audience theory 2

 Theory questions and your opinion

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?  Yes, the time children spend on social media, they get easily influenced.

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 see trending stuff online and will start to like it or imitate it because it is considered cool, linking this to social learning theory where people learn from one another. The drake car dance is a good example of this.

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? knife crime was presented to be a big issue in London and a growing problem. The concern was justified because of the severity of this type of crime and how a lot of people die of it. I think these moral panics have made more people aware so they are more cautious, making a positive impact.

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. People panic out of fear.

5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online? I think the government should not do this but can age restrict sites on the internet to prevent younger children getting influenced by older people who do bad stuff.

The effects debate: Media Factsheet

Complete the following tasks using Media Factsheet 030 - The Effects Debate available on the Media Shared drive. You'll find it in our Media Factsheet archive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. You can also access it via your school Google login here.

Read Media Factsheet 030 - Media and Audiences -The Effects Debate and answer the following questions:

1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?') Yes i play and watch both, however it doesn't impact me in real life. I don't act violently in real life. No i rarely buy a product i see advertised. No i haven't watched a documentary about an issue i feel strongly about, however i have watched documentaries about wild life which i enjoyed.

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? 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 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 and attempted bombing that occurred at columbine high school in Colorado, united states on April 20, 1999. Two twelfth - grade students murdered 13 students and 1 teacher; 10 were killed in the school library, where both the students eventually died by suicide. Twenty additional people were injured by gunshots another 3 people were injured trying to escape.

5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre? The ease access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership, the alienation felt by teenagers who felt they don't fit in, the hopelessness felt in an area where unemployment was high and was economically disadvantaged, the general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images.

6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory? It says through repetition attitudes, ideas and values may become normalised and naturalised, creating a positive perception of this theory. Through repetition, the audience may become desensitised towards negative or violent representations, creating a negative perception of this theory. The theory is positive depending on the information you are consuming.

7) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence? It is almost impossible to avoid violent representations. This seems to support the view the media and action films does not directly cause people to act a certain way.

8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet? It assumes the audience are passive and that all members of the audience group are the same and respond in similar ways.It states the media has a direct influence on the audience and 'injects' its beliefs and values into the viewers or readers. If someone watches violence, it will make them behave violently.

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? The sitcom uses racial slurs and stereotypes different ethnic groups, making it controversial. This portrays negative attitudes towards minority communities.

10) 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.