Slide 1
Joseph R. Dominick
University of Georgia--
Athens
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 2
Part I
The
Nature and History
of
Mass Communication
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 3
Chapter 2
Perspectives on
Mass Communication
Chapter Outline
Paradigms for Study
Functional Analysis
Functions of Mass Communication for Society
(macroanalytical)
Functions of Mass Communication for Society
(microanalytical)
Critical / Cultural Perspective
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 4
Paradigms for Study
A paradigm is a model or pattern
that a person uses to analyze
something.
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 5
Paradigms for Study
Functional approach to mass communication
How do people use it?
What benefits do people receive from it?
Critical/cultural approach to mass
communication
What are its power relationships?
How do people interpret it?
What does it mean to people?
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 6
Paradigms for Study
Example: Operation Iraqi Freedom
March 19, 2003
War dominated media reporting for 6 weeks
Functional perspective
Why did people watch?
What did they get out of it?
Critical/cultural perspective
Questions of objectivity
Role of corporate ownership of the media
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 7
Functional Analysis
Two levels of analysis
Macroanalysis
Wide-angle lens
What is the intention of the source?
What is the purpose of the communication?
Microanalysis
Close-up lens
What does the receiver receive?
What does the receiver do with the communication?
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 8
Functions of Mass Communication
for Society (macroanalytical)
Surveillance
Warning surveillance
example: weather reports and storm warnings
Instrumental surveillance
example: stock market prices
Consequences
Speed of propagation of truth and error
Most news is not verifiable by receiver
Credibility and Conferral
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 9
Functions of Mass Communication
for Society (macroanalytical)
Interpretation
Selective inclusion
Express viewpoints and analysis
Linkage
Buyers and sellers example: eBay
Specialized communities example: MMORPGs
Individuals and experts
Overreliance
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 10
Functions of Mass Communication
for Society (macroanalytical)
Transmission of Values
Also called socialization function
Example: advertisements and motherhood
Entertainment
Also called diversion function
Diversion through mass communication
has profound cultural effects
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 11
Functions of Mass Communication
for Society (microanalytical)
At micro level, functional analysis called
use-and-gratifications model
Needs satisfied by media called media
gratifications
Surveys are typical research approach
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 12
Functions of Mass Communication
for Society (microanalytical)
Cognition
Information about current events
General information
Diversion
Stimulation Relaxation
Emotional release
Social utility conversational currency
Withdrawal creation of barriers
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 13
Conditions on Functional Approach
Audience use of a medium depends on
Message content
Social context
Assumptions include
Receivers control their media usage
Competing activities exist
People verbalize their motivations
accurately
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 14
Critical / Cultural Perspective
Contrast with functional perspective
More qualitative
More humanities-oriented
Macroanalytic
Role of media and its relation to
Ideology Culture
Politics Social Structure
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 15
Critical/Cultural Perspective
History
Marx and the Frankfurt School
1930s 40s
Who controls the means of production?
British Modification
1950s 60s
Media/individual relationship is more complex
Feminist Movement Influence
1970s 80s
Patriarchical bias is reinforced by media
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 16
Critical/Cultural Perspective
Culture
common values, practices, and rules that
bind people together
Text
object of analysis (programs, films, ads)
Meaning
interpretations audiences take away from
media text
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Slide 17
Critical/Cultural Perspective
Polysemic
different person, different meaning
Ideology
text-embedded beliefs, particularly
social and political themes
Hegemony
domination and control accepted by both
groups with continual negotiation
2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
