1
Q
Macro-Level Cognitive Effects: Effects on public knowledge
A
- Aggregate effects are different than individual effects
- Data are from individuals
- But focus is on general knowledge of society
2
Q
Macro-Level Cognitive Effects: two key types of messages
A
- News
2. Public information campaigns
3
Q
Three key theories of information flow
A
- Two-step flow theory
- Diffusion of information/innovation
- Knowledge gap theory
4
Q
People’s Choice Study: Two main findings
A
- Person-to-person communication more influential than media
- Media > opinions leaders > individuals
5
Q
What does the Diffusion of Innovations/Information attempt to explain
A
How an innovation (or information) is communicated over time through different channels to members of a social system
6
Q
Diffusion of Innovations/Information: Four Key Elements
A
- Innovation
- Communication
- Time
- Social System
7
Q
Diffusion of Innovations/Information 5 Sections
A
- Innovators
- Early Adopters
- Early Majority
- Late Majority
- Laggards
8
Q
Explain the knowledge gap theory
A
Some individuals learn much more from media than others.
-As media access grows, the gap grows larger
9
Q
Most important predictors in the Knowledge Gap Theory
A
- Education
2. Socioeconomics status
10
Q
Explain Digital Divide
A
As technology becomes more prevalent, so does the recognition that not everyone has it
11
Q
The digital divide happens at three levels
A
- Economic
- Usability
- Empowerment
12
Q
List some examples of Effects of news
A
- Expands one’s knowledge base
- Offers information about things we cannot experience
- News messages create and maintain a collective memory and communal experience
13
Q
The two problems with news feed algorithms
A
- Filter bubbles
2. Echo Chambers
14
Q
Explain Filter bubbles
A
- Seeing only content you like and agree with
- Information gets so personalized you no longer see other perspectives
15
Q
Explain Echo chambers
A
- Ideas amplified and reinforced in a closed system
- Competing views are censored, or underrepresented
16
Q
Effect of public information campaigns
A
Public service or information campaigns are designed to improve your life with information
17
Q
Macro-Level Belief Effects Include
A
- Formation of public beliefs
- Belief of the public
18
Q
List two examples of how media forms public beliefs
A
- Agenda Setting
- Cultivation
19
Q
What are the three main beliefs of the public?
A
- Beliefs about institutions
- Beliefs about the government
- Beliefs about media
20
Q
Agenda Setting Theory
A
The press doesn’t tell us what to think, but tells us what to think about
21
Q
Cultivation theory
A
The more time people spend with media the more likely they are to believe the social reality portrayed there
22
Q
Explain mainstreaming
A
Despite initial individual differences, heavy TV viewers become more similar in views and beliefs
23
Q
Explain Resonance
A
When a person’s real-life environment strongly resembles environment depicted in media
24
Q
example of measurement of Public Attitudes and opinion regarding - mass shootings and guns
A
Use of Twitter to analyze how people feel about gun restriction
25
Explain the copycat phenomenon
- Viewers imitating the violent behavior they see on TV
| - Why? The promise of media attention
26
Reporting on Mass Shootings: What the media should not do
- Do not romanticize the shooter
- Do not focus on the shooter's methods or weapons
- Do not frequently post the shooter's photo & name in updates
- Do not report on the shooter's motives until an investigation has been completed.
27
Reporting on Mass Shootings: What the media should do
- Do describe the shooter's behavior as illegal and harmful
- Do focus on the pain and suffering caused by the incident
- Do include links to resources for viewers
28
List two examples of how mass media effects the political system
- Rise in primary elections (TV was a major influencer for this)
- Fall in nominating conventions
29
Explain frontrunners/front-loading
Media gives disproportionate coverage to early primaries, which influences later primaries
30
Name an effect of front-loading
Candidates now have to do well in first primary to get continued press coverage
31
Media Effects on nominating conventions
- Leading candidate is now know well in advance of nominating convention
- Shift in TV coverage from "gavel to gavel" in 1950s to only major speeches in 1990s
32
Media effects campaigns in what three ways?
- Spending
- News coverage
- Changing access to the public
33
Explain how spending effects political campaigns
-Political advertising spending increased 600% in early days of television
34
In 1965 what percentage of money was spent on rallies?
85%
35
In 1968 what percentage of money was spent on TV ads
50%+
36
Explain how News coverage effects political campaigns in negative ways
Critics say media are harmful to campaigns:
- Focus on superficial aspects rather than fundamental issues
- Horse-race structure (e.g., front runners)
- Focus on negative over positive
- Report on what candidates say without fact-checking
37
Explain how access to the public effects political campaigns
With each new medium, candidates have greater direct access to the public
38
Name four positive effects the internet has on politics
1. Creativity
2. Interactivity
3. Independence
4. Depth
39
Name five negative effects the internet has on politics
1. Inequality
2. Filterlessness
3. Blurring
4. Constant surveillance
5. Cocooning
40
Media effects families in what three distinct ways?
1. Media depictions of family
2. Family interaction
3. Media for family communication
41
List some changes in media's depiction of family over time
- The changes in depiction on TV are similar to changes to family in real life
- Less "nuclear" families
- More kids outside of marriage
- More single parents
- More extended families
42
Explain trope
Storytelling shortcut we recognize and understand
43
Give examples of common family tropes
- The clueless dad
- The nagging mom
- The super mom
- The dysfunctional family
44
Study: Is mom still doing it all findings are?
Shift from focus on mom to focus on kids
45
Why do media portrayals of family matter?
Media portrayals of family influence public opinion about expectations of family value
46
Family Interaction With Media: Family media use is more fragmented
- Families consumer less media together
- When they do, there is less interaction around content
- Parental shift from introducing kids to culture, to protecting them from culture.
47
What are the three ways parents mediate media use?
1. Restrictive mediation
2. Instructive mediation
3. Social co-use
48
Explain restrictive mediation
Parents set rules for use or prohibit use of certain media
49
Explain Instructive mediation
Parents explain or discuss certain aspects of media
50
Explain Social co-use
Parents and children consume media together
51
Effect of parental mediation of media: TV
Parental mediation of TV significantly increases children's skepticism about media, public affairs media use, and involvement in politics.
52
Parental Mediation of Media: social media parents should do what three things?
1. Develop awareness of kids' use
2. Create opportunities for digital detox
3. Help kids figure out the "why" of their social media use
53
Chen Parent-college student communication example
CMC (Computer-Mediated Means Communication) between college students and parents have higher communication satisfaction. compared to FTF (Face to face) communication
54
Name three macro-level effects mass media has on society
1. Information Technologies Shaping Society
2. Functionalism
3. Integration vs. Fragmentation
55
What role does information technologies have in shaping society
- The ability to write information down on portable documents
- The invention of the printing press
56
Explain "The medium is the message"
What is communicated is less important than how it's communicated
57
Explain Hot Media
- High definition
| - Requires less effort on our part
58
Explain Cold Media
Requires more effort on our part
59
Explain functionalism
Mass media serve key functions in society
60
Explain Surveillance as its related to functionalism
- News media provide constant surveillance for us, of our environment and give us more important information
- New media also provide constant surveillance of us, for others
61
Explain correlation as its related to functionalism
Mass media socialize us into a common way of thinking
| relevant theories: cultivation and spiral of silence
62
Explain transmission as it relates to functionalism
Mass media transmit cultural heritage from generation to generation
63
Explain mobilization as it relates to functionalism
Mass media can be used by people to campaign for change and motivate people to social action
64
Explain Integration vs. Fragmentation
- Integration: Mass media serve to pull people together who would otherwise be scattered in some way
- Fragmentation: Society fragments as a result of mass media; reduction of the "public sphere"
65
Name three ways in which effects of mass media have on themselves
1. New Technologies
2. Concentration of ownership
3. Socialization effects
66
List ways in which new technologies have been changed
- Journalism was changed by live TV reporting and now by social media
- TV programming was changed by user behavior and now by cord-cutting
- Broadcast and cable TV changed by digital video and now by on-demand streaming
67
Explain Vertical integration
- Greater program diversity and lower prices
| - Shift from focus on channel to message
68
Critics argument on concentration of ownernship
- Concentration is harmful
- Mass media have a special responsibility to the public that other industries do not
- As competition among media companies decreases, content of messages changes (negatively)
69
What are the two main issues of concentration of ownership?
1. Issues of access
| 2. Issues of diversity
70
Explain issues of access in relation to concentration of ownership
- Ownership over media companies
| - Access to have your point of view heard
71
Explain issues of diversity in relation to concentration of ownership
-Fewer voices = fewer opinions
72
Proponents' arguments for concentration of ownership
- Concentration is not harmful
- Large companies enjoy greater economies of scale
- No evidence that quality of messages has declined due to concentration
73
What is the media's logic on socialization effects
Media socialize workers into roles that serve to preserve those organizations
74
What are the two issues with self report?
1. Our behavioral intentions are "better" than our actual behaviors
2. We are often unaware of what our actual behavior is
75
What is an attribute variable?
Superficial characteristic of a person
76
What are the two most common attribute variables?
1. Sex
| 2. Age
77
Explain Calibration of Influence
Not all effects are equally powerful or prevalent
- Studies focus on statistical significance
- Not necessarily on substantive significance
78
What distinguishes mass media and non-mass media?
1. Intentions of senders
a. Assemble and keep an audience
2. Channels of transmission
a. Use technology as tools for constructing & maintaining audiences
3. Mass media are organizations, not individuals
79
Name an example of caution in translating
Almost no mass media research examine media under "mass" conditions
80
What are the five steps to managing effects on ourselves?
1. Increase awareness of your goals
2. Thinks about how you can use media as tools
3. Monitor your media exposure
4. Alter your reactions to messages
5. Alter your exposure patterns
81
What are the four parts that make up functionalism
1. Surveillance
2. Correlation and transmission
3. Mobilization
4. Integration vs. Fragmentation
Mass Media
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