The Handbook of Communication Science, Second Edition: Chapter 15: Mass Media Effects. This article discusses the history of and theories on the impact of mass media. It introduces influential theory and encourages further research into the effects of Mass Media.
This article discusses the history of and theories on the impact of mass media.
After studying the assigned reading The Handbook of Communication Science, Second Edition: Chapter 15: Mass Media Effects, consider one of the five categories of media effect theories mentioned in the article (learning, socialization, selective exposure, selective presentation, and perceived effects-remember, these are the categories, not the names of the theories themselves), identify one of the theories listed in the article and answer the following questions or prompts:
A) Does media directly influence individuals? Explain your answer.
B) Which of the mass communication theories do you feel most accurately portrays your media experiences? Why? Be sure to provide an example that supports your opinion.
C) How involved should the government be in protecting us from media effects? Where do you draw the line between free speech and indecency? Is censorship ever warranted?