1) Social learning theory has been criticised for simplifying the causes of violence in society. Do you think the media is responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence?
I think that the media does have an impact on our anti-social behaviour and violence however it's not the only cause and i believe there are other factors that may be more important.
2) How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.
Young people seem to use technology more and so when they watch something they get curious and want to try and imitate it so in a way they are learning from social media.
3) Research three examples of moral panic from the last 50 years. To what extent was the media responsible for these moral panics? Was the concern in society justified? How have things changed as a result of these moral panics?
Examples of moral panic include the belief in widespread abduction of children by predatory pedophiles; belief in ritual abuse of women and children by Satanic cults; and concerns over the effects of music lyrics. I feel the media over exaggerates these moral panics well moral panics in general when its not as big as they make it.
4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society? If the link is blocked in school, you can access the text here.
Several examples of fear appeal arguments will be offered with a particular focus on online child safety, digital privacy, and cybersecurity. The various factors contributing to “fear cycles” in these policy areas will be documented.
5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?
I don't think that the internet should be regulated as that would go against our right of freedom and people will just feel like they are being watched.
6) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? Are we becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse? Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? Write a paragraph discussing these ideas.
The theory of the mean world syndrome is when people think that real life is quite a dangerous place. Gerbner's cultivation theory is focusing on people TV consumption and how that effects their behaviour and the way they act. It's seen that the more they watch the more violent they are. Internet use is so normal to us nowadays that i don't think we as a society can manage without technology due to the fact that it's been a big part in our lives today. We are so normalised to internet abuse and trolling that it's not really a big deal and people don't take it as seriously as they once did.
Media Factsheet 030 - Media and Audiences -The Effects Debate:
1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
- I do play video games and i do watch violent films however i am not violent in real life well i'd like to think that i am not.
- Yes, if i see something that catches my eye on the internet i tend to want to purchase the item straight away.
- No, i have not seen a documentary that has drawn my attention to an issue that i now feel strongly about.
2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?
• Direct Effect Theories
• Diffusion Theories
• Indirect Effect Theories
• The Pluralist Approach
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?
This theory is largely discredited as it makes simplified judgements about the audience. However, it is still used politically as a criticism of certain media texts.
Some texts which have been blamed for specific events:
• Child’s Play – The murder of Jamie Bulger
• Marilyn Manson – The Columbine High School shootings
• Natural Born Killers – a number of murders committed by romantically linked couples. in one case, the director was sued for inciting violence although the court case was later dismissed.
4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
The shootings were carried out by Eric Harris, age 18, and Dylan Klebold, age 17. On April 20, 1999, they entered Columbine High School in Jefferson county with semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and several explosives. In less than 20 minutes they killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded 21 others. The violence came to an end when Harris and Klebold took their own lives. Officials later found two propane tank bombs in the cafeteria; had they detonated, the death toll would have been much higher.
5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?
Banning Marilyn Manson would seem to quickly put an end to the cause of the tragedy and ensure it didn’t happen again if we accept this as the simpler reason for the event. Addressing the other social and economic issues would be practically impossible and implies that society in general was to blame for what happened.
6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?
This theory considers the way the media affects attitudes rather than behaviour. The media is seen as part of our socialisation process, communicating ‘appropriate’ attitudes and the norms and values of the culture. According to this theory, while any one media text does not have too much effect, repeated exposure to certain ideas and values may make the audience less critical of the ideas presented as they appear ‘normal’.
7) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
Things get more complicated when you consider this is all down to perspective. Is it good if a villain kills someone to protect his family? Is it acceptable to act violently if someone threatens a state they think is corrupt? Is it alright to steal from someone who has been violent towards you?
8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
Although cultivation theory goes beyond a simple ‘cause and effect’ approach to audience effects, critics see both these direct theories as having an elitist element suggesting a judgement is being made about the mass audience as they are assumed to be easily led and not perceptive or self-aware. The individual nature of the members of the audience is not taken into account.
9) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
Some texts from the past seem very strange to us. A very popular sit- com in the 1970s called Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers, racist and offensive. Times have changed and so have people’s attitudes and values. What was acceptable as the topic for comedy some decades ago, no longer is.
10) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
• the dominant reading: an acceptance of the intended meaning
• a negotiated reading: a broad acceptance of the intended meaning but with some personal modification
• an oppositional reading: an understanding of the intended meaning but a rejection of it in favour of one created by the individual.
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