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Slide 2 An understanding of media content as a text that provides
insight into our culture and our lives Slide 3 Critical Theories
Slide 4 The analysis of media messages to try to figure out how
they affect people and the societies in which they live. The
analysis of media messages to try to figure out how they affect
people and the societies in which they live. Here are some common
ones: Here are some common ones: Slide 5 Semiotics The science of
signs and symbols The science of signs and symbols Looks at how
people create and understand signs and symbols in order to
comprehend communication Looks at how people create and understand
signs and symbols in order to comprehend communication examples
examples Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Slide 10 Slide 11
Semiotics can also be known as symbolic interactionism by those who
dont like semiotics Slide 12 Psychoanalysis Examines how mass media
messages influence the audiences social rules in order to suppress
instinctive anti-social impulses Examines how mass media messages
influence the audiences social rules in order to suppress
instinctive anti-social impulses Slide 13 Sociological Analysis The
most common type of analysis done by critics The most common type
of analysis done by critics Comes in many flavors that have evolved
over the years Comes in many flavors that have evolved over the
years Slide 14 Direct Effects Model Often considered propaganda
Often considered propaganda Based on the idea that people are
passive targets of mass media messages that cannot help but be
influenced Based on the idea that people are passive targets of
mass media messages that cannot help but be influenced Points at
such messages as advertising and government propaganda that people
will follow like lemmings Points at such messages as advertising
and government propaganda that people will follow like lemmings
Denies that people are individuals Denies that people are
individuals Slide 15 Limited Effects or indirect effects Model
Found that people may take in the messages, but will turn to
opinion leaders for how to interpret and follow or not follow those
messages Found that people may take in the messages, but will turn
to opinion leaders for how to interpret and follow or not follow
those messages People with strong opinions are unlikely to change
them People with strong opinions are unlikely to change them People
pay more attention to messages they already agree with People pay
more attention to messages they already agree with The most
persuadable dont pay attention The most persuadable dont pay
attention Slide 16 Critical Cultural Model Rather than effect, it
looks at how people use and construct messages Rather than effect,
it looks at how people use and construct messages The media control
the flow of information and what can be discussed The media control
the flow of information and what can be discussed Those who control
the media control the message Those who control the media control
the message Rooted in neo-Marxism those who can control the culture
control the media and thus society Rooted in neo-Marxism those who
can control the culture control the media and thus society Slide 17
Agenda Setting The media dont tell us what to think, they tell us
what to think about The media dont tell us what to think, they tell
us what to think about Examples: Examples: Martin Luther Martin
Luther Tom Paine Tom Paine William Randolph Hearst William Randolph
Hearst Modern news Modern news Slide 18 Book of the Dead Slide 19
Ramses II and the Battle of Kadesh Slide 20 The Torah Slide 21
Slide 22 Slide 23 Slide 24 Slide 25 Slide 26 Uses and
Gratifications People actively seek and use those media messages
that they personally feel gives them something People actively seek
and use those media messages that they personally feel gives them
something They use the media to get something they want They use
the media to get something they want They feel gratification when
they get what they want They feel gratification when they get what
they want Such U&Gs can include to be amused, to find models to
imitate, to see authority figures inflated or deflated Such
U&Gs can include to be amused, to find models to imitate, to
see authority figures inflated or deflated Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide
29 Social Learning Theory Theres no way a person can experience
everything Theres no way a person can experience everything The
media provide information about the world and society that the
individual cant experience alone The media provide information
about the world and society that the individual cant experience
alone Can create a persons reality: what things are, how to think,
how to behave, how to interact with others, how to be in society
Can create a persons reality: what things are, how to think, how to
behave, how to interact with others, how to be in society Slide 30
Slide 31 Slide 32 Cultivation Analysis Media messages tell people
what the world is like and how people respond to what happens in
the world Media messages tell people what the world is like and how
people respond to what happens in the world An example is the mean
world syndrome: heavy users of the media think the world is a more
violent, dangerous place than it actually is because so many media
messages contain violence (e.g., news, cop shows, dramas) An
example is the mean world syndrome: heavy users of the media think
the world is a more violent, dangerous place than it actually is
because so many media messages contain violence (e.g., news, cop
shows, dramas) Slide 33 No one technique or theory has all the
answers All hypotheses start with assumptions All hypotheses start
with assumptions Scientific hypotheses start with assumptions about
the world that can be empirically checked and falsified Scientific
hypotheses start with assumptions about the world that can be
empirically checked and falsified Social science hypotheses start
with assumptions about people that usually cant be empirically
studied and are taken as axiomatic (theyre true because I think
theyre true and cant prove it one way or the other) Social science
hypotheses start with assumptions about people that usually cant be
empirically studied and are taken as axiomatic (theyre true because
I think theyre true and cant prove it one way or the other) Slide
34 All are ways to examine the media; none are the final answer
Slide 35
