Media and Adolescents

Theories of media influence
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Uses of media in adolescence
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Media and adolescent socialization
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Possible negative effects. Examples…
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•
•
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TV and aggressiveness
TV depictions of sex, gender roles, etc.
Internet and computer games
Advertising
Effects of media
on adolescents are
profound
The typical American adolescent:
Music -- 4 hours/day
TV -- 2 hours/day
87% are online
(Other influences: movies, magazines, ?)
Tracing those
effects is complex
Theories of Media Influence
• Cultivation Theory – e.g.,
watching TV gradually shapes
(cultivates) a person’s
worldview so it becomes like
the worldview depicted on TV
• Social Learning Theory –
people are more likely to
imitate behavior they see
frequently modeled [in the
media] when that behavior is
rewarded
Theories of Media Influence
• Uses and Gratification
 A’s not seen as passive recipients of
media
 Instead, people (including A’s) are
active media consumers
• What sort of uses do A’s have in mind
when they listen to a CD, etc?
• What satisfactions do they get from the
media they choose?
Uses of Media
Student presentation and class homework
regarding room media
1.Entertainment
2. Identity Formation
3. High Sensation
4. Coping
(e.g., “It helps me relax and de-stress”)
5. Youth Culture Identification
The Media Practice Model
Identity
motivates
choice of media
products
Apply and
incorporate
the
content
into identity
Interpretation and
evaluation
of the media products
Music and Adolescents


Music everywhere (e.g, MTV, MP3, IPods, etc.). 4 hrs/day – impact? Why
so profoundly important to A’s?
Homework on “adolescent music” –
also, have your preferences changed
since you were an adolescent? How
and why?
The Web….
Internet Benefits
???
Internet Drawbacks
???
Promote social isolation
(displacement effect)
Media and Aggressiveness

1960-1990 saw a rise in both violent crime and
violent television programming

Most of the research on the issue is
correlational, which leaves the question…
Does watching violence on TV cause adolescents to
become more aggressive, or are adolescents who are more
aggressive simply more likely to enjoy watching violence on TV?