Topic: Social Networking, Technology and Culture

• Aim: In what ways have technology & social media changed our communication with others?

• Do Now: Which social media sites do you have an account with? Which do you not? Why?

“If Facebook was a country, it would be the 3rd most populous in the world, right behind China and India”

What is Social Media?• “Social media describes the online technologies and practices that people use to share content, opinions, insights, experiences, perspectives, and media themselves.”

Facebook/Social Media Discussion:

1. How much time do you spend on Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, or other sites?

2. In what ways have social networking sites changed the ways (both good and bad) in which people communicate?

Facebook Addiction?• Katie Hafner of the New York Times reports that some teenagers are deactivating their Facebook accounts because they recognize they are becoming addicted or at least dangerously distracted by the lure of the login.How much time do you spend on Facebook? How do you think it affects you?

Social Media and the Self

Major Theorists of the Self

Charles Horton Cooley

George Herbert Mead

Cooley’s “Looking Glass

Self”

Believed that we learn who we are through our interactions with others. The phrase ‘looking glass self’ emphasizes this point with 3 phases:Phase 1: we imagine how we present ourselves to othersPhase 2: we imagine how other evaluate us (attractive, funny, strange)Phase 3: we develop feelings (shame, pride) based on these.

Mead’s Stages of the Self

Preparatory Stage: children imitate those around them- as they age children begin to use symbols (gestures/words) to communicate.

Play Stage: children beginto pretend to be others -Role taking = mentally assuming perspective another.

Game Stage: Child of 8 or 9 yrs. No longer just play roles, but begin tounderstand the tasks and relationships of others. Mead used the term “generalized self” to refer to attitudes, viewpoints, of society that childtakes into consideration in his/her behavior.

Irving Goffman: Presentation of the Self

Impression Management:How we learn to create distinctive

Images of ourselves for Particular people we’ll

Be around

Face-Work: face-saving behaviorWe initiate when we feel Embarrassed or rejected

Media Dysfunction Discussion

1. How much do you consume media/social media in a given day (print, music, electronic, including TV./internet, etc.)?

2. Should monitoring be in place to sensor the content of TV shows, movies, or music? When? In what context? For what ages? By who?

3. In what ways can the media shape our perception of things (how we think about them?) - think sociologically (races, genders, people of different social classes, American values, etc)

Social Media and Relationships:

• How does social media impact behavior of those already in relationships? How does it shape perception?

• In what ways do you think image-based sites such Instagram impact perception of women?

1. How has social media impacted the dating habits/rituals that we discussed in our unit on the family?

2. What are the pros/cons?

3. What do you think of race/ethnically specific sites?

4. What do you think are common deceptions used in online dating communications?

–Dysfunctional Media: The Narcotizing Effect refer to the phenomenon whereby the media provide such massive amounts of information that the audience becomes numb and generally fails to act on the information, regardless of how compelling the issue.

Technology and Communication:

1.How important is your cell phone to your life?

2.How do you think cell phones and cell phone technology has changed the way people communicate? (texting vs. talking, etc)

3.How do you think people in other cultures communicate in the absence of this technology?

Sociological Perspectives of the Media

–Conflict theorists emphasize that the media reflect and even exacerbate many of the divisions of our society and world, including:•Gender•Race•Social Class•Religion

Sociological Perspectives of the Media

•Globalization projects the dominating reach of the U.S. media into the rest of the world•Media cultural exports undermine the distinctive traditions and art forms of other societies and encourage their cultural and economic dependence on the U.S.

• Conflict View–Dominant Ideology: Whose Culture?

• A campaign addressing African-American stereotypes shown in the media, primarily television and music. Two posters were developed: one for young males and one for young females. Each poster displays common stereotypes associated with gender and how it's affecting the youth.

• "The portrayal of young black women and men in the media set the standard for how many Americans associate behavior with race. There are very few images of black women and men in the media that aren’t hypersexual, vulgar & violent.”

• Tests show most Americans learn more about race from television instead of personal interaction.

Sociological Perspectives of the Media:

1.Agent of Socialization: presents a common view of culture through mass communication

2.Enforcer of Social Norms: Reaffirms proper behaviors, cultural values, and norms

3.Status: Confers status on people, organizations, and public issues. “Internet Celebrities” being “YouTube/Instagram famous”

4. Information: Media serves to keep us informed about events, both local and international (politics, economics, general news, etc)

5. Promotes consumption: Advertisements encourage people to buy products. Advertising uses cultural techniques such as…

1.Stacking: list of reasons why the product or service is good

2.Repetition: makes product or service familiar to consumer

3.Slogan: identifies product or service with an idea (“Have it Your Way”)

4.Logo: identifies product or service with a symbol5.Snob Appeal: associates product or service with a personality or lifestyle

6.Cause and Effect: use this product or service and your problems will disappear

7.Emotional Appeal: uses emotion to sell a product or service (pity, fear, patriotism, happiness, etc.)

8.Testimonial: someone endorses the product9.Sex Appeal: the product will enhance you sexual attractiveness.

10.Bandwagon: uses peer pressure to influence the consumer. If everyone else is doing it so should you.

11.Technical Jargon: uses technical words to impress consumers

• I got my black shirt on. I got my black gloves on.

I got my ski mask on. This @#$%!’s been too

long. I got my twelve gauge

sawed off. I got my headlights turned

off. I'm 'bout to bust some

shots off. I'm 'bout to dust some

cops off.

I'm a cop killer, better you than me.

Cop killer, @#$%! police brutality!

Cop killer, I know your family's grieving,

(@#$! 'em!) Cop killer, but tonight we

get even, ha ha

1960 Presidential Debate: First Televised Debate