The effects debate - blog tasks
1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Are you violent in ‘real life’?
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it?
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about?
1: I play violent games (overwatch) but I wouldn't say i'm violent in real life, the only time I feel really angry is when I die or something happens that annoys me in-game.
2: Maybe when I was younger, I would really want to buy something advertised on TV and I would feel like I would feel like i've achieved something greater if i've bought a product that was advertised on TV but now, i'm more aware that the stuff you see on tv is a rip off and if you do your research, you can find the same product for a cheaper price.
3: For me, it would be the other way around, I would be focused on an issue and watch a documentary on it or I would see a video about an issue I would want to learn more about and then watch a documentary about it.
2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?
• Direct Effect Theories
• Diffusion Theories
• Indirect Effect Theories
• The Pluralist Approach
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?
Some texts which have been blamed for specific events:
• Child’s Play – The murder of Jamie Bulger
• Marilyn Manson – The Columbine High School shootings
• Natural Born Killers – a number of murders committed by romantically linked couples. in one case, the director was sued for inciting violence although the court case was later dismissed
4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
The 1999 Columbine massacre was a school shooting that happened on april 20, 1999 in Columbine, in the american state of colorado. 12 students were killed and 1 teacher. The massacre has been reported as "the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. Marilyn Manson was accused of causing the massacre because the two students that shot up the school were listening to his music and people called his music "violent".
5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?
The Columbine High School shootings occurred due to a complex relationship between:
• The ease of access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership
• The alienation felt by teenagers who felt as though they did not fit in
• The hopelessness caused by living in an area where unemployment was high and was economically disadvantaged
• The general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images: film, TV, the news, the internet. This was the argument offered by Michael Moore in his film Bowling for Columbine
6) What does Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggest?
Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggests the way the media affects attitudes rather than behaviour. The media is seen as part of our socialisation process, communicating ‘appropriate’ attitudes and the norms and values of the culture. According to this theory, while any one media text does not have too much effect, repeated exposure to certain ideas and values may make the audience less critical of the ideas presented as they appear ‘normal’.
7) How does this front page of the Daily Mail (from this week - Wednesday 16 November) link to Cultivation theory? The Mail Online version of the story is here.
This front page of the Daily Mail links to Cultivation theory because it shows that under 5 year olds are being fixed to screens and it's becoming the norm that under 5's spend more than 2 hours on digital screens. Whereas in the past, even 1 hour would have been considered too high.
8) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
The repetition of the values makes them
appear natural and the texts do not always encourage the
audience to question the values presented. Essentially
violence is supported in action films as a method for the
hero to reach his goal. The only difference between him
and the villain is that we agree with the hero’s motivations.
9) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but
does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of
Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a
problem whereas games and television programmes are open to
criticism.
10) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
Some texts from the past seem very strange to us. A very popular sitcom in the 1970s called Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers, racist and offensive. Times have changed and so have people’s attitudes and values. What was acceptable as the topic for comedy some decades ago, no longer is.
11) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
• The Sun and The Guardian may report the same ‘facts’ very differently
• Media producers can never guarantee that all audience members will interpret (decode) information in the same way
•Audience members will have different experiences and opinions and, therefore, interpret media texts differently
12) Which audience theory do you think is most convincing? Why? It is important that you develop critical autonomy in judging the arguments for and against different theories and form your own opinion on these issues.
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Are you violent in ‘real life’?
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it?
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about?
1: I play violent games (overwatch) but I wouldn't say i'm violent in real life, the only time I feel really angry is when I die or something happens that annoys me in-game.
2: Maybe when I was younger, I would really want to buy something advertised on TV and I would feel like I would feel like i've achieved something greater if i've bought a product that was advertised on TV but now, i'm more aware that the stuff you see on tv is a rip off and if you do your research, you can find the same product for a cheaper price.
3: For me, it would be the other way around, I would be focused on an issue and watch a documentary on it or I would see a video about an issue I would want to learn more about and then watch a documentary about it.
2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?
• Direct Effect Theories
• Diffusion Theories
• Indirect Effect Theories
• The Pluralist Approach
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?
Some texts which have been blamed for specific events:
• Child’s Play – The murder of Jamie Bulger
• Marilyn Manson – The Columbine High School shootings
• Natural Born Killers – a number of murders committed by romantically linked couples. in one case, the director was sued for inciting violence although the court case was later dismissed
4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
The 1999 Columbine massacre was a school shooting that happened on april 20, 1999 in Columbine, in the american state of colorado. 12 students were killed and 1 teacher. The massacre has been reported as "the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history. Marilyn Manson was accused of causing the massacre because the two students that shot up the school were listening to his music and people called his music "violent".
5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?
The Columbine High School shootings occurred due to a complex relationship between:
• The ease of access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership
• The alienation felt by teenagers who felt as though they did not fit in
• The hopelessness caused by living in an area where unemployment was high and was economically disadvantaged
• The general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images: film, TV, the news, the internet. This was the argument offered by Michael Moore in his film Bowling for Columbine
6) What does Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggest?
Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggests the way the media affects attitudes rather than behaviour. The media is seen as part of our socialisation process, communicating ‘appropriate’ attitudes and the norms and values of the culture. According to this theory, while any one media text does not have too much effect, repeated exposure to certain ideas and values may make the audience less critical of the ideas presented as they appear ‘normal’.
7) How does this front page of the Daily Mail (from this week - Wednesday 16 November) link to Cultivation theory? The Mail Online version of the story is here.
This front page of the Daily Mail links to Cultivation theory because it shows that under 5 year olds are being fixed to screens and it's becoming the norm that under 5's spend more than 2 hours on digital screens. Whereas in the past, even 1 hour would have been considered too high.
8) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
The repetition of the values makes them
appear natural and the texts do not always encourage the
audience to question the values presented. Essentially
violence is supported in action films as a method for the
hero to reach his goal. The only difference between him
and the villain is that we agree with the hero’s motivations.
9) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but
does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of
Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a
problem whereas games and television programmes are open to
criticism.
10) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
Some texts from the past seem very strange to us. A very popular sitcom in the 1970s called Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers, racist and offensive. Times have changed and so have people’s attitudes and values. What was acceptable as the topic for comedy some decades ago, no longer is.
11) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
• The Sun and The Guardian may report the same ‘facts’ very differently
• Media producers can never guarantee that all audience members will interpret (decode) information in the same way
•Audience members will have different experiences and opinions and, therefore, interpret media texts differently
12) Which audience theory do you think is most convincing? Why? It is important that you develop critical autonomy in judging the arguments for and against different theories and form your own opinion on these issues.
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