Psychology & Sociology for Online Media Platforms 2024-2025 PDF

PSYCHOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY FOR ONLINE MEDIA APPLICATIONS Pr.Hela ZOUAOUI & Pr. Inès MESTAOUI 2024-2025  —WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY ? Study of groups and group interactions, societies and social interactions, from small and personal groups to very large g...

PSYCHOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY FOR ONLINE MEDIA APPLICATIONS Pr.Hela ZOUAOUI & Pr. Inès MESTAOUI 2024-2025  —WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY ? Study of groups and group interactions, societies and social interactions, from small and personal groups to very large groups SOCIOLOGY TERMS & INSTITUTIONS Group Culture Sociological imagination Social institutions are patterns of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs including: Government Education Family Healthcare Religion Economy What’s a group? A collection of people who exist in the same place (virtually too) at the same time, but who don’t interact or share a sense of identity Any collection of at least two people who interact with some frequency and who share some sense of aligned identity : reference groups & influencers Conformity is the extent to which an individual complies with group norms or expectations  Social norms Social norms are the unwritten rules and expectations that govern behavior within a group or society. They help to maintain order and predictability in social interactions (e.g., greetings, prohibitions against theft, Personal space, dress codes (formal events vs. casual gatherings))  Social Group Agents Social groups such as families and peer groups provide socialization by communicating expectations and reinforcing norms Institutional Agents Formal institutions—like schools, workplaces, and the government— teach people how to behave in and navigate these systems Other institutions, like the media, contribute to socialization by inundating us with messages about norms and expectations Double role of media: agent and subject  Society and Culture Culture: shared beliefs, values, and practices Society: people who live in a definable community and who share a culture Values: a culture’s standard for discerning what is good and just in society Beliefs: tenets or convictions that people hold to be true Language: a symbolic system of communication Symbols: gestures or objects that have meanings associated with them that are recognized by people who share a culture Compare traditional socialization with online socialization. How do platforms like YouTube or TikTok shape cultural norms and behaviors?  Socialization & Resocialization Socialization is the process through which people are taught to be proficient members of a society. It describes the ways that people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society’s beliefs, and to be aware of societal values. The process by which old behaviors are removed and new behaviors are learned in their place (Rehab, immigration, etc)  Social theories underlying socialization ▪ Symbolic Interactionism ▪ Structural Functionalism: Socialization Process: Institutions like family, education, and religion Through social interactions, socialize individuals to fit into their roles within individuals interpret and society, promoting societal harmony. Through internalize others' views, socialization, individuals learn cooperation, shaping their own identities. loyalty, and the norms that keep society They learn social symbols and functioning. roles by imagining how they (Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons) appear to others and adjusting their behaviors accordingly. (George Herbert Mead, Charles Cooley)  Social theories underlying socialization ▪ Conflict Theory Social institutions (like schools, ▪ Social Learning Theory media, and family) may socialize Socialization occurs through observation, individuals into accepting class imitation, and reinforcement. People learn divisions, gender roles, and other behaviors by watching and mimicking others, forms of inequality. This process especially if those behaviors are rewarded. can limit critical thinking, but (Albert Bandura) conflict theorists argue that it can also be challenged by fostering social awareness and change. (Karl Marx, Max Weber)  Social theories underlying socialization ▪ Ecological Systems Theory People are socialized by different ▪ Feminist Theory “systems,” including the Socialization reinforces gender roles and microsystem (e.g., family, school), patriarchal norms, often perpetuating gender mesosystem (e.g., relationships inequality. Feminist theorists analyze how between microsystems), exosystem social institutions contribute to the (e.g., parental workplaces), and socialization of gendered identities and roles. macrosystem (e.g., societal values). (Simone de Beauvoir, Betty Friedan, Judith Socialization is shaped not only Butler) by close relationships but also by the broader societal and cultural environment. (Urie Bronfenbrenner)  Media and socialization Media and sexualization of women In what ways do mainstream media (e.g., television, film, advertising, music videos) sexualize women, and how does this affect how women are perceived in society?  Media and socialization Media’s Role in Shaping Beauty Standards: In what ways do media representations (e.g., advertisements, movies, TV shows, social media) promote a narrow or idealized definition of beauty?  Media and socialization Rap Music, Lyrics, and Social Norms: In what ways do rap songs address societal issues such as inequality, police brutality, racism, and economic hardship? Are these issues portrayed as personal experiences or collective struggles?  Media and socialization Media Exposure and Children's Understanding of Violence: How does children's media consumption shape their emotional and cognitive responses to violence, both in fictional and real-life contexts? Socialization and the transmission of cultural values and norms Does media act as a tool for cultural diffusion, or does it promote cultural homogeneity?  Ideal vs. Real Culture Ideal culture: the standards a society would like to embrace and live up to Real culture: the way society really is based on what actually occurs and exists Acculturation, enculturation, reculturation Norms are the visible and invisible rules of conduct through which societies are structured May be formal (written rules or laws) or informal May be mores (morally weighted) or folkways (customs)  How do Societies Enforce Norms? social control: a way to encourage conformity to cultural norms sanctions: a way to authorize or formally disapprove of certain behaviors How do Societies Enforce Norms? What mechanisms do societies use to enforce norms (e.g., family, education, religion, media, legal systems)?  How do Societies Enforce Norms? How do peer pressure and social approval/disapproval function in the enforcement of norms? How do Societies Enforce Norms? How do online communities enforce norms compared to offline communities?  How do Societies Enforce Norms? How do globalization and multiculturalism impact the enforcement of norms in diverse societies? Social Movements, Media, and Technology  Subcultures and Countercultures subcultures: groups that share a specific identification, apart from a society’s majority, even as the members exist within a larger society countercultures: groups that reject and oppose society’s widely accepted cultural patterns  Collective Behavior Collective behavior is non-institutionalized activity in which several people voluntarily engage. There are three forms: 1. A crowd is a large number of people in close proximity ○ Casual crowds are in the same place at the same time but aren’t really interacting ○ Conventional crowds gather for a regular scheduled event ○ Expressive crowds join together to express emotion ○ Acting crowds focus on a specific goal or action 2. A mass is a relatively large group with a common interest 3. A public is an unorganized, diffused group who share ideas  Collective Action Collective action is based on a shared interest  Social Movements Social movements are purposeful, organized groups that strive to work toward a common social goal. These movements work at one or more levels: Local State National Global Virtual  Social Movements & Social Media How do social media platforms facilitate the growth of social movements? What role do hashtags play in amplifying social movement messages? How do social movements balance online activism with offline actions? What are examples of successful social movements that heavily relied on social media? Social Movements & Social Media What about smoking? Why do people smoke ? What about smoking? Smoking and cognitive dissonance Smokers often experience cognitive dissonance: they know that smoking is harmful to their health, but they continue to do it anyway. Most smokers alleviate their psychological discomfort by adjusting their attitudes toward smoking, toward their health, or both, by saying things such as, "I know plenty of 70- year-olds that smoke and they're doing just fine," or "I'm bound to die anyway, might as well enjoy it.“ The symbolic dimension of this consumption behavior  Very important Terms (examples are in red) We call social agents (agency: media, marketplace) are actors who hold power within their hands. They are capable of creating, conveying and anchoring social norms. Norms (thin ideal female body) are tightly influenced by social imaginaries, and they establish what should/not be done in a society or a social group. They also lead to the birth of institutions (beauty institution). Power discourses (cultural, gendered, religious, moral, scientific, legal, marketing) give legitimacy to social norms. Subjects (plus-size female consumers) are ones that subjugate to power, this is called subjectification. Dominance leads to counter resistive movements with antagonist aspirations (fatshionistas, beauty at all size). Soon, the subjects gain power and transform into agents creating thus change in the marketplace. THANK you for your kind attention! CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik Please keep this slide for attribution.