Essay: FUNCTIONS OF THE MASS MEDIA – Flashcards
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Content vs Medium Functions of the Mass Media
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The media acts as both of these, based on specific content.
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What is the "Content Function" of the mass media and give an example.
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The Content Function is the mass media's function to provide information to people. (Newspapers perform a content function when providing information about voting)
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What is the "Medium Function" of the mass media and give an example.
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The Medium Function is the mass media's function to bring people together. (A film, watching family TV at the end of the day).
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Manifest vs Latent Functions of the Mass Media
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There are both obvious and unintended functions of a media piece.
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What is the "Manifest Function" and give an example.
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The Manifest function of the media is obvious, intended function. (Married couple listens to car radio in the morning to get information about the world)
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What is the "Latent Function" and give an example.
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The Latent function is hidden, deeper, and even subconscious function of the media. (Married couple listens to car radio in the morning to avoid speaking to each other)
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What are the "6 Effects of Mass Media on Society"? Society Normally Narcotizes Some Political Economy
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Status Conferral, Norms Values Traditions (NVT), Narcotizing, Social Cohesion, Services Political System, Services Economy
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What is the societal function of "Status Conferral"?
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The mass media legitimizes the importance of various issues in the world, such as the Ebola or Watergate scandal.
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What is the societal function of " Norms Values Traditions"?
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Passing on and reaffirming these norms, values, and traditions, the media has an "Homogenizing" affect on a society, "upholding the status quo". Such as the television show Cops, or Modern family.
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How does the media "Homogenize"?
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The media gives same norms and values to everyone in that society.
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What is the societal function of "Narcotizing"?
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A dysfunction that the media has, negatively influences our thought process, leaving us feeling apathetic, overloaded with info that doesn't support critical thinking. Rots our brain per say.
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What is the societal function of "Social Cohesion"?
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The media brings us together, unites people on common base of knowledge, interests, and concerns.
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What is the societal function of "Services the Political System"?
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Informs people about the government through the media news, and leaders send and receive political messages through media.
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What is the societal function of "Services the Economy"?
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Media is filled with advertising, helps a capitalist economy to thrive.
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What are the "8 Effects of the Mass Media on an Individual"? BUD Professionally Facilitated Some Erroneous Reports
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Guides Behavior, Guides Understandings, Develop Self Control, Professional Tool, Facilitates Social Interaction, Substitute for Social Interaction, Emotional Release, Ritualize our Lives.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Guides Behavior"?
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Occurs both subconsciously and consciously, the media influences how one acts in daily life. (Taking an umbrella when the weatherman tells you it'll rain, how to act on a date)
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Guides Understandings"?
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The media influences what one thoughts/beliefs about our world. The mass media is a Social Construction of Reality.
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What is "Mean World Syndrome"?
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TV is filled with violence, the more TV people watched, the more they were under the impression that the world was filled with violence.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Develop Self Concept"?
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People identify with certain characters, who act as "Role Models." People see who they want to be, as well as see who they don't want to be.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Professional Tool"?
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The media keeps one updated in his/her professional field, by reading journals, Linked In, etc.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Facilitates Social Interaction"?
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The media gives people things to talk about, such as conversational topics for use in small talk situations.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Substitute for Social Interaction"?
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An individual can vicariously connect with others through the media, such as feeling connection to Jimmy Fallon from his talk show.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Emotional Release"?
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Media helps people to move from one powerful emotional state to another, especially the case with music and it's power to influence emotion.
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How does the mass media affect an individual by "Ritualize Our Lives"?
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People matched their schedule with that of the media-evening news, gives people a sense of order, but is less apparent now due to the Internet.
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SNNSPE (Societal Affects of Mass Media)
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Society Normally Narcotizes Some Political Economics
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BUDPFSER (Affects of Mass Media on Individual)
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BUD Professionally Facilitated Some Erroneous Reports
