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