Audience Theory 2 - blog tasks
Bandura: Social learning theory
Albert Bandura’s social learning theory came from an influential psychology study involving a bobo doll and children’s behaviour after observing violent acts.
Social learning theory suggests people learn from one another, via observation, imitation, and modeling.
Stanley Cohen: moral panic
Moral Panic occurs when someone or something is defined by the media as a threat to society. The term was created by Stanley Cohen.
Cohen suggested in his 1972 book ‘Folk Devils and Moral Panics’ that a moral panic occurs when a “condition, episode, person or group of people emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests”.
Cohen suggested the media plays an important role in creating moral panic, even if just through news reports.
Cohen defined his five stages of moral panic as:
1) Something or someone is defined as a threat to values or interests
2) This threat is depicted in an easily recognisable form by the media
3) There is a rapid build-up of public concern
4) There is a response from authorities or opinion makers
5) The panic recedes or results in social changes
Technopanic: the modern moral panic
A technopanic is simply a moral panic that focuses on something linked to new technology.
1) Social learning theory has been criticised for simplifying the causes of violence in society. Do you think the media is responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence?
I think the media is mostly responsible for anti social behaviour and violence because if it wasn't for the widespread use of media, then no one would have get any ideas of being anti social or find new ways of being violent, I think my point is supported by the way slang is used in London and many other places, slang words would have been shared through media and that's how many people know about them today. Without the media, it would have been very hard to share new slang words. This could be used in the same way anti social behaviour and violence is shared through the media.
2) How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.
I really think social learning theory is still very relevant in the digital age, young people are now learning new behaviour and it is mostly because of social media and the internet, I would say a way that young people are learning new behaviour is by; the way their use of slang is sourced from the media, young people are constantly on social networking sites and this is how they understand and say new slang words, another way would be how they watch YouTube and watch new videos from up coming UK grime artists, children have to stay relevant to their friends in school and this is why they are always up to date with new grime songs, they watch the video and take new ideas from these grime artists and become to act like them.
3) Research five examples of moral panic from the last 50 years. To what extent was the media responsible for these moral panics? Was the concern in society justified? How have things changed as a result of these moral panics?
1: Baltimore Riots 2015
2: London Riots 2011
3: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks 2001
4: Acid Attacks 2017
5: Paris Terrorist Attack 2015
1: Baltimore riots was caused by the injury of a African american man named Freddie Gray, he was arrested but still in good health, only when he was transported in the police van, he sustained neck injury, injury to his vocal cord and spine, this led to a coma and a week after he was arrested, he died. This sparked the Baltimore Riots. This is linked to moral panic because when the Baltimore Riots were happening, the media was sharing images of people in distress and showed everyone rioting and vandalising property. They did not document the peaceful riots and made everyone believe that all the protesters were violent and aggressive.
2: Similar to Baltimore Riots, the riots were caused by police brutality. A man named Mark Duggan was accused of being in possession of a hand gun but was shot in the chest and it killed him. This caused the London riots. This is linked to moral panics because the youth at the time were very easily manipulated, their older brothers and possible sisters made them believe that rioting is good and that they should hate the police.
3: The 9/11 terrorist attack was a terrorist attack from members of the taliban. 4 planes were hijacked and 2 planes hit the north face of the north tower and the other one hit the south face of the south tower. One of the planes hit the pentagon and started a fire and the other plane crashed onto the floor but it was aiming for the white house. This is linked to moral panics because there was a lot of controversy about the media covering up for the president about him being responsible for 9/11.
4: The acid attacks in london was caused gangs throwing acid in a bottle on people in the public. This is linked to moral panics because it raised awareness to the public about where acid attacks were most common and where were less vulnerable. This deterred some people to not visit the more vulnerable places.
5: The Paris terrorist attacks in 2015 was caused by members of ISIS. This is linked to moral panics because it raised even more awareness about ISIS and it gave the public more awareness about who ISIS are and what they do. This also most likely made some of the public racist to muslims because they think that all muslims are terrorists.
4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society?
The examples that are given are; child safety, digital privacy, cybersecurity
5) How does the author suggest that technopanics should be addressed - rather than through government regulation?
"they are best addressed by ongoing societal learning, experimentation, resiliency, and coping strategies rather than by regulation"
6) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?
I think the internet should be regulated to some extent but it all depends on the person that is viewing the internet, if they want to see someone get killed and want to see blood, then they may do that. It just depends on whether they take that information and use it to kill or if they use it just for knowledge for whatever reason. The government should just regulate on things that are illegal such as child pornography or buying illegal weapons.
7) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? is the public becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse?
I think the internet is allowing people to feel less impacted and it gives them guidance on what to do if they encounter online threats, trolling or abuse. If the people do not see these types of things happening or if it is not happening to them already, they will feel more vulnerable to the people sending these things. For example, if I was to get sent a message "you're ugly" I really would not care whereas if I haven't seen these messages being sent to others, I would feel a lot more bad about myself because I would be more self conscious. So I think the internet isn't creating a fearful population but a more decisive population.
8) Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? How would you define 'heavy internet use'?
I would define heavy internet use: spending 6+ hours time on the internet. I think we shouldn't be worried about heavy internet use because it is not something that can be regulated because even if there was a ban on spending more than 6+ hours on the internet, minorities in the society will find a way to bypass the system and spend more time on the internet, or there could be protesting on allowing the public spend more than 6+ hours on the internet. I think that we should just go with the flow and see where it takes us because more and more people are spending time on the internet but maybe it could be beneficial because they're earning money or getting more knowledge.
Albert Bandura’s social learning theory came from an influential psychology study involving a bobo doll and children’s behaviour after observing violent acts.
Social learning theory suggests people learn from one another, via observation, imitation, and modeling.
Stanley Cohen: moral panic
Moral Panic occurs when someone or something is defined by the media as a threat to society. The term was created by Stanley Cohen.
Cohen suggested in his 1972 book ‘Folk Devils and Moral Panics’ that a moral panic occurs when a “condition, episode, person or group of people emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests”.
Cohen suggested the media plays an important role in creating moral panic, even if just through news reports.
1) Something or someone is defined as a threat to values or interests
2) This threat is depicted in an easily recognisable form by the media
3) There is a rapid build-up of public concern
4) There is a response from authorities or opinion makers
5) The panic recedes or results in social changes
Technopanic: the modern moral panic
A technopanic is simply a moral panic that focuses on something linked to new technology.
George Gerbner: Cultivation theory
George Gerbner researched whether watching television influences the audience's ideas and perception of everyday life.
Cultivation theories suggest that TV viewing can have long-term, gradual but significant effects on the audience’s attitudes and beliefs (rather than behaviour).
Gerbner’s Cultivation theory states that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid.
Heavy viewers are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome, the belief that the world is a far worse and dangerous place than it actually is.
George Gerbner researched whether watching television influences the audience's ideas and perception of everyday life.
Cultivation theories suggest that TV viewing can have long-term, gradual but significant effects on the audience’s attitudes and beliefs (rather than behaviour).
Heavy viewers are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome, the belief that the world is a far worse and dangerous place than it actually is.
1) Social learning theory has been criticised for simplifying the causes of violence in society. Do you think the media is responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence?
I think the media is mostly responsible for anti social behaviour and violence because if it wasn't for the widespread use of media, then no one would have get any ideas of being anti social or find new ways of being violent, I think my point is supported by the way slang is used in London and many other places, slang words would have been shared through media and that's how many people know about them today. Without the media, it would have been very hard to share new slang words. This could be used in the same way anti social behaviour and violence is shared through the media.
2) How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.
I really think social learning theory is still very relevant in the digital age, young people are now learning new behaviour and it is mostly because of social media and the internet, I would say a way that young people are learning new behaviour is by; the way their use of slang is sourced from the media, young people are constantly on social networking sites and this is how they understand and say new slang words, another way would be how they watch YouTube and watch new videos from up coming UK grime artists, children have to stay relevant to their friends in school and this is why they are always up to date with new grime songs, they watch the video and take new ideas from these grime artists and become to act like them.
3) Research five examples of moral panic from the last 50 years. To what extent was the media responsible for these moral panics? Was the concern in society justified? How have things changed as a result of these moral panics?
1: Baltimore Riots 2015
2: London Riots 2011
3: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks 2001
4: Acid Attacks 2017
5: Paris Terrorist Attack 2015
1: Baltimore riots was caused by the injury of a African american man named Freddie Gray, he was arrested but still in good health, only when he was transported in the police van, he sustained neck injury, injury to his vocal cord and spine, this led to a coma and a week after he was arrested, he died. This sparked the Baltimore Riots. This is linked to moral panic because when the Baltimore Riots were happening, the media was sharing images of people in distress and showed everyone rioting and vandalising property. They did not document the peaceful riots and made everyone believe that all the protesters were violent and aggressive.
2: Similar to Baltimore Riots, the riots were caused by police brutality. A man named Mark Duggan was accused of being in possession of a hand gun but was shot in the chest and it killed him. This caused the London riots. This is linked to moral panics because the youth at the time were very easily manipulated, their older brothers and possible sisters made them believe that rioting is good and that they should hate the police.
3: The 9/11 terrorist attack was a terrorist attack from members of the taliban. 4 planes were hijacked and 2 planes hit the north face of the north tower and the other one hit the south face of the south tower. One of the planes hit the pentagon and started a fire and the other plane crashed onto the floor but it was aiming for the white house. This is linked to moral panics because there was a lot of controversy about the media covering up for the president about him being responsible for 9/11.
4: The acid attacks in london was caused gangs throwing acid in a bottle on people in the public. This is linked to moral panics because it raised awareness to the public about where acid attacks were most common and where were less vulnerable. This deterred some people to not visit the more vulnerable places.
5: The Paris terrorist attacks in 2015 was caused by members of ISIS. This is linked to moral panics because it raised even more awareness about ISIS and it gave the public more awareness about who ISIS are and what they do. This also most likely made some of the public racist to muslims because they think that all muslims are terrorists.
4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society?
The examples that are given are; child safety, digital privacy, cybersecurity
5) How does the author suggest that technopanics should be addressed - rather than through government regulation?
"they are best addressed by ongoing societal learning, experimentation, resiliency, and coping strategies rather than by regulation"
6) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?
I think the internet should be regulated to some extent but it all depends on the person that is viewing the internet, if they want to see someone get killed and want to see blood, then they may do that. It just depends on whether they take that information and use it to kill or if they use it just for knowledge for whatever reason. The government should just regulate on things that are illegal such as child pornography or buying illegal weapons.
7) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? is the public becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse?
I think the internet is allowing people to feel less impacted and it gives them guidance on what to do if they encounter online threats, trolling or abuse. If the people do not see these types of things happening or if it is not happening to them already, they will feel more vulnerable to the people sending these things. For example, if I was to get sent a message "you're ugly" I really would not care whereas if I haven't seen these messages being sent to others, I would feel a lot more bad about myself because I would be more self conscious. So I think the internet isn't creating a fearful population but a more decisive population.
8) Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? How would you define 'heavy internet use'?
I would define heavy internet use: spending 6+ hours time on the internet. I think we shouldn't be worried about heavy internet use because it is not something that can be regulated because even if there was a ban on spending more than 6+ hours on the internet, minorities in the society will find a way to bypass the system and spend more time on the internet, or there could be protesting on allowing the public spend more than 6+ hours on the internet. I think that we should just go with the flow and see where it takes us because more and more people are spending time on the internet but maybe it could be beneficial because they're earning money or getting more knowledge.
Comments
Post a Comment