ICS REVISION
Theory
= an umbrella term for all careful, systematic & self-conscious discussion &
analysis of communication phenomena;
= a set of systematic informed hunches about the way that things work.
= analogies: net (filters), lens (focuses), map (guides)
OBJECTIVE
o To observe, measure predict
o & explain human behaviour.
o 1 TRUTH
INTERPRETIVE
o The linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative
texts; assumes that multiple meanings or truths are possible
o MANY TRUTHS
Communication = the relational process of creating & interpreting messages that
elicit a response.
Powerful Media:
Reaches everyone, the audience is passive and gets a uniform effect
Hypodermic needle effect > Media -----> Effect
E.g. War of the Worlds (1938) > radio was the most powerful medium at
the time.
The Empirical Cycle:
,ICS REVISION
= the process of coming up with hypothesis about how things work and
testing these hypotheses against empirical data systematically.
Cultivation Theory
- Objective, George Gerbner (1975)
Suggests that repeated exposure to media, over time, subtly ‘cultivates’
viewer’s perception of reality (specifically TV).
- Gerbner: “TV is society’s storyteller, a common symbolic environment &
sources of broadly shared messages in history.” > enculturation (the
gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group
by a person, another culture, etc.)
- This shared perception can be explained by processes of:
- Mainstreaming = the blurring/blending process by which ‘heavy’ TV
viewers from separate groups develop a common outlook through
constant exposure to the same images & labels.
- Resonance = when the conditions of that exist in the viewer’s real-
life environment, are like the world of TV, causing a stronger
cultivation effect.
- Small-drip effect > not immediately effected after one viewing, but
repeated messages influence beliefs.
- 3 research foci:
1. Institutional Process Analysis
Look behind the scenes of a show, producer/company intent
2. Message System Analysis
, ICS REVISION
Content analysis of overarching patterns/themes in TV
Cultural indicators model
3. Cultivation Analysis
Effects of media entertainment
1st order effects: you believe what you see on TV
(estimation)
2nd order effects: those beliefs translate to real world
views
E.g. crime on TV > ‘mean-world’ belief
Cultivation difference (%) = percentage difference in
response between light and heavy viewers.
- Key assumptions:
1. The overall pattern in TV shows viewers a reality
2. This changes the viewer’s perception.
- Critique
1. Hard to establish causality
2. Nowadays we choose our media, there isn’t just one TV message
anymore.
3. The theory doesn’t account for individual susceptibility.
Pros: generated a lot of studies, raises awareness of Tv messages
- Example: Mental health decline of teens, and romanization of it in Skins.
Double dosing > many SESs, ethnicities & religions were
represented, every teen could relate thus all experienced stronger
cultivation effect
Mainstreaming > show was very popular, many demographics were
interested, many people developed the worldview that mental
health was fashionable, or influenced to take drugs etc.
Characters were attractive and shown in a positive light, Skins
depicted all the things that were taboo for teens and showed an
unrealistic reality of teenagerhood. These expectations influenced
young viewers to expect this way of life.
Social Learning Theory
- Objective, Albert Bandura (1963)
Suggests that new behaviours/attitudes can be acquired or learnt through
observing & imitating others.
Parents, peers, media characters
Who/how these behaviours/attitudes are presented influences its
learning & reproduction.
- Observational Learning
1. Attention
1. Simple to understand
2. Distinctive (to real life)
3. Prevalent (repeated)
4. Useful
5. Positive (reward, attractive character)
2. Retention
Theory
= an umbrella term for all careful, systematic & self-conscious discussion &
analysis of communication phenomena;
= a set of systematic informed hunches about the way that things work.
= analogies: net (filters), lens (focuses), map (guides)
OBJECTIVE
o To observe, measure predict
o & explain human behaviour.
o 1 TRUTH
INTERPRETIVE
o The linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative
texts; assumes that multiple meanings or truths are possible
o MANY TRUTHS
Communication = the relational process of creating & interpreting messages that
elicit a response.
Powerful Media:
Reaches everyone, the audience is passive and gets a uniform effect
Hypodermic needle effect > Media -----> Effect
E.g. War of the Worlds (1938) > radio was the most powerful medium at
the time.
The Empirical Cycle:
,ICS REVISION
= the process of coming up with hypothesis about how things work and
testing these hypotheses against empirical data systematically.
Cultivation Theory
- Objective, George Gerbner (1975)
Suggests that repeated exposure to media, over time, subtly ‘cultivates’
viewer’s perception of reality (specifically TV).
- Gerbner: “TV is society’s storyteller, a common symbolic environment &
sources of broadly shared messages in history.” > enculturation (the
gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture or group
by a person, another culture, etc.)
- This shared perception can be explained by processes of:
- Mainstreaming = the blurring/blending process by which ‘heavy’ TV
viewers from separate groups develop a common outlook through
constant exposure to the same images & labels.
- Resonance = when the conditions of that exist in the viewer’s real-
life environment, are like the world of TV, causing a stronger
cultivation effect.
- Small-drip effect > not immediately effected after one viewing, but
repeated messages influence beliefs.
- 3 research foci:
1. Institutional Process Analysis
Look behind the scenes of a show, producer/company intent
2. Message System Analysis
, ICS REVISION
Content analysis of overarching patterns/themes in TV
Cultural indicators model
3. Cultivation Analysis
Effects of media entertainment
1st order effects: you believe what you see on TV
(estimation)
2nd order effects: those beliefs translate to real world
views
E.g. crime on TV > ‘mean-world’ belief
Cultivation difference (%) = percentage difference in
response between light and heavy viewers.
- Key assumptions:
1. The overall pattern in TV shows viewers a reality
2. This changes the viewer’s perception.
- Critique
1. Hard to establish causality
2. Nowadays we choose our media, there isn’t just one TV message
anymore.
3. The theory doesn’t account for individual susceptibility.
Pros: generated a lot of studies, raises awareness of Tv messages
- Example: Mental health decline of teens, and romanization of it in Skins.
Double dosing > many SESs, ethnicities & religions were
represented, every teen could relate thus all experienced stronger
cultivation effect
Mainstreaming > show was very popular, many demographics were
interested, many people developed the worldview that mental
health was fashionable, or influenced to take drugs etc.
Characters were attractive and shown in a positive light, Skins
depicted all the things that were taboo for teens and showed an
unrealistic reality of teenagerhood. These expectations influenced
young viewers to expect this way of life.
Social Learning Theory
- Objective, Albert Bandura (1963)
Suggests that new behaviours/attitudes can be acquired or learnt through
observing & imitating others.
Parents, peers, media characters
Who/how these behaviours/attitudes are presented influences its
learning & reproduction.
- Observational Learning
1. Attention
1. Simple to understand
2. Distinctive (to real life)
3. Prevalent (repeated)
4. Useful
5. Positive (reward, attractive character)
2. Retention
