The goal of this assignment is to apply the knowledge learned in the course, to exhibit a deep familiarity with the learned material in lectures, recitations, and in the reading materials. The assignment is based on all the material learned in the course throughout the semester in the lectures, recitations, and in the reading list attached at the end of the instructions (the readings can be found on the course website within the folders for the specific weeks in which they were assigned). The assignment includes two parts. You must answer both parts, following the instructions for each part. Answer only the number of questions detailed for each part of the assignment if you answer more than the specified number, only the required number of answers will be graded and the rest will be ignored. The assignment must be submitted in Word format only. Do not submit the paper in PDF format. The assignment must be submitted in the separate answer file (attached). The entire assignment must be typed using Times New Roman 12-point font. If you use external sources in the paper, make sure to also attach a reference list in APA style. If you use any artificial intelligence (AI) application/program in completing the assignment, you must attach an appendix detailing which applications/programs you used, how they were used, and how the information obtained from them has been incorporated into the submitted assignment. The reference list and appendix will not count as part of the page limitation for the assignment. Violation of the instructions will result in a grade deduction. The assignment may be submitted either individually or in groups of two students (but no more than two students per group). The ID numbers of all student writers and the names of the relevant teaching assistants should be written on the first page. The papers grade will constitute 70% of the final course grade. Any suspicion of academic dishonesty or plagiarism will be reported to the Reichman University Disciplinary Committee. The assignment must be submitted by Thursday,
February 22, 2024 at 23:59 on the course website, in the dedicated folder. Late assignments will not be accepted nor graded.
Part 1: Media exemplification of central theoretical concepts Choose five of the seven (1-7) theoretical concepts below (8 points per concept). For each concept you choose, exemplify it with an English online newspaper article (NOT a social network site post, independent blog, or video clip but a print online newspaper article only). You can choose a different article for each concept. All the newspaper articles brought as examples in this section need to be only from 2023. Provide a link or print screen image of the article in the assignment. Each concept exemplification will be written in no more than seven lines on the form provided. Each concept exemplification should include the definition of the concept and an explanation of how the article exemplifies the theoretical concept. Note that some concepts are content-based (that is, they can be “found” in the content of the news article itself) but other concepts might require you to hypothesize about the process of how the content will impact the audience for these concepts, make sure the explanation is clear and linked to the theory as learned in the course. Make sure to address all concepts and arguments in consistency with how they were taught in this course!
The concepts are:
1) Resonance with the symbolic reality as in the spirit of cultivation theory
2) Transfer of salience in the spirit of agenda setting theory
3) Majority opinion as expressed by the media in the spirit of spiral of silence theory
4) Arts as a commodity in the spirit of the Frankfurt School
5) Elite-serving messages in media content in the spirit of political-economy theory 6) Thematic framing in the spirit of framing theory
7) Technical code in the spirit of the cultural-critical approach
Part 2: Theoretical application to a media example Choose two of the three (8-10) application exercises below (30 points per exercise). For each exercise you choose, analyze a media example using the theoretical framework as taught in the course. Each exercise should be written within the allotted space on the form provided. Each exercise should discuss the theory’s central concepts and main assumptions (make sure to define each concept and assumption clearly and to apply it well). When relevant, link the analysis to the theory’s paradigm (again, make sure to define all theoretical concepts and apply them clearly). Make sure to write complete arguments in essay format (that is, not in bullet points). When relevant, use the course assigned readings to inform your arguments.
The application exercises are:
8) An Internet meme is “a cultural item (such as an idea, behaviour, or style) that is spread via the Internet, often through social media platforms. Internet memes can take various forms, such as images videos, GIFs, and various other viral sensations. Characteristics of memes include their susceptibility to parody, their use of intertextuality, their propagation in a viral pattern, and their evolution over time. . . Memes are considered an important part of Internet culture. . . They appear in a range of contexts, such as marketing, economics, finance, politics, social movements, religion, and healthcare” (Wikipedia, a non-credible source). Think of a meme which you recently encountered on the Internet, preferably within the past year. Briefly describe the meme. On the basis of uses and gratifications theory, as learned in the course, discuss your engagement with the meme. Address issues that reflect your audience activity relative to the meme, including your decision to share/not to share the meme, why you chose to do (or not to do) so, with whom did you share the meme, how you shared the meme, what were you hoping to achieve by sharing the meme, what you feel you obtained from sharing the meme. Remember that your answer should exhibit a deep and thorough understanding of the theory, its central concepts and basic assumptions, its relation to a theoretical paradigm, etc.
9) Choose an episode from a recent television series (preferably an episode that aired within the past year) which presented a social behavior that audiences could have learned through a social learning process. Briefly describe the series and the social behavior portrayed in the episode. On the basis of social learning (cognitive) theory, as learned in the course, discuss a possible audience effects process that could potentially have followed exposure to this episode and the portrayed social behavior. Make sure to address all the central social learning steps and exemplify them through the content. Make sure to explain the cognitive elements involved in the social learning process you discuss. Remember that your answer should exhibit a deep and thorough understanding of the theory, its central concepts and basic assumptions, its relation to a theoretical paradigm, etc.
10) A moral panic is “a widespread feeling of fear, often an irrational one, that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society” (Wikipedia, a non-credible source). Moral panics have often been associated with, or attributed to, media technologies, genres, or content. Choose one recent media technology/genre/content (preferably that has been relevant in the past year) that you think can lead to or has been associated with a media moral panic. Explain the technology/genre/content you chose and why you think it lends itself to a media panic. On the basis of the powerful media effects paradigm, discuss what is the possible media effect likely to result from exposure to or use of this technology/genre/content. Analyze this media effect using the categorizations of media effects learned in the course. Explain each decision you make in describing this potential media effect, using the concepts and basic assumptions of the powerful media effects paradigm.
Reading list:
Adorno, T. W., & Rabinach, A. G. (1975). Culture industry reconsidered. New German Critique, 6, 12-19. Aley, M., & Hahn, L. (2020). The powerful male hero: A content analysis of gender representation in posters for childrens animated movies. Sex Roles, 83(7-8), 499-509. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01127-z Bolluck, O. M., & Shulman, H. C. (2021). Utilizing framing theory to design more effective health messages about tanning behavior among college women. Communication Studies, 72(3), 319-332. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.1899007 Duncan, M., Pelled, A., Wise, D., Ghosh, S., Shanb, Y., Zheng, M., & McLeod, D. (2020). Staying silent and speaking out in online comment sections: The influence of spiral of silence and corrective action in reaction to news. Computers in Human Behavior, 102(C), 192-205. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.08.026 Fiske, J. (1986). Television: Polysemy and popularity. Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 3, 391-408. Gadino, N., Ellithorpe, M. E., Ulusoy, E., Wirz, D. S., & Eden, A. (2023). Binge-watching to feel better: Mental health gratifications sought and obtained through binge-watching. Psychology of Popular Media. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000485 Hefner, V., & Kretz, V. E. (2021). Does the glass slipper fit? Disney princess films and relationship beliefs and attitudes. Journal of Media Psychology, 33(3), 125-133. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000290 Lazarsfeld, P. F., & Merton, R. K. (1948). Mass communication, popular taste, and organization social action. In L. Bryson (Ed.), The communication of ideas (95-118). New York: Harper & Row. Sparks, G. G. (2006). Media effects research: A basic overview (2nd ed., chapter 1, pp. 1-19). Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Sparks, G. G. (2006). Media effects research: A basic overview (2nd ed., chapter 3, pp. 58-62). Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Sparks, G. G. (2006). Media effects research: A basic overview (2nd ed., chapter 3, pp. 43-58). Australia: Thomson Wadsworth. Stein, J.-P., Krause, E., & Ohler, P. (2021). Every (Insta)gram counts? Applying cultivation theory to explore the effects of Instagram on young users body image. Psychology of Popular Media, 10(1), 87-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000268 Turcotte, J., York, C., Irving, J., Scholl, R. M., & Pingree, R. J. (2015). News recommendations from social media opinion leaders: Effects on media trust and information seeking. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 20(5), 520-535. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcc4.12127
