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 is only slightly responsible
for the anti-social behaviour and violence as whilst young people may be
inspired by some parts of media, It is ultimately their caregiver's
responsibility to ensure that they know that the media pieces are fiction and
shouldn't be recreated. Their is also a larger amount of people who consume the
same media projects and don't become violent.
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.
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 are learning their behaviours from the
media as they are heavily exposed to it more than older people who do not
really feel as comfortable with social media as young people. They could be
easily influenced from social media posts from politicians,Actors and other
public figures.
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?
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?
Widespread abduction of children in the media, the
media posts a large volume of kidnappings which makes people believe that lots
of children are constantly going missing.
Bath salts- after a homeless man had his face
chewed off, the press immediately blamed the fact that the perpetrator
allegedly ingested bath salts and called for them to be banned.
4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society?
These panics are intense public, political, and academic responses to the emergence oruse of media or technologies
5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?
4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society?
These panics are intense public, political, and academic responses to the emergence oruse of media or technologies
5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?
I believe that the internet should be
semi-regulated, with websites selling weapons and drugs etc. I believe that we
should be free to access other websites.
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.
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.
I believe that the internet is creating a fearful
population as the constant reports of violence make people believe that these
crimes are happening at a higher frequency than they actually are.
1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Yes. Are you violent in ‘real life’? Not particularly
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it? yes
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about? yes
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?
• 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.
1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Yes. Are you violent in ‘real life’? Not particularly
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it? yes
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about? yes
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?
• 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.
It was a school shooting carried out by two students.
5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?
1. The ease of access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership.
2.The alienation felt by teenagers who felt as though they did not fit in.
3.The hopelessness caused by living in an area where unemployment was high and was economically disadvantaged.
4.The general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images: film, TV, the news, the internet.
6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?
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?
The repetition of the simple values above makes them
appear natural and the texts do not always encourage the
audience to question the values presented. Essentially
violence is supported in action films as a method for the
hero to reach his goal. The only difference between him
and the villain is that we agree with the hero’s motivations
8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but
does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of
Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a
problem whereas games and television programmes are open to
criticism
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 sitcom
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 same information can be presented (encoded) in different6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?
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?
The repetition of the simple values above makes them
appear natural and the texts do not always encourage the
audience to question the values presented. Essentially
violence is supported in action films as a method for the
hero to reach his goal. The only difference between him
and the villain is that we agree with the hero’s motivations
8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but
does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of
Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a
problem whereas games and television programmes are open to
criticism
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 sitcom
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?
ways
o The Sun and The Guardian may report the same ‘facts’ very
differently
• Even when media producers try to ‘close down’ meaning all
media texts contain more than one potential reading
o Media producers can never guarantee that all audience
members will interpret (decode) information in the same way
• External factors influence interpretation
o Audience members will have different experiences and
opinions and, therefore, interpret media texts differently
