Lecture 2: Theories (Margot Peeters)
Uses and gratification theory
- People actively seek for media that satisfy their needs
- These different needs are identity, relationships, relaxation/entertainment, knowledge.
- Influenced by personality differences
- Different media compete with each other
Ecological perspective (Bronfenbrenner)
Social comparison theory (Festinger)
Individuals have a need for accurate self-evaluation. They fulfill this need by comparing their
own attitudes and abilities to other
- Upward social comparison: comparing yourself to someone who is better off
- Downward social comparison: comparing yourself to someone who does not have as
much resources as you do
Social identity theory (Tajfel)
- Individuals are socially categorized based on shared beliefs, looks, attitudes
- The self-concept is derived from group membership. Ingroup versus outgroup
(vaccinated vs not vaccinated), people favor those in their own groups and can
possibly see the others as lower. Distinction between yourself and the outgroup.
- Digital media preferences serve as a “badge”
- (social) identity is more transient, fluid on the internet -> you get to choose to which
group you belong or what parts of your identity you present
Priming theory
- Priming: Media messages are perceived in relation to our previous preconceptions and
beliefs. Or beliefs and preconceptions can bias our view/perspective.
- For instance: a father and a son get in a car crash, the son is rushed to the hospital to
go under the knife, but the surgeon says, “I can’t operate- this boy is my son!”
, The answer is the mother, but there are tendencies to immediately say “it’s the father”
or “it is not possible” because we have preconceptions about who is qualified to
become a surgeon.
Framing theory
- Framing: presenting a message in a particular context/frame, influencing perceptions
of the user. Either increasing or decreasing the likelihood of certain interpretations
Difference between priming and framing: priming is triggering existing knowledge and
framing is putting it into a different context
Social learning theory
- Similarities increase learning; Learning process that takes place by observing role
models. Learning will increase when you feel connected to someone, so you will learn
more from close friends.
- Similarity in gender, ethnicity, values and beliefs also increase the learning process
Self-determination theory (media use)
- Social and contextual factors that facilitate or hider motivation and psychological
development. If you are connected to people by social media, it increases feelings of
being related. That will motivate people to continue their behavior.
Reinforcing spirals model
- Framework that explains how attitudes are formed by, and form media use
- Describes the role of media in socialization processes.
- Model assumes that attitudes influence the selection of media, though these attitudes
are also affected by media.
Mechanism
When using media, these needs present themselves and are trying to be achieved by using
media:
- Need to belong/relatedness
- Need for competence
- Need for autonomy
- (social) identification
- Mood regulation
, Lecture 3: Music part 1 (Tom ter Bogt)
Music is not a thing, but an activity that connects us to other people
1. Our musical brain
- Beat induction: we can listen to a beat and act accordingly, so we can synchronize our
actions (when you hear the beat, you can act synchronized to the beat)
- “Everybody” is musical; everyone is capable of finding a beat and synchronize with
other people
- Language -> communication; Musicking -> bonding & mood management (important
for survival of human species)
- No human civilization has ever been found without music
Preliminary conclusions
- We are a musical species
- We have a musical brain
- “Everybody” is musical (some more than other)
- Musicking makes you feel good and bonds
- Why do we have music? It is important for survival as a social species
2. Importance of music
- A lot of adolescents believe they can’t live without music
3. Which music genres are popular?
5 types of music (the terms between brackets are terms defined by Rentfrow et al. (2011)):
- Pop (unpretentious): Top 40, NL pop, Smartlap
- Urban (contemporary): Hip Hop, R&B, Reggae
- Dance (mellow): Dance, House, Trance, Techno
- Rock (intense): Rock, Metal, Punk, Alternative, Gothic
- Highbrow (sophisticated): Classic, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Reggae, World
Preliminary conclusions
- Top 40, Urban and Dance are very popular (at least among teens/adolescents in The
Netherlands)
- Rock has become less popular
- (Extreme) Rock and classical music unpopular
- Dance is/has become real “youth music”
- Sophisticated (classic) and unpretentious music (pop) more popular later in life
- Intense (rock) and rebellious (hip hop) music less popular later in life
4. Why do adolescents listen to music?
3 or 4 functions of listening
Schaefer et al. (2013): Ter Bogt et al. (2011):
Mood arousal/management Mood management, coping
Self-awareness Identity
Social relatedness Social identity
Uses and gratification theory
- People actively seek for media that satisfy their needs
- These different needs are identity, relationships, relaxation/entertainment, knowledge.
- Influenced by personality differences
- Different media compete with each other
Ecological perspective (Bronfenbrenner)
Social comparison theory (Festinger)
Individuals have a need for accurate self-evaluation. They fulfill this need by comparing their
own attitudes and abilities to other
- Upward social comparison: comparing yourself to someone who is better off
- Downward social comparison: comparing yourself to someone who does not have as
much resources as you do
Social identity theory (Tajfel)
- Individuals are socially categorized based on shared beliefs, looks, attitudes
- The self-concept is derived from group membership. Ingroup versus outgroup
(vaccinated vs not vaccinated), people favor those in their own groups and can
possibly see the others as lower. Distinction between yourself and the outgroup.
- Digital media preferences serve as a “badge”
- (social) identity is more transient, fluid on the internet -> you get to choose to which
group you belong or what parts of your identity you present
Priming theory
- Priming: Media messages are perceived in relation to our previous preconceptions and
beliefs. Or beliefs and preconceptions can bias our view/perspective.
- For instance: a father and a son get in a car crash, the son is rushed to the hospital to
go under the knife, but the surgeon says, “I can’t operate- this boy is my son!”
, The answer is the mother, but there are tendencies to immediately say “it’s the father”
or “it is not possible” because we have preconceptions about who is qualified to
become a surgeon.
Framing theory
- Framing: presenting a message in a particular context/frame, influencing perceptions
of the user. Either increasing or decreasing the likelihood of certain interpretations
Difference between priming and framing: priming is triggering existing knowledge and
framing is putting it into a different context
Social learning theory
- Similarities increase learning; Learning process that takes place by observing role
models. Learning will increase when you feel connected to someone, so you will learn
more from close friends.
- Similarity in gender, ethnicity, values and beliefs also increase the learning process
Self-determination theory (media use)
- Social and contextual factors that facilitate or hider motivation and psychological
development. If you are connected to people by social media, it increases feelings of
being related. That will motivate people to continue their behavior.
Reinforcing spirals model
- Framework that explains how attitudes are formed by, and form media use
- Describes the role of media in socialization processes.
- Model assumes that attitudes influence the selection of media, though these attitudes
are also affected by media.
Mechanism
When using media, these needs present themselves and are trying to be achieved by using
media:
- Need to belong/relatedness
- Need for competence
- Need for autonomy
- (social) identification
- Mood regulation
, Lecture 3: Music part 1 (Tom ter Bogt)
Music is not a thing, but an activity that connects us to other people
1. Our musical brain
- Beat induction: we can listen to a beat and act accordingly, so we can synchronize our
actions (when you hear the beat, you can act synchronized to the beat)
- “Everybody” is musical; everyone is capable of finding a beat and synchronize with
other people
- Language -> communication; Musicking -> bonding & mood management (important
for survival of human species)
- No human civilization has ever been found without music
Preliminary conclusions
- We are a musical species
- We have a musical brain
- “Everybody” is musical (some more than other)
- Musicking makes you feel good and bonds
- Why do we have music? It is important for survival as a social species
2. Importance of music
- A lot of adolescents believe they can’t live without music
3. Which music genres are popular?
5 types of music (the terms between brackets are terms defined by Rentfrow et al. (2011)):
- Pop (unpretentious): Top 40, NL pop, Smartlap
- Urban (contemporary): Hip Hop, R&B, Reggae
- Dance (mellow): Dance, House, Trance, Techno
- Rock (intense): Rock, Metal, Punk, Alternative, Gothic
- Highbrow (sophisticated): Classic, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Reggae, World
Preliminary conclusions
- Top 40, Urban and Dance are very popular (at least among teens/adolescents in The
Netherlands)
- Rock has become less popular
- (Extreme) Rock and classical music unpopular
- Dance is/has become real “youth music”
- Sophisticated (classic) and unpretentious music (pop) more popular later in life
- Intense (rock) and rebellious (hip hop) music less popular later in life
4. Why do adolescents listen to music?
3 or 4 functions of listening
Schaefer et al. (2013): Ter Bogt et al. (2011):
Mood arousal/management Mood management, coping
Self-awareness Identity
Social relatedness Social identity
