Audience theory 2: blog tasks

 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 responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence as they have control to what is given to audiences which majorly impacts behaviours upon society .

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.

Social learning theory is prominent in this era as audiences receive through social media and frequently upon on what is given to them .

3) Research three 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?

Killer clowns - 2016 

Secret Nazis - 2016 

Sex recession - 2018 

The media had a huge responsibility of the increasing of awareness for these panics in society , they also constructed the stories presented to audiences . The concern was justified with the end of these events . Audiences may have become less gullible due to receiving information about false measures that were taken in the production .

4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society? 

Child safety, digital privacy, and cybersecurity.


5) 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 . This is because younger audiences all have access to the internet and due to the explicit content which is available on the internet the government should have control of what society can access .

6) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? Are we becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse? Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? Write a paragraph discussing these ideas.

I believe that Gerbner's theory is dominant in today's society with the increase in use of media and the allowance of anyone to display thoughts which causes an increase in society's belief to be reflected upon based on what they intake from the internet . The internet may cause increase in fear to society due to an increase of advanced information which is accessible . Online threats aren't seen as dangerous as they could potentially be as some stories signify the danger however they are mostly looked past and forgotten about . A decrease of internet use is needed to take place as it has clearly had damaging effects upon the youth and will further continue to do so .

 access it via your school Google login here.

1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')

. I play some shooting games and watch fighting sports . I'm not violent but fighting sports influence me to train on how to fight

. Sometimes if the product may have an effect in my life

. No I don't really watch documentaries 

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? 

• 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.

4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.

The Columbine High School massacre, commonly referred to as Columbine, was a school shooting and attempted bombing that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States.^[b] The perpetrators, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered twelve students and one teacher. Ten of the twelve students killed were in the school library, where Harris and Klebold subsequently committed suicide. Twenty-one additional people were injured by gunshots, and gunfire was also exchanged with the police. Another three people were injured trying to escape. 

5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?

Psychological issues .

6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?

That it's a theory that considers the way the media affects attitudes rather than behaviour.

7) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?

It suggests that violent films , values and ideologies may negatively impact the audience and influence them in their actions .

8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?

Direct Effect Theories and indirect Effect Theories .

9) 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?

These days, love thy neighbour is viewed as more contentious as the sitcom's comedy is viewed as offensive and racist. Social changes over time give rise to concepts that are more or less accepted in society, and as a result, how we view media is ultimately shaped by both our personal and society's current points of view.

10) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?

Dominant - Acceptance of intended meaning

Negotiated - A broad acceptance of meaning with own personal modification

Oppositional - An understanding of the intended meaning but a rejection of it in favour of one created by the individual