Media Effects

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Media Effects

• COMM 2500
• November 25,2002
• Tim Larson

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Studying the Effects of the Electronic Media

• Experimental methods
• Take place in controlled laboratory conditions
  or more natural field conditions.
• Survey methods
• Can either sample the topics one time only or
  longitudinally over time.
• Panel studies
• Special type of longitudinal survey in which the
  same people are studied over time.
• Trend studies
• Content analysis
• Systematic method for analyzing and classifying
  communication content.

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Theories of Media Effects

• Hypodermic Needle theory
• Shoot beliefs in peoples minds
• Too simplistic
• Limited-Effects theory
• Persuasion is focus of this theory
• Two-step flow theory- Opinion leaders
• Joseph Klapper Mass communication alone does not
  ordinarily cause audience effects but instead
  functions primarily to reinforce existing
  conditions.
• Specific-Effects theory
• Media are not all powerful, they compete with or
  complement other important influences.
• Flashlight on a sunny day model.

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research

• 1. Video Violence
• Concerned with effect of TV on viewer
• Research evidence
• Catharsis theory
• Stimulation theory
• 2. Perceptions of Reality
• Concerned with TV viewers perception of reality
• Cultivation theory
• Mainstreaming
• Resonance

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• 3. Sex-Role Stereotyping
• Uses correlational approach
• Problems of causation
• Laboratory experiments
• Show that sex role beliefs can be affected by
  mass media exposure.
• Sometimes reinforce stereotypes they were meant
  to erase.

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• 4. Broadcasting and Politics
• Media influences on voting behavior
• Agenda setting
• Exit polls
• Media impact on the political system
• Mass media and political system are
  interdependent
• Direct evidence that mass media work to build
  political knowledge, shape political images and
  set agendas
• Not so apparent in terms of voter turnout and
  voter choice

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• 5. Television and Learning
• All the efforts youngsters invest in TV carry no
  measurable scholastic rewards.
• Heavy viewers have lower IQs than lighter
  viewers.
• Slight negative relationship between TV watching
  and school achievement.
• Children who watch news and educational programs
  get better grades.
• TV has negative effect on reading ability.
  However, Sesame Street Electric Company
  promote letter recognition and decoding skills
  which lead to better reading.
• TV can well teach youngsters specific skills.

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• 6. Television and Pro-social Behavior
• TV teaches certain cognitive skills that are
  necessary for school success.
• TV shows can help reduce gender-related
  stereotypes.
• Laboratory experiments suggest viewing commercial
  TV shows with definite pro-social messages can
  prompt subsequent pro-social behaviors. Doesnt
  carry over to real life, however.
• Sesame Street successes

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• Sesame Street successes
• Children who viewed Sesame Street regularly,
  either in school or at home, scored higher on
  tests measuring school readiness.
• The more children watched the program, the better
  their scores were.
• Disadvantaged children who were frequent viewers
  showed gains almost as great as their advantaged
  counterparts.
• Frequent viewers also seemed to develop more
  positive attitudes toward school in general.
• Children who were encouraged to view the program
  showed more gains than those who were not
  encouraged.

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Seven Most Investigated Topics in Broadcasting
Research (contd)

• 7. Social Impact of the Internet
• 58 million users in Canada and U.S.
• Time spent online displaces TV viewing
• Stacking
• Internet addiction
• Internet use appears to cause a decline in
  psychological well being --loneliness and lack of
  interaction even among email/chat users.
• Concern over exposure to pornographic sites.

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Future Social Concerns

• Digital divide Haves and Have nots.
• Problem of how to distribute equitably the
  information wealth.
• People who have little access to electronic
  databases will have less power than those who do.
• Information overload.
• Escapism and isolation.

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Conclusions about New Communication Technologies

• Will bring promise and peril.
• Will bring fundamental changes to our lives.
• Will require difficult decisions from
  policymakers and consumers.
• Will require us to learn more about them and what
  they can do.

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Overriding Conclusion

• The new technologies will best serve those who
  know how to use them. Loy Singleton,
  Telecommunication in the Information Age