C0MM 309: Exam1 Study Guide

A scientific approach to the study of media effects Sparks Ch. 1 Understand the difference between Experience, Authority, and Science as ways of Knowing What are the 4 major goals of science Pre diction- foretelling the future What is a theory, and what does it mean to be “falsifiable” What is the relationship between theory and a hypothesis? Understand in basic terms the Characteristics of Social Science noted in Study Box 1-2 In media effects research, what might be certain types of questions that are difficult to answer by scientific study Scientific methods in media effects research Sparks Ch. 2 Understand the difference between Content analysis, Survey, and Experiments Which of these methods is best at determining a Causal Relationship, and what are the three criteria for a causal relationship What does it mean when someone says that correlation does not imply causation (think of the 3 criteria) Understand how to interpret correlation coefficients (see Figure 2-1 and Study Box 2-1) Understand the meaning of an Independent and Dependent Variable, and the importance of a Control Group What is Random Assignment, and why is it important What is a meta-analysis A brief history of media effects research Sparks Ch 3 What were the Payne Fund Studies. What were their major findings about the impact of the media The Magic Bullet model assumes that exposure to the media will do what to the individual What are the limited effects perspective and the principle of selective exposure What is meant by the Two-Step-Flow of communication What is the difference between an Alteration versus a Stabilization effect Meet Marshall McLuhan Sparks Ch 12 What are some of the major problems with McLuhan’s “theory” which make it difficult to accept by many scholars (think about theory and methods readings) The “medium is the message” implies what
Why was the Electronic Age so different from the Print Age What is the displacement hypothesis. How might it account for health issues like obesity Effects of media violence Sparks Ch 5 What is the “copycat phenomenon” How does (a) social learning, (b) priming, and (c) desensitization, relate to the effects of media violence What does it mean to think of media violence as a Risk Factor for aggression (see Study Box 5-2) What does Sparks think about the “catharsis” hypothesis Why do people like media violence
 What does Sparks conclude about violent video games Sexual content and the media Sparks Ch.6 How did the two major commissions (National Commission on Obscenity and Pornography; Meese Commission on Pornography) differ in terms of their conclusions How does the “trigger hypothesis” differ from the “safety valve hypothesis” How does exposure to sexually explicit materials impact perceptions
How does exposure impact behaviors What is the concern the AAP has about children having a TV or Internet connection in their bedroom What are some of the reasons video game violence may be more harmful than TV What types of “context” in which violence is presented can result in the learning of aggression What are the recommendations the AAP suggests for parents regarding their children’s media use Sexuality AAP What are the AAP’s recommendations regarding contraceptive advertising What are some of the positive impacts the media can have with respect to sexual content Does the AAP see any relationship between the media and teen pregnancy What are some of the recommendations the AAP suggests for the industry in terms of Responsible Sexual Content (e.g., Table 1)