COMS 330 EXAM LATEST UPDATE
Definition of CA - ANSWER media determines the important issues we think about
What kind of communication is CA? - ANSWER Mass communication
Why is CA a critical theory? - ANSWER because it encourages people to do something to
change the status quo.
What are the assumptions of CA? - ANSWER Television is different from other forms of
mass media,Television shapes our society's ways of thinking and relating, The influence
of television is limited
What is the 'ice age' analogy? - ANSWER just as an average temperature shift of a few
degrees can lead to an ice age or the outcomes of elections can be determined by slight
margins, so too can a relatively small but pervasive influence make a crucial difference.
What are the goals of CA theory? - ANSWER -CA explains and predicts the influence of
media on viewers' perceived reality.
-CA is also a critical theory, because it encourages people to do something to change
the status quo.
What is the concept of cultivation? - ANSWER the power of the media (TV) on peoples
perceptions of reality
What is mainstreaming? - ANSWER As a result of heavy viewing, peoples constructed
social realities more toward the mainstream, not a mainstream in the political sense but
a culturally dominant reality that is more similar to TV's reality than to any measurable
objective external reality.
What is resonance? - ANSWER when things on TV are in fact congruent with viewers
actual everyday realities. Defined as a behavior that occurs when a viewers lived reality
coincides w/the reality pictured in the media
What are first order effects? - ANSWER learning facts from the media
Ex. How many employed males are involved in law enforcement
What are second order effects? - ANSWER learning values and assumptions from the
media
Ex. Questions like do you think people are basically honest?
CA theorists argued that TV produces perceptions of a mean world index? - ANSWER
-Most people are just looking out for themselves
, -You can't be too careful in dealing with people
-Most people would take advantage of you if they got the chance
What are the 3 B's? - ANSWER Blurring traditional distinctions
Ex. Educated people see the world similarly to those who have less education
Blending realities
Ex. We agree on whats real
Bending the mainstream reality to benefit the elite
Ex. We all want to buy more products
What is PROD? - ANSWER Proportional representation of diversity: Goal of the index
was to examine the distortion in representation of various co-cultures; the index
determined how well or poorly groups were represented on TV relative to their numbers
in the population.
What are CA's strengths? - ANSWER -Heuristic
-One of the most frequently used theory in mass communication
What are the criticisms? - ANSWER Logical Consistency
-Research methods do not match conceptual reach
Utility
-Ignores perceived realism
Test of Time
-Times and media use are changing
What is the meta theoretical stance? - ANSWER Social Scientific and Critical Approach
What is Uses and Gratification theory? - ANSWER -Media has a limited effect because of
user control
-People are selective and choose media to satisfy their needs
-What do people do with media?
What kind of communication is Uses and gratification? - ANSWER Mass Communication
Why was the U&G theory developed? - ANSWER Stage one: extending the needs and
motivation theory (Maslow)
Stage two: Creating typologies representing reasons for media use table 23.1
Definition of CA - ANSWER media determines the important issues we think about
What kind of communication is CA? - ANSWER Mass communication
Why is CA a critical theory? - ANSWER because it encourages people to do something to
change the status quo.
What are the assumptions of CA? - ANSWER Television is different from other forms of
mass media,Television shapes our society's ways of thinking and relating, The influence
of television is limited
What is the 'ice age' analogy? - ANSWER just as an average temperature shift of a few
degrees can lead to an ice age or the outcomes of elections can be determined by slight
margins, so too can a relatively small but pervasive influence make a crucial difference.
What are the goals of CA theory? - ANSWER -CA explains and predicts the influence of
media on viewers' perceived reality.
-CA is also a critical theory, because it encourages people to do something to change
the status quo.
What is the concept of cultivation? - ANSWER the power of the media (TV) on peoples
perceptions of reality
What is mainstreaming? - ANSWER As a result of heavy viewing, peoples constructed
social realities more toward the mainstream, not a mainstream in the political sense but
a culturally dominant reality that is more similar to TV's reality than to any measurable
objective external reality.
What is resonance? - ANSWER when things on TV are in fact congruent with viewers
actual everyday realities. Defined as a behavior that occurs when a viewers lived reality
coincides w/the reality pictured in the media
What are first order effects? - ANSWER learning facts from the media
Ex. How many employed males are involved in law enforcement
What are second order effects? - ANSWER learning values and assumptions from the
media
Ex. Questions like do you think people are basically honest?
CA theorists argued that TV produces perceptions of a mean world index? - ANSWER
-Most people are just looking out for themselves
, -You can't be too careful in dealing with people
-Most people would take advantage of you if they got the chance
What are the 3 B's? - ANSWER Blurring traditional distinctions
Ex. Educated people see the world similarly to those who have less education
Blending realities
Ex. We agree on whats real
Bending the mainstream reality to benefit the elite
Ex. We all want to buy more products
What is PROD? - ANSWER Proportional representation of diversity: Goal of the index
was to examine the distortion in representation of various co-cultures; the index
determined how well or poorly groups were represented on TV relative to their numbers
in the population.
What are CA's strengths? - ANSWER -Heuristic
-One of the most frequently used theory in mass communication
What are the criticisms? - ANSWER Logical Consistency
-Research methods do not match conceptual reach
Utility
-Ignores perceived realism
Test of Time
-Times and media use are changing
What is the meta theoretical stance? - ANSWER Social Scientific and Critical Approach
What is Uses and Gratification theory? - ANSWER -Media has a limited effect because of
user control
-People are selective and choose media to satisfy their needs
-What do people do with media?
What kind of communication is Uses and gratification? - ANSWER Mass Communication
Why was the U&G theory developed? - ANSWER Stage one: extending the needs and
motivation theory (Maslow)
Stage two: Creating typologies representing reasons for media use table 23.1
