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• Media Influences

2. Vulnerability to addiction

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Role of the media

ROLE MODELS…. ???

Activity: Observational research Addictive behaviours

• In groups, plan and then complete an observational study.

• Find examples of addictive behaviours• E.g. smoking, gambling, texting.• Ask permission …then film them..

• How does the media portray addiction ??

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THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOUR

According to Sussman and Ames (2001) the increasing role of the media and worldwide access to information are influences on both drug use initiation and experimentation. The media are a rich source of lay beliefs about substance use and abuse. The World Wide Web not only provides access to information about drugs of abuse but the means of producing them. The media are important sources of information and do influence people’s behaviour, because they are able to spread information rapidly and can affect large groups.

But by what process ….. ???  

Approach - Social Learning Theory of Addictive Behaviour

• Ban dura (1977) suggested that individuals

learn from the media through modelling.• By observing others’ behaviour through the

media (vicariously) reinforcement is established through ‘perceived’ rewards and punishment.

So perception is important ..

• How does the media influence people’s perception ?

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Cultures: Different cultures may influence the beliefs of others regarding drug use, because they use a shared web language (in Sussman and Ames, 2001).

Kate Moss Simon Cowell

Television and Cinema representations of addiction: TV and movies can inadvertently promote drug use by conveying images of idols e.g. rock stars romanticising heroin addiction, models (Kate Moss) who are tough chain smokers etc. Cinema images are viewed internationally, influencing the host country wherein they are shown.

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Film Representations of Addiction

• Sargent and Hanewinkel (2009) tested whether adolescents’ exposure to smoking in the movies influenced their initiation into smoking. They surveyed a total of 4384 adolescents aged 11-15 who were re-surveyed a year later. They found that in those individuals who had not smoked when first surveyed, exposure to movie smoking over the intervening year was a significant and strong predictor of whether they had begun to smoke when re-surveyed one year later.

Support ..

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Glamourizing addiction to drugs

• Sulkunen (2007) collected 140 scenes from 47 films. These scenes represented various addictions including alcohol, drugs, tobacco, gambling and sex. In films such as Trainspotting American Beauty and Blow scenes of drug competence and enjoyment of effects were used; frequently contrasted with the dullness of ordinary life.

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• Human Traffic portrays the use of ecstasy as a way of resolving relationship problems for the two main characters.

• In the film Traffic drugs are represented as a legitimate way of protesting against parental hypocrisy.

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• Drug movies 2

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Films that do not portray addiction in a positive or glamorous way.

Boyd (2008) argues that films frequently represent the negative consequences of addiction• For example, physical deterioration, sexual degradation

(prostitution and rape) violence and crime (theft and murder) and moral decline (stealing from loved ones). In the USA filmmakers are offered financial incentives (by the government) to represent addiction in a negative way.

The mere exposure effect: This means that we don’t need to consciously attend to media images for them to affect preferences for objects.• Do these preferences influence choice behaviour?

Do campaigns work ??

Paper link

Do Campaigns Work??Smoking adGambling adAnti gambling

Do anti-smoking campaigns work?

Research..• Hornik et al 2008 investigated the US

governments expenditure of $1 billion dollars between 1998-2004 on anti-drugs/smoking TV/radio/magazine campaigns

• Hornik found that not only was it unsuccessful but it actually increased marijuana use - due to highlighting the behaviours!

Gambling in the media ..

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The Consequences of when the media promotes gambling

• Everyone is quickly becoming persuaded that gambling is normal.

• General public is growing up to believe that it is socially acceptable

• Accessibility to gambling, means it is difficult to avoid

• Camelot uses free air time each week to blatantly advertise the Lottery

• The televised draw advertises the simplicity of winning, while hiding the huge number of losers (Walker, 1992, in Griffiths, 1997)

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Gambling and the media

3 Situational characteristics that encourage gambling• features of environment – location of gambling outlet • number in specified area• Use of advertising in inducement techniques

Why (according to Griffiths 1997) have these characteristics been crucial in the success of the N.L?• Heavily advertised on billboards, television and national papers• Accessibility widespread – difficult to avoid• ‘National Lottery is more salient than other forms of gambling, which do not have the same freedoms to advertise or have their own television show

Note: National Lottery advertising is both ‘slick’ and ‘persuasive’. Designed to make people believe they have a good chance of winning the jackpot It also plays to people’s altruistic tendencies – everyone’s a winner The reality is - there is a 13,983,816 - 1 chance (or approximately 14 million - 1 chance that you will win anything!! (UK Gov 2002)

Now question time ..

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ESSAY QUESTION

“Discuss the role of the media in explaining addictive behaviour” ( 4 + 8 marks)