Influence of mass media
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 07:37, 6 September 2013 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 16:34, 13 April 2018 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) Next diff → |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | In [[psychology]], [[communication theory]] and [[sociology]], '''media influence''' or '''media effects''' refers to the theories about the ways in which the [[mass media]] affect how their [[audience]]s, think and behave. | + | In [[media studies]], [[media psychology]], [[communication theory]] and [[sociology]], '''media influence''' and '''media effects''' are topics relating to [[mass media]] and [[media culture]] effects on individual or audience thought, attitudes and behavior. |
| - | The growth of media as an [[industry]] has accelerated over the past few years with new forms such as [[DVD]] and the [[internet]] changing the way we, the audience, [[consumption (economics)|consume]] and receive media. This has caused some media theorists to call into question the influence that the media have over our [[attitude (psychology)|attitude]]s and [[belief]]s. | + | Media influence is the actual force exerted by a media message, resulting in either a change or reinforcement in audience or individual beliefs. Media effects are measurable effects that result from media influence or a media message. Whether that media message has an effect on any of its audience members is contingent on many factors, including audience demographics and psychological characteristics. These effects can be positive or negative, abrupt or gradual, short-term or long-lasting. Not all effects result in change: some media messages reinforce an existing belief. Researchers examine an audience after media exposure for changes in cognition, belief systems, and attitudes, as well as emotional, physiological and behavioral effects. |
| - | Urbanization, industrialization and modernization have created the societal conditions for the development of mass media. The bulk of the content of the mass media is not designed to challenge or modify the social and political structure of a nation, either in a one party state or in a democratic society. The [[mass media]] plays a crucial role in forming and reflecting [[public opinion]]: it communicates the world to individuals, and it reproduces modern society's self-image. Critiques in the early-to-mid twentieth century suggested that the media destroys the individual's capacity to act autonomously - sometimes being ascribed an influence reminiscent of the [[telescreen]]s of the dystopian novel ''[[1984]]''. Later [[empirical]] studies, however, suggest a more complex interaction between the media and [[society]], with individuals actively interpreting and evaluating the media and the information it provides. The consequences and ramifications of the mass media relate not merely to the way newsworthy events are perceived (and which are reported at all), but also to a multitude of cultural influences which operate through the mass media. Thus Lang and Lang claim that "The mass media force attention to certain issues. They build up public images of political figures. They are constantly presenting objects suggesting what individuals in the mass should think about, know about, have feelings about." | + | There are several scholarly definitions of media. Bryant and Zillmann defined media effects as "the social, cultural, and psychological impact of communicating via the mass media". Perse stated that media effects researchers study "how to control, enhance, or mitigate the impact of the mass media on individuals and society". Lang stated media effects researchers study "what types of content, in what type of medium, affect which people, in what situations". |
| + | |||
| + | ==== Media violence ==== | ||
| + | The effects of [[Media violence research|media violence]] upon individuals has many decades of research, starting as early as the 1920s. Children and adolescents, considered vulnerable media consumers, are often the target of these studies. Most studies of media violence surround the media categories of television and [[Video game controversies|video games]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The rise of the motion picture industry, coupled with advances in social sciences, spurred the famous [[Payne Fund Studies|Payne Fund studies]] and others. Though the quality of the research has been called into question, one of the findings suggested a direct role between movies depicting delinquent adolescents and delinquent behaviors in adolescents. [[Fredric Wertham|Wertham]] (1954) later suggested that comic books influenced children into delinquent behaviors, provided false [[World view|worldviews]] and lowered literacy in his book ''[[Seduction of the Innocent]]''. This research was too informal to reach a clear verdict, and a recent study suggests information was misrepresented and even falsified, yet it led to public outcry resulting in many discontinued comic magazines. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Television's ubiquity in the 1950s generated more concerns. Since then, studies have hypothesized a number of effects. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Behavioral effects'' include disinhibition, imitation and desensitization. | ||
| + | # [[Disinhibition]], a theory that exposure to violent media may legitimize the use of violence, has found support in many carefully controlled experiments. Men exposed to violent pornography behave more aggressively towards women in certain circumstances. | ||
| + | # [[Imitation|Imitation theory]] states individuals may learn violence from television characters. [[Albert Bandura|Bandura]]'s [[Bobo doll experiment]], along with other research, seems to indicate correlation even when controlling for individual differences. | ||
| + | # [[Desensitization (psychology)|Desensitization]] refers to an individual's habituation to violence through exposure to violent media content, resulting in real-life implications. Studies have covered both television and video game violence. [[Desensitization (psychology)|Desensitization]] has become an issue with Hollywood adaptations in regard to crimes. It is very easy for a movie to become caught up in making its films look artistic that they begin to make their audiences indifferent to the true horror that is taking place on screen. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''Cognitive effects'' include an increased belief of potential violence in the real world from watching violent media content, leading to anxiety about personal safety. | ||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| + | * [[Agenda-setting theory]] | ||
| * [[Censorship]] | * [[Censorship]] | ||
| * [[Communication theory]] | * [[Communication theory]] | ||
| - | * [[Controversy]] | + | * [[Concentration of media ownership]] |
| - | * [[Copycat]] | + | |
| * [[Cultivation theory]] | * [[Cultivation theory]] | ||
| - | * [[Culture of fear]] | + | * [[Family in advertising]] |
| - | * [[Information theory]] | + | * [[Media psychology]] |
| - | * [[Media controversy]] | + | * [[Media violence research|Media violence]] |
| - | * [[Media ecology]] | + | * [[Mediacracy]] |
| - | * [[Media studies]] | + | * [[Priming (media)]] |
| - | * [[Moral panic]] | + | * [[Priming (psychology)]] |
| - | * [[Public sphere]] | + | * ''[[Sexualization, Media, and Society]]'' |
| - | * [[Video game controversy]] | + | |
| - | == See also == | + | |
| - | While Media Influence Theories are often used to demonstrate the negative effects of the media on society, it is also of note that media can influence in a good way. The following are of note:* [[Strategic media]] | + | |
| * [[Tactical media]] | * [[Tactical media]] | ||
| - | * [[Censorship]] | + | * [[Video game controversies]] |
| - | * [[Communication theory]] | + | |
| - | * [[Controversy]] | + | |
| - | * [[Cultivation theory]] | + | |
| - | * [[Orwell Rolls in His Grave]] | + | |
| - | * [[Sonia Livingstone]] | + | |
| - | + | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 16:34, 13 April 2018
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
In media studies, media psychology, communication theory and sociology, media influence and media effects are topics relating to mass media and media culture effects on individual or audience thought, attitudes and behavior.
Media influence is the actual force exerted by a media message, resulting in either a change or reinforcement in audience or individual beliefs. Media effects are measurable effects that result from media influence or a media message. Whether that media message has an effect on any of its audience members is contingent on many factors, including audience demographics and psychological characteristics. These effects can be positive or negative, abrupt or gradual, short-term or long-lasting. Not all effects result in change: some media messages reinforce an existing belief. Researchers examine an audience after media exposure for changes in cognition, belief systems, and attitudes, as well as emotional, physiological and behavioral effects.
There are several scholarly definitions of media. Bryant and Zillmann defined media effects as "the social, cultural, and psychological impact of communicating via the mass media". Perse stated that media effects researchers study "how to control, enhance, or mitigate the impact of the mass media on individuals and society". Lang stated media effects researchers study "what types of content, in what type of medium, affect which people, in what situations".
Media violence
The effects of media violence upon individuals has many decades of research, starting as early as the 1920s. Children and adolescents, considered vulnerable media consumers, are often the target of these studies. Most studies of media violence surround the media categories of television and video games.
The rise of the motion picture industry, coupled with advances in social sciences, spurred the famous Payne Fund studies and others. Though the quality of the research has been called into question, one of the findings suggested a direct role between movies depicting delinquent adolescents and delinquent behaviors in adolescents. Wertham (1954) later suggested that comic books influenced children into delinquent behaviors, provided false worldviews and lowered literacy in his book Seduction of the Innocent. This research was too informal to reach a clear verdict, and a recent study suggests information was misrepresented and even falsified, yet it led to public outcry resulting in many discontinued comic magazines.
Television's ubiquity in the 1950s generated more concerns. Since then, studies have hypothesized a number of effects.
Behavioral effects include disinhibition, imitation and desensitization.
- Disinhibition, a theory that exposure to violent media may legitimize the use of violence, has found support in many carefully controlled experiments. Men exposed to violent pornography behave more aggressively towards women in certain circumstances.
- Imitation theory states individuals may learn violence from television characters. Bandura's Bobo doll experiment, along with other research, seems to indicate correlation even when controlling for individual differences.
- Desensitization refers to an individual's habituation to violence through exposure to violent media content, resulting in real-life implications. Studies have covered both television and video game violence. Desensitization has become an issue with Hollywood adaptations in regard to crimes. It is very easy for a movie to become caught up in making its films look artistic that they begin to make their audiences indifferent to the true horror that is taking place on screen.
Cognitive effects include an increased belief of potential violence in the real world from watching violent media content, leading to anxiety about personal safety.
See also
- Agenda-setting theory
- Censorship
- Communication theory
- Concentration of media ownership
- Cultivation theory
- Family in advertising
- Media psychology
- Media violence
- Mediacracy
- Priming (media)
- Priming (psychology)
- Sexualization, Media, and Society
- Tactical media
- Video game controversies
