Blog #10: Video Games and Behavior

In one of your articles for today, Gentile et al. write (in the conclusion):

John Wright, the eminent media effects researcher, was fond of saying, “The medium isn’t the message. The message is the message”. For many types of outcome variables (but not all), the amount of a specific type of content in video game play has a bigger impact than does overall amount of play. In the present case, the results demonstrate that content matters. Violent game content increases aggressive thoughts and behaviors, whereas prosocial game content increases prosocial thoughts and behaviors (Anderson et al., 2007; Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh, 2004).

How can the General Aggression Model be used to defend this claim? Do you agree with this claim--remember part of the conclusion from this article suggests that content is more important that overall exposure (amount of time played).

Due: Nov. 18, 2015 @ 5 p.m.

Blog #9: Social Media, Narcissism, and Self-Esteem

In one of our readings for today, Mehdizadeh (2010) wrote:

"A popular view on the etiology of narcissism, rooted initially in psychoanalytic theory, proposes that narcissism is deep-seated in fragile self-esteem or vulnerability to shame. Although this hypothesis is widely accepted in clinical psychology, empirical evidence presents both equivocal and inverse findings with regards to this relationship. Despite this uncertainty, this association was used to hypothesize that individuals with low self-esteem would be correlated with a greater amount of Facebook activity. As predicted, results indicated a significant negative correlation between self-esteem and Facebook activity. Specifically, individuals who rated lower on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale were correlated with a greater amount of time spent of Facebook per session and a greater number of Facebook logins per day."

Please respond to this quote/conclusion. Why do you think this is case?

Next, this past week Australian teen model Essena O'Neil made a major public announcement that she was quitting social media (well kind of). At least one news organization reported:

"I'm the girl who had it all and I want to tell you that having it all on social media means nothing to your real life...Everything I did was for likes and for followers. I did shoot for hours just to get photos for Instagram."

A couple days after the initial announcement, she ironically announced that she was keeping her accounts, renaming the Instagram account "Social Media Is Not Real Life." She said she was now going to use social media to spread her anti-social media message "organically" and focused on things like veganism.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this. Particularly the part about using social media to campaign against its "fakeness."

Due: Nov. 11 @ 5 p.m.

Blog #8: Media and Adolescent Sexuality

According to the Center on Media and Child Health more than 70% of the top 20 TV shows contain some type of sexual content; 45% of those shows contain actual sexual behavior. Interestingly, a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported that “most” children aged 11 to 13, and “some” children aged 8 to 10, understand the sexual content including the jokes and innuendos. Furthermore, the Kaiser study examined 50 hours of primetime programming. During those 50 hours, they identified 156 acts of sexual intercourse (and only 5 references to safe sex or HIV/AIDS).

Based on the theories we have discussed in class, our readings for today, and your own research, how and in what ways might the media influence adolescent sexually and social development directly, and other antisocial behaviors indirectly? What factors might be mediating influences? If you choose, you may also argue that the media have no influence.

Due: Nov. 4 @ 5 p.m.

Blog #7: The Media and the Family

Please do the assigned readings for today. Now, I would like you to think of today's TV families. Pick one of these TV families. Describe them in as much detail as you can. Select a theory and use it to suggest an "effect." The effect could be at either the micro or macro level. Consider the following in your discussion: Marital relationships, sibling relationships, and racial/gender issues (or other stereotypes). Your blogs will be the central component of our class discussion. So please come prepared to present your findings.

Due: Oct. 28 @ 5 p.m.

Blog #6: Media and Race

Please read the assigned articles for today. Next I want you to think deeply and respond to the following questions. Is the media industry racist and/or sexist? Why or why not? One race theorist has suggested that television is always staged from a white subject position reaffirming the superiority of whiteness and the ideology it reflects. Do you agree or disagree? As you make your argument, use examples as necessary. Finally, we will explore the idea of "representation" in our class discussion. Do you think its is better for a minority group to be represented/appear frequently on television (or in other media), even if that representation includes negative stereotypes, than to be shown infrequently with more positive stereotypes. Why or why not?

Due: Oct. 21 at 5 p.m.

Blog #5: Does TV Kill?

Please read the assigned articles. I want you to think deeply about the "effects" of exposure to entertainment violence and aggression. Think about your own experiences and the experiences of others that you have observed. What are the consequences of watching violent media or playing violent video games? What do you think? Can you (based on previous class discussions) identify cognitive effects? Socialization effects? Physiological effects (this is a new area for our discussion)? Macro or societal effects? Please address each of these areas, drawing from the theoretical foundations we have discussed in class. Finally, respond to the question: "Does TV kill?"

Due: Oct. 14 @ 5 p.m.

Blog #4: Predicting Behavior: Can We?

Think of something you have been wanting to do, but have actually never done before. What factors might best predict your willingness to try the new behavior or to adopt this new idea/thing in the next 12 months? Now, based on your answer to the previous question, could you create a model to predict the behaviors of others? Finally, apply your model to a serious social issue (e.g., obesity, adolescent alcohol use, smoking, etc.) and explain how it might be beneficial to a campaign designed to reduce incidences of this behavior among vulnerable audiences.

Due: Oct. 7 @ 5 p.m.