XXX Media - Globalisation, Theories and Violence - XXX

Question 1

What is folk culture and high culture?

Answer 1

Folk - created for and by w/c. includes folk tales, songs, crafts (born out of local experiences). Cheap and quick to make.
High - Created by and for elite. Includes opera, literature and complex art. Expensive and time consuming (funded by elite).

Question 2

How does mass media effect folk and high cultures?

Answer 2

Shares and allows access to both = reduces class divide 
Right wing theorists argue mass media is dumbing down high culture qualities. (Elliott and Leavis)
Left wing theorists argue mass media has turned folk culture into consumerism and has isolated people from their communities. (Herbert Marcuse)

Question 3

What is globalisation?

Answer 3

Increased world interconnectedness through the flow of nations, people, ideas and technology.

Question 4

What is cultural imperialism?

Answer 4

When the cultural output of one region dominants the cultural output of other regions.

Question 5

What are cultural flows?

Answer 5

The concept refers to intense international movements of people, cultures and commodities that have restricted the means by which individuals establish personal and collective identities.

Question 6

What does Tomlinson say about cultural flows?

Answer 6

Rejects it - media influences do not solely originate from west.
Influence flows back and forth and an increasingly multicultural world.
Links to reception theory.

Question 7

What is the hypodermic needle theory? Example?

Answer 7

Developed in 1920/30’s
Suggests media is injected into brains of the audience. (passive)
e.g Orson Welles’ ‘War of the Worlds’ - people though it was real. (however not everyone did)

Question 8

What is the two step flow theory? Evaluation?

Answer 8

Developed in 1940’s by Paul Lazarsfeld.
Suggests people are more likely to be influenced by other people than media (OPINION LEADERS influence audience) - useful to advertisers as they target opinion leaders.
+ audiences are active
- more than two steps in flow of education

Question 9

What is reception theory?

Answer 9

Developed in 1960’s - suggests that the audience interprets meanings of a text depending on their culture/background/life experiences. (meaning of text is not fixed).
STUART HALL further developed idea in 1980’s (identified 3 positions reader may take)
- Dominant (fully shares text codes and accepts meaning)
- Negotiated (partially shares texts code and broadly accepts meaning)
- Oppositional (understand text but does not accept meaning)

Question 10

What is cultivation theory?

Answer 10

Developed by George Gerbner in 1960’s (combines hypodermic needle and active audience) - media does have important effects but not immediate.
This theory is used by Marxists
Suggests that there is a preferred reading which promotes particular interpretation of event.
Says those lacking direct experience are likely to accept preferred reading.
Those with direct experience are more likely to reject preferred reading.
However repetition of preferred reading over a period of time means that most people accept it and it becomes part of our culture.

Question 11

What is the uses and gratification theory?

Answer 11

Bulmer and Katz extended theory in 1974 - suggested that individuals chose a text for following purposes:

• Diversion (escape from everyday routines and problems.
• Personal relationships (using media for emotional and other interaction)
• Personal identity (learning behaviours and values form texts).
• Surveillance (information which could be used for living)

Question 12

What is mean world syndrome?

Answer 12

Coined by George Gerbner - Perceiving the world as a more dangerous place than it is due to TV.

Question 13

What are the arguments for fictional violence not being responsible for real world violence? 2

Answer 13

• Cathartic (releases emotions in safe place)

- Michael R Ward found that playing video games reduced violence by 1%

Question 14

What is Bandura’s bobo doll study?

Answer 14

Bandura showed children a video of adults hitting a bobo doll. The children were then left in a room with a bobo doll and they did the same thing.
This proves that seeing violence, increased violence in children. (agrees with hypodermic needle and two step flow)

Question 15

Evaluation of the bobo doll study? 6

Answer 15

• Ethics
• Outdated
• Children less used to distinguishing difference between media and real life.
• Extraneous variables may be at play.
• Too simplistic
• Bobo dolls are designed to be hit.