AUDIENCE THEORY 2!

 

AUDIENCE THEORY 2:

Theory questions and your opinion:

 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?

The media is not responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence, Infact the people you surround yourselves with and the environment you adapt in is responsible. If you grow up in a violent household or a household that is quiet and very anti-social, you are most likely going to live how you have been raised. 

How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.

Social learning theory is relevant in the digital age because people adapt and get used to what they see online, for an example if people are out and they are all on their phone then you are more likely going to use your phone too. Another example could be little kids that watch YouTube on their iPad tend to speak the same way that the video is speaking, or they do whatever the video does. 


 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?

• Disappearing childhood: In 1983, Neil Postman wrote a book titled 'The disappearance of Childhood'. Postman argued that children are becoming adults too fast, and he blamed the television that blurs out the distinction of childhood as it gave children access to adult knowledge before, they could even read.
• Immigrants: Media are quick to jump on issues of migrants diluting national identities, committing crimes, and putting a burden on welfare systems. One example includes that in 2019 the midterm elections in the US, widespread of migrant caravans heading north from Central America. The fear conveniently faded shortly after the midterms.
• The Red Scare: According to Pontikes, Nergo and Rao (2010), the red scare even led to fear of people who worked or associated with known left- wing activists in Hollywood. People were disproportionately stigmatised, excluded from employment and shunned for rewards. 

 Read this introduction to an academic paper on techno panics. What examples are given of techno panics that create fear in society? If the link is blocked in school, you can access the text here.

Such fear appeal arguments are frequently on display in the internet policy arena and often take the form of a full-blown moral panic or techno panic. These panics are intense public, political, and academic responses to the emergence oruse of media or technologies, especially by the young.  In the extreme, they result in regulation or censorship.

Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?

I believe that the government should try and control the internet in terms of age. Possibly having an age restriction password this is because at a much more mature age, 18 you are more likely to be able to understand what's beneficial for them and what is not whereas younger children that access any unsecure internet they may not be able to know if it's good for them and it may cause a bad impact on them, this can include talking to strangers a sit is very easy for little kids to be scammed online by even clicking on a link that is said to be used for "games"

 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 agree with Gerbner's cultivation theory, in today's generation our social life revolves around technology instead of newspapers and magazines, even when it comes to seeing the news people do that online as it is easier. People tend to rely on their phones and internet a lot, especially to what they see on social media, to the point that scam messages and abuse threats are being normalised (because whenever someone sees a message or receives a call from these hackers, they tend to either ignore or play along knowing the fact that it is very risky. We are too reliant on out phones that one day if we don't have our phones there would be nothing to talk about and everyone will be "bored". Heavy internet users are something the society should be concerned about because these people are most likely to be affected by the "mean world syndrome"- which is the belief that the world is far worse and dangerous place that it actually is. 

The effects debate: Media Factsheet:

 Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')

1. No, I do not play violent games, I am not into games but when I was younger the only game that I mainly used to play was subway surfers and temple run (I am not sure if you would classify temple run as a violent game. I wouldn't classify myself as violent in real life as I have never been involved in any fights during school or out of school

2. One thing that has been advertised and still is being advertised is the Dyson air wrap which has grabbed my attention to purchase. This is mainly because of the way they showed the function of the product and how they presented it with the different parts to the Dyson air wrap.

3. The documentary, 'The social dilemma': One thing that I have learnt from this documentary on Netflix is that because when we check our notifications on our phone, we continue to check and check and check and completely forget the real world. We become addicted to what's on a screen and it affects our health, California State University found that individuals who visited a social media site at least 58 times per week were 3x more likely to feel socially isolated and depressed.

What are the four categories for different effects theories?

1. The direct effect theories 
2. Diffusion theories 
3. Indirect effect theories 
4. The pluralist approaches

 What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events? 

• Childs play: The murder of Jamie Bulger
• Marilyn Manson: The columbine High school shootings 
• Natural Born Killers: A number of murders committed by romantically linked couple. In one case the director was sued for inciting violence although the court case was later dismissed

 What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.

One of the worst school shootings perpetrated in the United States. Fifteen people, including the two shooters, were killed. In the months and years following the tragedy, discussions about public safety, access to firearms, and the state of American youth proliferated in the national and international media.

April 20, 1999 was a Tuesday. At Columbine High School fifth period was under way for most students, while others lined up at the cafeteria as the lunch hour neared. Art teacher Patricia Nielson stood in a hallway near sixteen-year-old Brian Anderson when they heard several loud pops.  

By the day’s end, lingering fears of booby traps and undetonated bombs led to thorough sweeps of the building but prevented a complete count or removal of the bodies. Estimates of up to twenty-five fatalities stunned the millions following the situation on television and the radio. 


 What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?

Complex relationship between:

• The ease of access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership 
• The alienation felt by teenagers who felt as though they did not fit in 
• The hopelessness caused by living in an area where unemployment was high and economically disadvantaged 
• The general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images

 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 The factsheet describes the theory through repetition the audience may become desensitised towards negative representations and through repetition of attitudes, ideas and values that may become "normalised" or "naturalised"

 What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?

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.

 What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?

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.

 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?

Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers as racist and offensive this is because times have changed and so have people's attitudes and values. Audience creates meanings for themselves as to what seems "right" in their society. Factors that they base their judgments on include Gender, Age, Race, religious beliefs and many more... Because love thy neighbour features "a white man's horror when a black man moves in next door" it used to be seen as comedy but because time has changed it is not seen as acceptable anymore.

 What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?

• The sun and The Guardian may report the same 'facts' very differently
• Media producers can never guarantee that all audience members will interpret information in the same way
• Audience members will have different experiences and opinions therefore interpret media texts differently