Sociology: Ch. 6: The Mass Media
Which of the following is a benefit of government media monitoring of private communications?
Expedited disaster relief
Which of the following have sociologists suggested is a dysfunction of the mass media?
Having a narcotizing effect
Which of the following is true of mass media in the United States
New technologies have changed people's viewing and listening habits.
Which sociologist(s) first identified the effects of viewer fatigue and created the term narcotizing dysfunction?
Paul Lazarsfeld and Robert Merton
Who are opinion leaders?
People who influence those around them.
Which of the following is a dysfunction of the mass media?
They desensitize us to distressing events.
From a functionalist perspective, what function do television crime dramas serve for society?
They reinforce differences between acceptable and unacceptable behavior.
Which of the following statements concerning media portrayal of gender roles would the feminist perspective most likely endorse?
Women are often portrayed as being in need of rescue by males.
From a functionalist perspective, the mass media not only entertain but also provide
a collective experience for members of society.
Which consequences are likely results of people managing and restricting their media exposure on the Internet 1. A more closed-minded society 2. Less exposure to a variety of ideas and thoughts 3. More exposure to new and various ideas 4. A more tolerant society
a more closed-minded society and less exposure to a variety of ideas and thoughts
The global reach of mass media has made ______ far more accessible to both new and currently targeted audiences.
advertising
From the functionalist perspective, mass media serve which of the following functions for society? 1. Gatekeeper of ideas 2. Agent of socialization 3. Consumption promoter 4. Enforcer of social norms
agents of socialization, consumption promoter, and enforcer of social norms
The government monitoring of U.S. citizens' telephone conversations without judicial approval is considered a violation of their privacy. This type of unsolicited monitoring is considered to be most problematic under which of the following sociological perspectives?
conflict
Which of the following perspectives focuses on the media's tendency to perpetuate the dominant ideology?
conflict
Which type of sociologist would most likely focus on government efforts to regulate the flow of information on the Internet?
conflict
Which sociological perspective would be most likely to focus on gatekeeping as a process that reflects a desire to maximize profits by those with power and authority?
conflict perspective
Which sociological perspective would be most likely to support the idea that a dominant ideology is created through media images and used to construct a reality based on protecting the interests of the powerful?
conflict perspective
Which group of sociologists would be most likely to express concern about the way new technology might encourage increased censorship?
conflict theorists
Which of the following categories of sociologists would most likely focus on media bias toward or against certain racial, ethnic, or gender groups?
conflict theorists
Which of the following groups emphasize that the media reflect and even exacerbate many of the divisions in our society and world?
conflict theorists
The complex issues of censorship can be considered to be an illustration of
cultural lag
The period of maladjustment when the non-material culture is still struggling to adapt to new material conditions is referred to as ______ by sociologists.
cultural lag
Which term describes a set of cultural beliefs that are designed to maintain economic, political, and social interests for those in power?
dominant ideology
What is the term for the process of only listening to one viewpoint on a given topic?
egocasting
True or false: The digital divide puts those with access to technology at a disadvantage for accessing information.
false
Sociologist Robert Park studied
how newspapers helped immigrants to the U.S. adjust to their environments and taught them the customs and opinions of people in their new home country.
Which of the sociological perspectives would see the debate over media content as an extension of everyday life?
interactionist perspective
In reality, one out of every four women is obese. On television, characters are statistically ______ to be portrayed as obese.
less likely
With online websites and blogs, coverage of events in a very limited area, or hyper-______ media, can reach and affect an international audience.
local
Technological advances have enabled advertisers, politicians, and the news media to reach highly targeted audiences. By doing so, this action supersedes what was once known as ______ media distribution.
mass
Which of the following terms is used by sociologists to refer to print and electronic means of communication that carry messages to widespread audiences?
mass media
According to the text, cell phones have been crucial in providing ________ to help aid global refugees.
migration statistics
If an audience fails to take action after seeing prolonged reports on natural disasters or human rights violations, which phenomenon are they experiencing?
narcotizing dysfunction
Sociologists Paul Lazarsfeld and Robert Merton coined the term ______ to describe how an overabundance of media coverage on a topic results in the audience failing to act on that information.
narcotizing dysfunction
A person who influences the opinions and decisions of others through day-to-day personal contact and communication is referred to as a(n)
opinion leader
A(n) ______ is someone who influences the opinions and decisions of others through day-to-day personal contact and communication.
opinion leader
Sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld
pioneered the study of opinion leaders in his research on voting behavior in the 1940s.
An audience that consists of close family members watching their favorite TV sitcom would be described as
primary group members
Featuring brand-name items on a television show, such as having characters eat Subway sandwiches or drive Chevrolet cars, is an example of
product placement
Which of the following are examples of how the media acts as an enforcer of social norms? 1. Programs that persuade teens not to send compromising photos of themselves 2. News organizations that print stories without checking facts 3. Movies and television shows that glorify drug use and rude behavior 4. Television shows that show bad guys getting caught
programs that persuade teens not to send compromising photos of themselves and television show that show bad guys getting caught
An audience at a rock concert would be described as a(n) ______ group.
secondary
When women make newsworthy accomplishments in fields traditionally dominated by men, the media are often
slow to recognize their accomplishments
Interactionists would be more apt to focus on which of the following when gathering data on how the media affects social behavior?
small groups
According to sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, ________ is the collective benefit of social networks, which are built on reciprocal trust.
social capital
Women are often portrayed in media as helpless or as objects of abuse. This perpetuates gender
stereotypes
Low-income groups, racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents, and the citizens of developing countries may have limited access to the latest technologies, such as computers, the Internet, and e-mail. What is this lack of technology called?
the digital divide
Which medium experiences the least amount of gatekeeping?
the internet
Unlike broadcast television, the Internet lacks gatekeeping. What is the main dysfunction of this?
there can be a promotion of misinformation
In which of the following ways are overweight people stereotyped on television shows? 1. They eat less and exercise more. 2. They talk more about sex. 3. They have fewer romances. 4. They are more often the object of ridicule than their thin counterparts
they have fewer romances and they are more often the object of ridicule than their thin counterparts
What are some of the reasons other countries might limit the import of American media? 1. to protect and promote their own films and television 2. to increase Americans' consumption of American media 3. to increase cooperation and ties with the United States 4. to reduce the amount of U.S. cultural influence
to protect and promote their own films and television and to reduce the amount of U.S. cultural influence
True or false: The rise of electronic mass media has created a global village.
true
True or false: the numbing effect of the narcotizing dysfunction may prevent people from taking action in response to compelling issues.
true
Which of the following are examples of mass media acting as an agent of socialization? 1. Letting children watch television instead of hiring a babysitter 2. Watching television news to learn about important events 3. Using the Internet to keep up with the latest news and share information 4. Reading newspapers to learn about popular opinion and culture
watching television news to learn about important events, using the internet to keep up with the latest news and share information, and reading newspaper to learn about popular opinion and culture
Eli Pariser wrote The Filter Bubble, which discusses the
way in which search engines filter our searches to what we are already familiar with.
Which of the following statements about dominant ideologies and television shows is true?
Television is gradually moving away from U.S. domination across the globe.
Which of the sociological perspectives would express concern about those with power, whether media companies or governments, exercising control over what people can see and read?
functionalist perspectives
George is the executive producer of a small recording company with an established label. He rejects a popular local band because it competes with a group already on their label. He functions as a
gatekeeper
The media giants control the flow of information by setting up a series of checkpoints that material must pass through before reaching the public. This is known as
gatekeeping
The process by which a relatively small number of people control what eventually reaches the audience is referred to as
gatekeeping
When would an advertiser hoping to sell kitchen cabinets most likely choose to air its TV commercials?
home remodeling programs
Which of the following television reality shows were imported to the United States from other countries? 1. Survivor 2. Biggest Loser 3. Big Brother 4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
survivor, big brother, ans who wants to be a millionaire
Which of the following media bombards children with twenty thousand commercials a year?
television
Viewers in the United States almost never hear news from countries in the developing world unless the countries are experiencing civil unrest or a natural disaster. This unbalanced media coverage tends to increase the viewers'
ethnocentrism
During the aftermath of a tragic event at a large middle school, which segment of those affected would an interactionist consider interviewing to determine how this event affected the community?
family members