Psychology condense p 112-121 Sociology Mass Media Perspectives

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following is NOT explicitly mentioned as a way people connect across the globe?

Capitalism and religious beliefs

Political debates and rallies (correct)

Military conquest and missionary work

Technological advancements and software

According to the functionalist perspective, what is the primary role of mass media?

To reflect and exacerbate divisions in society

To control the flow of information and reflect dominant ideology

To provide entertainment and act as an agent of socialization (correct)

To promote consumer culture exclusively

How does the functionalist perspective view the mass media's role in relation to social norms?

It acts as an enforcer of social norms through rewards and punishments (correct)

It is an agent of constant social change

It ignores social norms

It only enforces deviant behavior

What is the term that describes the process by which a small number of people and corporations control the information presented in the media, according to the conflict perspective?

Gatekeeping Signup and view all the answers

According to the conflict perspective, how does mass media often portray minorities?

Using stereotypical representations Signup and view all the answers

What is one way that mass media can inadvertently promote negative behaviors according to the functionalist perspective?

By glorifying certain behaviors that are wrong in society Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of mass media?

Personal letters and face to face conversations Signup and view all the answers

What does the conflict perspective focus on regarding mass media and societal divisions?

How the media reflects and exacerbates existing divisions Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential negative outcome when trying to address misrepresentation in media, according to the text?

Tokenism. Signup and view all the answers

According to feminist theories, how does mass media tend to portray society?

In a way that reinforces the dominant ideology and stereotypes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best exemplifies a counterculture?

A religious group that practices polygamy in contrast to the dominant societal norms. Signup and view all the answers

How does the interactionist perspective analyze mass media?

By focusing on its influence at the micro-level on daily behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of material culture?

It involves tangible, physical objects and technological advancements. Signup and view all the answers

According to evolutionary theory, what can contribute to the success of a species?

Both physical traits and behaviors that are selected for. Signup and view all the answers

How does culture relate to human evolution according to the text?

Culture can shape human evolution through processes such as disease exposure and dietary needs. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main cause of culture lag?

The delay in laws and policies to adapt to the introduction of new technological advances. Signup and view all the answers

Jim, who grew up in Florida, experiences stress when he moves to Washington DC and has to deal with unfamiliar driving conditions. Which concept does this scenario best exemplify?

Culture shock Signup and view all the answers

What does the example of lactose intolerance illustrate about human evolution?

It shows how cultural practices can influence the genetic makeup of a population. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'social inequality' generally mean, as described in the text?

A system where resources are unevenly distributed. Signup and view all the answers

Which of these groups is LEAST likely to be categorized as a subculture?

A group of people who enjoy jogging daily. Signup and view all the answers

How is wealth distributed in the United States?

The top 20% control a disproportionately high share of the wealth. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the term ‘diffusion’ in a cultural context?

The spread of cultural inventions or discoveries from one place to another. Signup and view all the answers

A society experiencing rapid technological advancements in communication, but with a delayed societal response in establishing related regulations, would be illustrating which concept?

Culture lag Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between polygyny and polygamy?

Polygyny refers to having multiple wives while polygamy generally refers to having more than one spouse. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary distinction between intergenerational and intragenerational mobility?

Intergenerational mobility involves social class changes between different generations of a family, while intragenerational mobility happens within a single person's lifetime. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the concept of absolute poverty?

A fixed level of resources below which a person's survival is threatened, regardless of location. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the 'glass ceiling effect' in the context of social stratification?

The invisible barrier that prevents women from reaching top positions in companies. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between the way absolute and relative poverty are measured?

Absolute poverty uses a fixed minimum income level required for survival, whereas relative poverty compares income to a society's median level. Signup and view all the answers

What factor primarily determines an individual's social position in a caste system?

The social strata they are born into, as well as who they marry. Signup and view all the answers

If a country's median income level rises, what is most likely to happen to the number of people living in absolute poverty?

The number of people in absolute poverty is likely to decrease, because people may be able to afford the minimum standards. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following would be considered an example of 'horizontal movement' within social classes?

A lawyer changing jobs to a different law firm. Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary limitation of using an absolute measure of poverty?

It does not account for the variability in what is needed for survival in different environments. Signup and view all the answers

Why might people in segregated neighborhoods feel politically disempowered?

Because segregation leads to a lack of political influence and representation. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a meritocracy?

Social position is achieved based upon ability and achievements. Signup and view all the answers

How does the content suggest we can help promote social mobility and reduce the negative impacts of social stratification?

By improving access to healthcare, education, and social integration. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor does not generally contribute to social inequality according to the text?

Geographical location Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what can result from social exclusion, segregation, and political disempowerment?

Civil unrest and potentially criminal activity. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Subculture and Counterculture

Subcultures are groups within a larger society, often based on ethnicity, religion, or social class. Examples include girl scouts, college sororities, and boarding schools. Tension can arise between subcultures and the larger dominant culture.
A counterculture develops when the laws or values of the dominant society are violated. Counterculture values often differ significantly from the larger society's values.
Polygamy (more than one spouse) and polygyny (more than one wife) are examples of values that differ from mainstream beliefs. The Amish reject modern technology and consumerism.
Subcultures are smaller communities that distinguish themselves from the larger society, often with unique customs and beliefs. Different cities and states within the same country can have distinct subcultures.

Culture Lag and Culture Shock

Culture lag occurs when technological innovations change faster than cultural norms and values adjust. This results in social problems.
Material culture (physical objects) changes quickly, while non-material culture (ideas, beliefs, and values) resists change. This is common in societies experiencing rapid technological advancement.
Culture shock is a feeling of disorientation, uncertainty, and fear when encountering unfamiliar cultural practices. This commonly occurs when traveling to different countries, or changing lifestyles from rural to urban.

Diffusion of Culture

Diffusion is the spread of inventions and discoveries from one place to another. Factors contributing to diffusion include exploration, military conquest, missionary work, mass media, tourism, and the internet.
Culture spreads through various means, including digital media like the internet, as well as print media and traditional methods. How information and culture is consumed changes across different cultures.

Functionalist and Conflict Perspectives on Mass Media

From a functionalist perspective, mass media provides entertainment, facilitates socialization, and reinforces social norms, by exposing people to behaviours and norms through rewards and punishments.
The conflict perspective examines how mass media reflects existing power imbalances and reinforces social class and racial divisions. Gatekeeping describes how a limited number of people and corporations control the media.

Feminist Theories and Mass Media

Feminist theories critique the way mass media misrepresents society and supports dominant ideology, often portraying men and women in stereotypical and traditional roles.

Evolution and Human Culture

Culture is passed down through customs, knowledge, and learned behaviors. Culture is socially transmitted.
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution helps explain how physical and behavioral traits evolve as an adaptive response through natural selection, including customs like marriage and funeral rituals.
Evolution both shapes culture and is impacted by it.

Groups like racial and ethnic minorities, and low-income individuals, often face more significant inequalities in areas including lower incomes, lower education levels, and reduced access to healthcare.
Social stratification involves dividing society into layers based on income, wealth, and power. This affects access to resources like education, healthcare, and opportunities.

Social mobility refers to the ability to move up or down the social hierarchy. Upward mobility involves moving to a higher class, while downward mobility involves moving to a lower class, both horizontally (within same class) and vertically (different class).
Education, housing, and employment are often factors in social mobility, influencing individual's social position.
The Caste system is a way to divide social status, where social status is assigned at birth, and social mobility is almost non-existent, unlike the class system.

Absolute and Relative Poverty

Absolute poverty refers to the minimum amount of resources needed to survive.
Relative poverty refers to income disparities compared to the average income in a society.

Social reproduction refers to the continuation of social inequality from one generation to the next.

Residential and Environmental Justice

Residential segregation is the separation of groups of people into different neighborhoods.
Environmental justice refers to issues of fair distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, often based on race and income, as communities with higher poverty levels and racial minorities frequently face disproportionate environmental burdens and reduced access to benefits like green spaces.

Linguistic and Spatial Isolation

Linguistic isolation occurs when communities develop their own languages, creating barriers to social interaction with larger communities.
Spatial mismatch occurs when opportunities for low-income people are available but they do not have convenient access to these due to location, which can be exacerbated by segregation.

Global Inequality

Global inequalities manifest in differences in life expectancy, access to resources, and wealth distribution across the world.
Economic disparities like a small percentage of the world's population controlling most of the wealth, compared to a disproportionately larger portion lacking access to resources, are examples of global inequality.

Statistical Types and Validity

Regression: used to examine the relationship between continuous variables
Correlation: measures the relationship between continuous variables; is less specific than regression and does not attempt to determine direction
Chi-square: used to examine the relationship between categorical variables
T-test: used to determine differences in means between two groups
ANOVA: used to determine differences in means among three or more groups
Cross-sectional Study: a snapshot of a population at one point in time
Cohort Study: follows a specific group of people over time
Longitudinal Study: follows a population over time
Case-Control Study: compares subjects with and without a condition
Clinical Trial: evaluates the effects of a treatment on patients
Internal Validity: The extent to which a study's results are attributable to an effect or intervention, instead of another, unrelated factor.
External Validity: Whether the results of a study can be generalized to other populations and settings.
Construct Validity: The degree to which a tool or test measures what it is intended to measure.
Confounding Variables: Variables that influence the dependent variable, confounding the interpretation of the study finding.
Types of Control: Include the use of a control group that does not receive a treatment, as well as positive controls (already known effects), to determine and quantify the effects of given treatments.

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Description

Explore various perspectives on mass media, including functionalist and conflict theories. This quiz covers how mass media influences societal norms, minority portrayals, and the control of information. Test your understanding of these concepts and their implications on society.