minority children are underrepresented
Wayne (2007)
-Deviant young people
Analysed 2130 articles looking at how they are portrayed in the stories of young people
28% focused on young celebrities
82% focused on young people involved with crime (perpetrator or victim)
Young people were not asked for their opinion
All other factors to do with young people - mostly ignored
Osgerby (2002)
- deviant young people
During the 1950s and 60s youth What is represented positively in the media to a background of postwar hope
1970s and 1980s theme of youth a struggle emerged which seem to reflect general concerns about lawfulness and social breakdown
Evaluation on Wayne
Positive and negative
✔️ - analysed a lot of news articles - making it more reliable
✖️ - only used news articles - less representative
Evaluation of osgerby
Reliable / good application as it was realistic to the time period
Still relevant today
Ethnic minorities account for ….
12.9% of the population
Research shows that minority groups are presented in limited stereotypical ways or are marginalised and excludes for representation in the media
What 3 main representations of ethnic minorities are there
Not shown as much
Deviant
Stereotypical roles
Malik (2008)
- not shown as much
Believe the media did not represent ethnic diversity in the UK ethnic minorities are declining in watching mainstream TV whereas white people think that the media was doing a satisfactory job at representing ethnic minorities
Barker (1999)
- stereotypical role
Studied ethnic representations in EastEnders there were lots of Asians and black characters return enter
Criticised for stereotyping black and Asian characters as doctors and shopkeepers failed to engage with wider structural forms of racism most of the main characters were still white
Van Dijik
- deviant ethnic minorities
Analyse content of needs reports in the UK over 10 year period Summarised into 5 groups As criminals As abnormal As a threat As dependent As unimportant
Evaluation of Malik
✔️ - Generalisable to overactive ethnic minorities – questionnaire to get all minority views
TV less valid as it is only one type of media less accurate than other ✖️- forms e.g. social media
Evaluation of Barker
✖️- only looked at how they were represented in EastEnders not represented enough
✖️- Historical bias it could’ve changed may have Leicester typical rose as the media has developed e.g. John Boyega
Evaluation of Van Dijik
✔️- Good reliability is other sociologists have also found the same results about how black people are represented in the media – Hall
✖️- Historical bias – or to such a Stormzy are getting a good praise
Representations of ethnic majority
Over represented
More positively represented
Majority ethnic groups tend to reflect
Majority of representation in the media particularly in heavily dominated films and tv programmes
What did Malik note about the ethnic majority
Majority Felt that the media was doing a good job at representing multicultural Britain however it is not reflective of multicultural society
What is the neo Marxist view on representation of ethnic majority
The people in the media White middle / upper class men they unconsciously over represent/positively represent white people, they do this because it reflects their own norms and values therefore they are more frequently portrayed in the media as they are able to relate to this ethnicity better
What are the critical media project do
Looked at how historical context affected media representation.
White = superiority and privilege
Non whites = inferiority and labelled as other
Inequality and injustice still remain and the media is a key site where they ideas persist
Facts on middle class
Over represented in TV soaps and dramas
Newspaper is predominantly aimed at the middle-class
They tend to represent the norms for society
How was the middle class showing in the media
Hard-working, successful, educated, able to cope with life’s problems e.g. outnumbered
Glen on and Butsch (middle class)
1study on the middle class
Analyse TV shows
Middle class = over represented working class = under represented
Evaluation of 1st study
✖️- Not generalisable as it only looks at TV shows therefore it is not representative
Glennon and butsch (Middle class)
2nd study
Content analysis of middle class and working class for this represented on TV middle-class dads = problem solvers working-class dads = fun
Evaluation of glen on and butsch 2nd study
✔️ - Qualitative and quantitated is making it more valid as it can increase the accuracy in depth
✔️ - Supported by contemporary examples this increases reliability
How are the working class represented
Underrepresented
Stereotypical nostalgic out of date
Dodd and Dodd (1992)
- positive representation of working class
EastEnders and traditions such as unemployment, rape imprisonment, drugs So supportive community environment does not reflect contemporary working class culture
Newman (2006)
- negative representation of working class
See you sitcoms, films, dramas etc but realistically poetry working class people there of them protruding negative light
Evaluation of Dodd and Dodd
Working class
Only looked at EastEnders therefore it is unrepresentative
Evaluation of Newman
Working class
Use the range of media this increases reliability
Knowledge of underclass
Under the working class Homeless, those on benefits, unemployed Underclass is contested Threat to society Negative representations
Price (2014)
- Underclass
Labelled tv programmes that examine the life of the poorest in society as ‘poverty porn’ Media is deliberately exploiting to have a shocking effect on audience Benefits street intends to portray aspects of lower class culture which ought to be condemned
Representation of upperclass
Minimal representation (particularly in movies and tv) Positively
Contemporary examples of upper class
Downtown abbey , kings speech
Nairn (1998)
Upper class
Members of the monarchy constitute something of a “soap opera “with the attention given to all the activities
Positively represents the monarchy making events such as weddings & funerals national events
Negative or controversial actions of members of the royal family are often forgotten quickly replaced with something more positive
Reiner (2010)
Upper class
Contemporary representations of people with well show them as examples of success within the meritocratic society
This means that when people are showing as having welfare achievements are celebrated
New-Marxist view of upper class representation
Argue that this is evidence of an effort of the media to maintain “false class consciousness “it means it discourages critical examination of why some people have wealth and others do not
