Comm 309 Week 2 Notes Lecture 3 Theories of Media Effects What Theories Might We Use To Explain Media Effects look at Chapter 12 Social Cognitive Theory part of broader Social Learning Theory o How we process info o Traits Unique to Humans Symbolizing Capacity ability to use and understand symbols and use these in cognitive models for the future Self Regulatory Capacity the ability to evaluate oneself Vicarious Capacity the ability to learn from the experience of others mass media A person learns by observing the actions of others and the consequences of those actions o Observational Learning o Modeling The learning of behavior 4 Processes involved 1 Attention must observe the model 2 Retention behavior must be remembered and stored 3 Must have motor reproduction 4 Motivation can occur from direct or vicarious rewards New situations generate new behavior adapted from rules of behavior learned o Abstract Modeling previously o Bandura and Modeling Early research Schema Script Theory o A schema is a general mental construct or model about some knowledge domain o Cognitive scripts if you go to a restaurant there is a script that you follow Cognitive scripts develop as a results of observational learning and direct experience Media can create and change these scripts Scripts tend to be resistant to change last into adulthood With repeated exposure to media scripts are maintained and reinforced Risk related behaviors eating disorders unprotected sex Learning Good Things From Mass Media Research Areas Media violence Violent video games Stereotyping Sesame Street Barney Gullah Gullah Island Blue s Clues Mister Rogers Contact Priming Effects Exposure to mass media activates related thoughts that have been stored in memory Certain things activate priming Think of Cowboy Saddle and Horse now tell the word with the missing letter RO E Variables that enhance priming effects o Intervening variables 1 The perceived meaning of the communication 2 The extent to which audiences identify with the characters 3 The perceived reality of the mediated communication important for children 4 Prior experiences Recent Research o Effects of mediated violence on the priming of aggressive thoughts o Priming effects through Viewing violent content Sexual content Excitation Transfer Physiological arousal dissipates relatively slowly Arousal generated from one event can be added to the arousal associated with a subsequent event as long as the two events are temporarily close Intensified level of arousal for the latter event Ex you re running and then someone angers you you transfer arousal from one event to the other Cultivation Theory Initiated in 1967 by George Gerbner Investigates the cultivation effect Cultivation hypothesis o For people who watch a lot of TV the real world starts to resemble the world of TV Conceptual Roots of the Cultivation Hypothesis o TV is the great storyteller of our age Heaving TV viewers absorb attitudes and beliefs that are presented repetitively When real world events support the distorted image of reality shown on TV those who live in inner cities have higher fear of crime Messages are relatively uniform all shows are somewhat similar o Mainstreaming on TV o Resonance o Assumptions Viewing TV is non selective TV viewing is habitual o Research Tradition Content analysis Survey methods o Seek out different messages o Use those messages differently o Respond to them differently Uses and Gratifications Theory Assumes that differences among audience members cause each person to Dependency on the media is the result of two factors 1 Viewer s motives for obtaining gratifications looking for entertainment 2 The availability of viewing alternatives I do not have cable or Internet therefore TV is Certain elements in the society cause people to use and depend upon the media Twitter and Facebook for info utilized Assumptions o Viewers are active participants o Media selection is goal directed o Media is used for gratifications info entertainment etc o Social and psychological factors mediate people s communication behavior are we addicted to certain media Internet Agenda Setting Theory The media determines the importance placed upon particular issues The press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about Cohen Gatekeeping control exercised by media professionals over the flow of news info now anyone can be a gatekeeper Media agenda sources o Many influences create the media agenda each day Social norms and values of journalists Organizational constraints such as deadlines and limits of time and space Pressures from social movement organizations and interest groups Recent research and future trends o News sources that set media agendas new technology o quote on slides Lecture 4 Audience Use and Developmental Differences Do We Use The Media Today s youth are confronted with a media environment that is very different from the one faced by their parents Proliferation of media outlets and technologies Today s screen has different meaning it used to mean TV now it is more computer New media technologies blur the distinction between reality and the media We can enter virtual worlds but it changes lots of things we used to talk about in terms of content Media is far more interactive and engaging You ARE the aggressor Do Children and Teens Use the Media Generation M media in the lives of 8 to 18 year olds Among all 8 to 18 year olds total amount of media exposure in a typical day over time Total amount of media exposure in a typical day by age all graphs on d2l o 1999 7 51 o 2004 8 33 o 2009 10 45 o 8 10 year olds 7 51 o 11 14 year olds 11 53 o 15 18 year olds 11 23 o In 2004 o In 2009 Ipod MP3 player 18 Cell phone 39 Laptop 12 Ipod 76 Cell phone 66 Laptop 29 Among all 8 to 18 year olds amount of time spent with each medium in a typical day o The most is TV content 4 29 hours Among all 8 to 18 year olds percent who own each item Nearly half of 18 34 year olds have smartphones Percent of age group who own a smartphone o 12 17 33 o 18 24 45 o 25 34 50 o 35 44 39 o 45 54 26 o 55 64 19 o 65 6 o 1999 26 minutes o 2004 49 minutes o 2009 1 13 o 1999 27 minutes o 2004 1 02 o 2009 1 29 o 1999 47 o 2004 74 o 2009 84 o 1999 10 o 2004 20 Among all 8 to 18 year olds average amount of time spent using video games in a typical day over time Among all 8 to 18 year olds average amount of time spent using a computer