THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO
C&J 561 – Section 001
Seminar: Media Effects
FALL 2009
Olaf Werder Class Time: T 4:00-6:30 pm
Office: C&J 230 Class Location: C&J 121
Phone: 463-3690 e-mail: owerder@unm.edu
Office Hours- (T 9:00-11:00 am) and by appointment
Course Materials
Required Text
Your required texts are:
- Bryant, J., & Oliver, M. (2009). Media effects: Advances in theory and research (3rd Ed.). New York: Routledge.
Supplemental readings are available on our course web site. You are responsible for making sure that you have read all the readings and supplemental in-class handouts and assignments if you were absent.
Suggested Texts
Listed below are some supplemental books that may be useful resources to you during the semester.
Severin, W., & Tankard, J. (2000). Communication theories: Origins, methods and uses in the mass media (5th Ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
Jeffres, L. (1997). Mass media effects (2nd Ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Perse, E. (2001). Media effects and society. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Bryant, J., & Thompson, S. (2001). Fundamentals of media effects. New York: McGraw-Hill.
DeFleur, M., & Ball-Rokeach, S. (1989). Theories of mass communication. New York: Longman.
Course Overview
This course examines the impact of mass media on modern society. The course will cover the theories and processes that underlie individuals’ uses of mass media and their interactions with media content. Topics include media cultivation, perception of social reality, priming, media violence, agenda-setting, the uses-and-gratification perspective, and attitudinal media effects on health, lifestyle and self image. Effects on individual viewers as well as the impact of media on the society at large will be explored.
The course is intended for graduate and professional students in (mass) communication and related social sciences. Students should have some background in the social or behavioral sciences. Upper division undergraduates may be admitted by permission of the instructor. It is not necessary that students have previously taken courses in Mass Communication and Research, although this is encouraged.
By blending theory and practice, this course (a) provides a starting point to gain an idea of the issues and sources in each area, (b) encourages thoughtful critique of past models and empirical research based on solid theoretical ideas, and (c) equips students with tools for their own further research.
Ethical Conduct
This course emphasizes ethical practices and perspective. Above all, students and instructors should strive to communicate and act, both in class interactions and in assigned coursework, in a manner directed by personal integrity, honesty, and respect for self and others. Included in this focus is the need for academic honesty by students as stated by the UNM Pathfinder. Students need to do original work and properly cite sources. For example, be particularly clear about plagiarism--directly copying more than 3 or 4 words from another author without quoting (not just citing) the author is plagiarism. Further, dishonesty in quizzes, tests or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others; hindering the academic work of other students; misrepresenting academic or professional qualifications within or without the University; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or other University records is also considered a violation of ethical conduct.
All such cases will be at a minimum receive a zero grade for that particular exam or assignment and at a maximum may result in failure in the course and be reported to the proper university committee.
Students with Disabilities
Qualified students with physical and learning disabilities needing appropriate academic adjustments should contact me as soon as possible to ensure your needs are met in a timely manner. Handouts are available in alternative accessible formats upon request.
Diversity
This course encourages different perspectives related to such factors as gender, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, and other relevant cultural identities. This course seeks to foster understanding and inclusiveness related to such diverse perspectives and ways of communicating..
General Policies
This class will follow University and departmental guidelines concerning scholastic misconduct and grievance procedures. It is the student’s responsibility to advise me of any personal emergency that might affect his/her performance in the course. No credit will be given for unexcused late work. Random arrivals and exits in class only serve to distract other students and the professor.
Permission for a student to receive an incomplete grade (I) is at the discretion of the instructor and must be accompanied by a written contract for completion of course requirements. Failure to take exams, complete assignments, or attend class are not acceptable reasons for an incomplete.
Course Evaluation
Final research paper: …………………………. 50% (500 pts.)
Reaction papers (4): …................................... 20% (200 pts.)
Class discussion leader (2): ………………..... 20% (200 pts.)
Class participation: …………………………..... 10% (100 pts.)
Your final grade in this class will be calculated by adding the points you have accumulated throughout the semester (up to a possible score of 1,000 points). Letter grades will be assigned using the following grading scale:
(A) = 93-97 (C+) = 78-79
(A-) = 90-92 (C) = 73-77
(B+) = 88-89 (C-) = 70-72
(B) = 83-87 (D) = 60-69
(B-) = 80-82 (F) = 59 and below
Course Requirements
Reading and seminar participation (10%):
Students should read all assigned material by the dates listed in the syllabus and be prepared to participate in a discussion of key topics from the readings. As this is a graduate seminar, I will not formally lecture and the success of this course fully depends on students carefully reading and synthesizing material before class and actively attending each class session. It is not enough that you just come to class. You must actively discuss the readings and engage in exchanges with other seminar participants.
Seminar discussion leader (20%):
Each student will be assigned twice to lead a discussion of assigned readings. Discussants will collaborate with the professor to keep conversation moving forward. You should draw from the article some key insights and questions and use these to generate discussion. You should assume that your colleagues have read the article and do not need to have its contents repeated but instead you should use examples of application for your topic. Moreover, discussants will be required to write a 3-4 page summary and critique of the week’s readings and provide a brief list of questions to facilitate discussion. This report should be posted to the class blog by midnight on the night before class so that other seminar participants have a chance to review your comments and questions for the class session.
Reaction papers (20%):
Four times throughout the semester students will be required to write 1-2 pages (typed, double-spaced) of commentary and reaction on readings for weeks that they are not the discussant. Reaction papers should usually summarize the key topics/themes that are common to the readings assigned that week but students can feel free to focus on detailed reviews of a single reading. Also, students are expected to draw from the readings some major questions and issues that will be useful in class discussions. Bring these comment papers to class and submit them at the end of each session.
Final research paper:
The final paper in this class (20-30 pages) will be an original research paper of the type typically submitted for publication in a scholarly journal and/or for presentation at a scientific conference. The paper should use one of the topical areas covered in the course as a basis to propose and begin the process of testing theory. It should NOT just be a literature review or recapitulation of past work. As a matter of fact, the originality of your paper and its implications for theory in media effects/communication will be the key criteria for evaluation and grading. Students will present their paper to the other seminar participants.
- Doctoral students are expected to present actual research findings, or a coherent proposal for dissertation-type research.
- Masters’ students may develop thesis-style proposals or opt to write an argumentative research review or synthesis (as used in magazines such as New Yorker or Atlantic Monthly).
- If you wish to incorporate work developed elsewhere (e.g., other seminars), consult with me first.
- A useful template for the project can be found in the articles published in Communication Research Reports. To see examples, please check the Communication & Mass Media Complete database of our library. You can follow this link if you use the electronic version of this syllabus.
A two-page prospectus for your seminar paper is due WEEK 7. You will make a presentation of your paper in WEEK 15 or 16. Based on comments you receive from other seminar participants you may revise your paper and submit a final draft for grading on December 15th by 12:00 pm.
Your paper (if you choose an academic one) should follow the typical structure containing the following sections: (1) brief introduction, (2) literature review, (3) statement of hypotheses, propositions, or research model, (4) actual or proposed methodology, (5) results of analysis or proposed analytic approach, (6) concluding discussion about what was or will be learned.
Students may present findings based on existing data sets (e.g., National Election Study, General Social Survey, The Pew Internet and American Life Project, etc.) or collect original data. In the latter case, be mindful of potential IRB regulations, so start your project early enough. Although all papers need to explicitly discuss methods, the orientation need not be quantitative.
Resources
Class website: Copies of the syllabus and assignments are available on the class website. In addition, the seminar uses its members-only course blog (http://cj561.blogspot.com/) to correspond and disseminate information.
Tentative Course Schedule
Week Date Lecture Assigned Assignments
Topics Readings Due
1 Aug 25 Introduction to the course Discussion leader pick
2 Sep 1 Media Effects Theories Readings 1-2
3 Sep 8 Agenda Setting and Framing Ch. 1, 2
4 Sep 15 Cultivation Theories Ch. 3, 4
5 Sep 22 Media Priming Ch. 5
Readings 3-4
6 Sep 29 Social Cognitive Theory Ch. 6
Reading 5
7 Oct 6 Theories of Persuasion Ch. 7 Prospectus
Reading 6 due
8 Oct 13 Motivational Approaches to Ch. 8
Media Use Readings 7-8
9 Oct 20 Affective Processes and Ch. 14, 23
Emotional Responses Reading 9
10 Oct 27 Attributional Processes: Ch. 12
Third Person Effects, Partisanship Readings 10-11
11 Nov 3 Portrayals of Sex and Violence Ch. 13-15
12 Nov 10 Media and Learning: Literacy and Ch. 19
Effect on Children Readings 12-13
13 Nov 17 Media Information and the Public: Ch. 10-11, 20-21
Political Campaigns and Health
14 Nov 24 Media Entertainment Ch. 24
Reading 14
15 Dec 1 Effects of NewMedia Ch. 25-27
(Research project presentations)
16 Dec 8 Research project presentations
17 Dec 15 Final Research
Paper due
Supplemental Readings
1. Omri, C. (2006). A Burkean theory of media effects: Toward a non-salience theory of framing. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 2006 Annual Meeting.
2. Werder, O. (2009). Media effects theories. In Karen Foss, Stephen Littlejohn (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, (pp. TBD). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (expected publication date: 10/2009).
3. Carpentier, F. (2009). Effects of priming social goals on personal interest in television news. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 53(2), 300-316.
4. Johnson, J., Olivo, N., Gibson, N., et al. (2009). Priming media stereotypes reduces support for social welfare policies: The mediating role of empathy. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(4), 463-476.
5. Lee, D., & LaRose, R. (2007). A socio-cognitive model of video game usage. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 51(4), 632-650.
6. Frewer, L., Howard, C., Hedderley, D., et al. (1997). The elaboration likelihood model and communication about food risks. Risk Analysis, 17(6), 759-770.
7. Gass, R. H., & Seiter, J. S. (2007). Motivational appeals. In: Persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining (3rd Ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon, pp. 271-293.
8. Stafford, T.E., Stafford, M.R., & Schkade L. (2004). Determining uses and gratification for the internet. Decision Sciences, 35(2), 259-288.
9. Hullett, C. (2005). The Impact of mood on persuasion: A meta-analysis. Communication
Research, 32, 423-442.
10. Sun, Y., Pan, Z., & Shen, L. (2008). Understanding the third-person perception: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 280 - 300.
11. Coe, K., Tewksbury, D., Bond, B., Drogos, K. et al. (2008). Hostile news: Partisan use and perceptions of cable news programming. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 201-219.
12. Wilson, B. (2008). Media and children's aggression, fear, and altruism. The Future of Children, 18(1), 87-118.
13. Pinkleton, B., Austin, E., Cohen, M., Chen, Y., & Fitzgerald, E. (2008). Effects of a peer-led media literacy curriculum on adolescents' knowledge and attitudes toward sexual behavior and media portrayals of sex. Health Communication,23(5), 462-472.
14. Holbert, R., Shah, D., & Kwak, N. (2003). Political implications of prime-time drama and sitcom use: Genres of representation and opinions concerning women's rights. Journal of Communication, 53(1), 45-60.
Extra. Curran (2006). New revisionism in media and cultural studies. Media and Power. NY: Routledge. |