- How would you describe your pattern of media consumption?
- What media activities do you spend the most time doing?
(I spend a lot of time on Instagram and Facebook, scrolling through and reading what my friends and family are up to these days. As well as follow a few celebrities and fan pages of some of my favorite shows like The Bachelor, Queer Eye, and The Kardashians. I also spend a majority of my time online in dating apps trying to find a partner. I also enjoy listening to podcasts pertaining to LGBT, romance and teacher comedy.)
- What is the total number of hours you spend consuming media content?
(I would say roughly 4-5 hours a day.)
- How many hours include multitasking?
(I would say around 2 hours, that is me using my phone while at work, or completing homework or doing some home chores on the side.)
- How does your time-consuming media compare to the time you spend doing other things such as sleeping, eating, and exercising?
- Do you feel that your media consumption takes time away from doing other “important” things, such as doing homework, chores, work, etc.?
(Not really, I feel like I do a pretty good job at managing my time.)
- What conclusions can you reach about the sources and perspective of your media content?
(I could be receiving some biased information as I only listen to things that interest me and that I support, for example on a lot of LGBT issues I would probably be only receiving positive feedback because the podcasts that I listen are by LGBT creators themselves. Another example, might be politics I mostly only follow democratic leaders and politicians on my social medias giving me mostly democratic views.)
- What potential biases could you be exposed to?
- What recommendations would you make to broaden your menu of media consumption?
(Listen to more news channels that broaden my overall learning about what is happening all over the world, whether I like the news or not, hearing things from all perspectives not only will it keep me well informed but also more well-rounded.)
Critical Thinking Activity #1: Media Consumption Self- Assessment: Inventory and Critique
Due Jan 29 by 11:59pm Points 100 Submitting an external tool Available Jan 8 at 12am – Jan 29 at 11:59pm
This assignment contributes to the Gordon Rule with Writing (GRW) requirement and will count as 15% towards your overall grade.
To help you acknowledge the high degree of media exposure and the concept of multitasking, think about how many hours per day you spend on reading newspapers, reading magazines, listening to the radio, watching movies, watching television, surfing the Internet, playing video games, playing games on your cell phones.
Analyze your daily media consumption honestly and critically. Respond to the following questions in essay format in APA style:
1. How would you describe your pattern of media consumption? What media activities do you spend the most time doing? What is the total number of hours you spend consuming media content? How many hours include multitasking?
2. How does your time-consuming media compare to the time you spend doing other things such as sleeping, eating, and exercising?
3. Do you feel that your media consumption takes time away from doing other “important” things, such as doing homework, chores, work, etc.?
4. What conclusions can you reach about the sources and perspective of your media content? 5. What potential biases could you be exposed to? 6. What recommendations would you make to broaden your menu of media consumption?
Directions for Critical Thinking Activity #1:
Word count: 400. Going under or over the word count will be counted against your overall grade for the assignment. You will need to provide up to 2 links of websites you visit frequently within the body of the essay. Use Times New Roman size 12 pt. double-spaced. Essay can be written in first-person. Must use APA style. Submit it as a Word document ONLY.
Critical Thinking Activity #1: Media Consumption Self-Assessment: Inventory and Critique
Upload Submission
Y h ti i thi i t
Essay should have proper punctuation, grammar, and structure. It should NOT be one huge paragraph. Practice the proper writing skills you learned in ENC 1101 & ENC 1102. View rubric to meet the expectations of the assignment. Similarity index within TurnItIn should be 25% or lower. Higher similarity indexes will receive an automatic zero.
,
Chapter 3: Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects Media Literacy, Tenth Edition, by W. James Potter
1
Introduction
Narrow view of media effects.
Increased awareness of media effects.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
2
Narrow view of media effects:
High-profile tragedies are usually used as evidence of media effects.
They are rare in number which leads people to think that media effects are rare and happen to other people.
Media effects, in fact, happen to all people, all around us every day.
Increased awareness of media effects:
A narrow perspective of media effects prevents us from perceiving the many effects constantly occurring around us.
Increased awareness of media effects helps us decide which ones we want to continue experiencing and which ones we want to avoid.
2
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (1 of 14)
The four dimensions.
Stimulus for expansion of perceptions.
Tool for everyday analysis.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
3
The four dimensions: Timing, valence, intentionality, and type are the four dimensions of the analytical tool.
Stimulus for expansion of perceptions: The analytical tool helps people expand their ability to perceive media effects.
Tool for everyday analysis: The tool helps people analyze the effects of media influence in their everyday lives.
3
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (2 of 14)
Timing of Effects
Attention: the start of evidence.
Immediate effect.
Long-term effects.
Noticing the effects.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
4
Timing of effects: This distinction focuses your attention on when evidence of the effect starts to show up more so than on how long the effect lasts.
Immediate effect:
A media effect that occurs during your exposure to a media message and is observable during the exposure or very soon after.
Immediate effects might last only for a short period of time or even forever.
Long-term effects:
Media effects that show up only after many exposures.
A long-term effect is set up through a pattern of repeated exposures.
Noticing the effects:
It is easier to notice immediate effects than long-term effects.
Immediate effects occur during an exposure to a particular message.
Immediate effects are also easily noticeable because they are usually sudden.
4
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (3 of 14)
Valence of Effects
Positive, neutral, or negative.
Determined based on the judge of value.
Consumer perspective.
Media business perspective.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
5
Positive, neutral, or negative: Valence refers to whether the effect is positive, neutral, or negative.
Determined based on the judge of value: Valence is determined based on who is making the value judgment: the consumer of media messages or the businesses that produce and disseminate media messages..
Consumer perspective:
From this perspective, a positive effect is one which helps in the achievement of personal goals or the satisfaction of personal needs.
Needs guide the selection of media messages.
Media business perspective:
Positive scenario: One that attracts large numbers of the intended audience and motivates them to seek out those messaged repeatedly.
Negative scenario: One that cannot attract an audience to return to their message service for repeated exposures; negative message for media businesses.
5
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (4 of 14)
Valence of Effects
Positive scenario from both ends.
Differing judgments about valence.
Goal of media.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
6
Positive scenario from both ends: When media companies construct messages that satisfy the needs of a large audience, it results in a positive media message from both perspectives.
Differing judgments about valence:
The conditioning effect of the media businesses is high that many audience members are addicted to them; it is positive for the media companies but negative for audience.
Conflicts between the two perspectives arise when the goals of the media businesses lead to negative effects on the consumers.
Goal of media: Constantly trying to use the customer and their resources to achieve their own goals.
6
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (5 of 14)
Intentionality of Effects
Expectation of occurrence.
Consumer perspective:
Intended effects.
Unintended effects.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
7
Expectation of occurrence: Intentionality requires an awareness of which media effects we expect to occur.
Consumer perspective:
Media exposures can have both intended and unintended effects.
Intended effect: When consumers intend for an effect to happen, they seek out particular media messages to experience the effects.
Unintentional effects:
The aftereffects of the intended activity; can be both long term and immediate.
A state of automacity frequently results in unintentional effects.
7
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (6 of 14)
Intentionality of Effects
Media business perspective:
Benefiting both parties.
Intended effects.
Unintended effects.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
8
Media business perspective:
Benefiting both parties: When media businesses satisfy existing audience needs by attracting them to their messages and experiences, both the businesses and the audience benefit.
Intended effects: The techniques used by businesses to satisfy existing needs usually have a different intention which does not line up with consumers’ intentions well.
Unintended effects:
Media businesses can also give rise to unintentional effects when they are too successful in applying their techniques.
Example: A media business such as a social networking platform might successfully condition consumers through repeated exposures so much so that the users become addicted to their services and thereby suffer serious negative effects.
8
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (7 of 14)
Type of Effects
Non-behavioral media effects.
Cognitive-type effect.
Constant acquisition of information.
Factual and social information.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
9
Non-behavioral media effects:
Most studies on media effects tend to focus on the behavior of individuals.
However, there are many non-behavioral types of media effects: cognitive, belief, attitudinal, physiological, and emotional.
Cognitive-type effect:
Constant acquisition of information:
Media effects that result from the planting of ideas and information into our minds.
This is probably the most pervasive of media effects.
Factual and social information:
Cognitive learning through media exposures is not limited to factual information but also includes social information.
This is most notable among children whose social learning is strongly influenced by pictorially mediated models (especially television and movies).
9
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (8 of 14)
Type of Effects
Belief-type effect:
Faith; influenced by media.
Immediate belief effects.
Long-term effects.
Belief about norms and values.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
10
Belief-type effect:
Faith; influenced by media: A belief is faith that something is real or true; are influenced by the media, both immediately and over the long term.
Immediate belief effects: We acquire beliefs from the beliefs of fictional characters as well as from real people who share the belief.
Long-term effects: Using patterns of observation across many occurrences presented in the media, we learn about how life works.
Belief about norms and values:
Norms are social rules about what is acceptable and desirable in society.
Over time media messages can shape our beliefs about a valuable friendship, a successful relationship, an attractive person, a rewarding career, and a happy life.
10
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (9 of 14)
Type of Effects
Attitudinal-type effect:
Evaluative judgments.
Standards used to make judgments.
Media influence: more generic than specific.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
11
Attitudinal-type effect:
Evaluative judgments: Attitudes are evaluative judgments about things.
Standards used to make judgments:
This type of effect results when the media influences our judgment on all sorts of things.
Example: Reading about the discussion of the performance of an elected official and judging her to be a good leader.
Media influence:
The media influences our standards which means we end up using the media’s standards to make judgments.
People’s attitudes are more influenced by the media at a more general level, such as our opinions on society, than at more specific levels, such as our opinions about our own experiences.
11
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (10 of 14)
Type of Effects
Physiological-type effect:
Beyond one’s conscious control.
Usual response: arousal.
Wearing down of responses.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
12
Physiological-type effect:
Beyond one’s conscious control:
Media effects that influence our automatic bodily systems,.
Such effects are usually beyond our conscious control.
Usual response:
The media affects many physiological changes that arouse us.
Example: Elevated blood pressure and heart rate with mystery; rapid breathing and sweaty palms with horror; goosebumps upon hearing a patriotic song; laughter upon a joke; relaxation upon music.
Wearing down of responses: Physiological responses caused by media exposure can change over time; over many exposures.
12
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (11 of 14)
Type of Effects
Emotional-type effect:
Triggering strong and weak emotions.
Emotions are physiological changes.
Desensitization.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
13
Emotional-type effect:
Triggering emotions:
Strong: fear, rage, and lust,
Weak: sadness, peevishness, and boredom.
Emotional reactions are related to physiological changes.
Desensitization is a long-term emotional effect of media exposures.
13
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (12 of 14)
Type of Effects
Behavioral-type effect:
Triggering actions.
Long-term effects.
Addiction and emotional support.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
14
Behavioral-type effect:
Media effects that trigger actions; like ordering a product on a website after watching its ad.
Long-term effects:
Long-term behavioral effects also result from media influences.
One develops a pattern of going to a few favorite media sites and spending more and more time on particular site.
Addiction and emotional support:
Long-term behavioral effects can be potentially addictive.
Many people tend to seek media exposure for emotional support, even though it has been established that it is better satisfying offline than online.
14
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (13 of 14)
Type of Effects
Macro-type effects:
Influence on larger units.
The makeup of the American family.
Portrayal of divorce and broken families.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
15
Macro-type effects:
Influence on larger units: Media effects on larger units such as organizations, institutions, and society.
The makeup of the American family: It has changed fundamentally in the span of a few generations with childless couples, single parents, and people living alone eclipsing the number of “traditional family.”
Portrayal of divorce and broken families: Divorce rates have increased since the introduction of television in American culture with critics claiming that television portrayals have made divorce and having children out of wedlock acceptable.
15
Four-Dimensional Analytical Tool (14 of 14)
Type of Effects
Macro-type effects:
Reduction in family and child time.
The breakdown of the traditional family.
Influencers of the change.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
16
Macro-type effects:
Reduction in family and child time:
The media can also potentially bring the family together to share a common experience, although this phenomenon is only limited to television viewing, an experience that is itself shrinking.
The nature of human interactions is changing with human beings increasingly plugged into machines instead of relationships.
The breakdown of the traditional family:
Apart from television, many other influences that have contributed to the changing family structure in America, such as economic considerations.
Careers have become more important to many people than their families.
People feel that working longer hours will enable them to afford more of the things advertised on television and, thereby, achieve a happier life.
Influencers of the change: Economic demands, the rise in the importance of careers, and changes in lifestyle preferences.
16
Using the Four-Dimensional Analytic Tool (1 of 4)
The Example of Addiction
Addiction: habitual behavior.
Medical explanation of addiction.
Learned behavioral patterns.
Dopamine delivery vehicles.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
17
Addiction: Not just conditioning, it requires that the conditioning reach a point where people are no longer able to stop performing their addicted behaviors.
Medical explanation of addiction:
The idea of addiction: chemical dependency.
Chemicals such as nicotine, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and oxytocin stimulate the release of dopamine in the brain that makes the person feel euphoric pleasure.
As they get habituated to the consumed levels, they need to consume even more to feel the same kind of pressure.
Learned behavioral patterns:
Addiction need not be triggered only by chemicals but also by behavioral patterns such as internet gambling, shopping, viewing pornography, and social networking activities.
Such behaviors trigger the release of dopamine, which people find essential to their everyday lives, over time.
This connection was first discovered by James Olds in 1954 in a series of experiments on rats’ lateral hypothalamus.
Dopamine delivery vehicles:
Many companies successfully condition audiences to use their products through messages and platforms that serve as dopamine delivery vehicles.
Internet platforms are designed to provide people with a continual stream of immediate pleasure.
17
Using the Four-Dimensional Analytic Tool (2 of 4)
The Analysis
Timing of internet addiction.
Valence of internet addiction:
Positive effect.
Negative effect.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
18
Timing of internet addiction:
Internet addiction is a long-term effect.
Conditioning over a long period of time is necessary for habitual behavior patterns to emerge that cannot be controlled.
Valence of internet addiction:
Positive effect:
The effect of internet addiction is a positive one for media businesses.
With the audience members conditioned, the media businesses can depend on them for a long period of time, thereby guaranteeing a steady income of advertising revenue.
Negative effect:
From the users’ perspective, the effect is a negative one as internet addicts cannot control their exposures.
Non-internet activities, like eating, sleeping, or exercising decrease.
18
Using the Four-Dimensional Analytic Tool (3 of 4)
The Analysis
Intentionality of internet addiction.
Type analysis of internet addiction:
Progressive sequence of events.
Physiological effects.
Emotional effects.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
19
Intentionality of internet addiction:
Although people intentionally seek out pleasure from their media exposures, it is unlikely that they seek out addiction.
Media literacy helps alert people to the path they get on when they increase their use of internet platforms.
Type analysis of internet addiction:
Progressive sequence of events:
Addiction suggests a variety of types of effects that arrange themselves in a progressive sequence of effects.
The sequence starts with the physiological effect that morphs into an emotional effect and then into a behavioral effect, caused by a belief.
Physiological effects: Triggering of dopamine in the brain is a physiological response to engaging with an internet site.
Emotional effects: The effect of dopamine production is experienced as pleasure.
19
Using the Four-Dimensional Analytic Tool (4 of 4)
The Analysis
Type analysis of internet addiction:
Behavioral effects.
Belief effects.
Different points of view of the analysis.
Potter, Media Literacy, Tenth Edition. © SAGE Publications, 2021.
20
Type analysis of internet addiction:
Behavioral effects: The pleasure results in engaging more and more with the internet platform, leading to addiction.
Belief effects: The belief that increased exposures will deliver the expected pleasure and that stopping such behaviors will be truly devastating.
Different points of view of the analysis:
Internet addiction is a long-term effect varying by valence and intention.
It depends on whether you conduct the analysis from the point of view of a media business or an individual audience member.
Analysis by type shows the complexity of addiction is and the challenge of overcoming an addiction.
20
,
Module 3 Overview To-Do Date: Jan 26 at 11:59pm
Module 3: (Sep. 5-8): Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects When we take a four-dimensional perspective–timing, valence, intentionality, and type—on media effects, we can better appreciate the broad range of effects the media are constantly exerting on us.
Module Level Objectives:
1. Understand the different media effects: timing, valence, intentionality, and type. 2. Identify the different type of effects: cognitive, belief, attitudinal, physiological, behavioral, macro. 3. Learn to become more media literate.
Tasks:
Read Ch. 3: Broadening Our Perspective on Media Effects Read Confronting the Issues, Issue #3: Media Violence in your textbook (pgs. 382-398) to prepare for Capstone Project View PowerPoint Presentation Chapter 3 Watch What Next: Violence in the Media (https://www.pbs.org/video/after-newtown-what-next- after-newtown-violence-media/)
(https://www.pbs.org/video/after-newtown-what-next-after-newtown-violence-media/) Watch Media Effects (https://youtu.be/qvgURfZMGoQ)
(https://youtu.be/qvgURfZMGoQ) (https://youtu.be/qvgURfZMGoQ)
(https://youtu.be/qvgURfZMGoQ) Watch Religion and Social Media (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/2012/03/09/april- 1-2011-religion-and-social-media/8470/)