MJF 105 Exam 1Practice Questions And Well Elaborated Answers.

Communication - correct answers the creation and use of symbol systems that convey information and meaning Culture - correct answers the symbols of expression that individuals, groups, and societies use to make sense of daily life and to articulate their values Mass media - correct answers the cultural industries- the channels of communication- that produce and distribute songs, novels, news, movies, online computer services, and other cultural products to a large number of people. Mass communication - correct answers the process of designing cultural messages and stories and delivering them to large and diverse audiences through media channels as old and distinctive as the printed book and as new and converged as the Internet Digital communication - correct answers Images, texts, and sounds are converted (encoded) into electronic signals (represented as varied combinations of binary numbers-ones and zeros) that are then reassembled (decoded) as a precise reproduction of, say, a TV picture, a magazine article, a song, or a telephone voice Selective exposure - correct answers people typically seek messages and produce meanings that correspond to their own cultural beliefs, values, and interests Convergence - correct answers a term that media critics and analysts use when describing all the changes that have occurred over the past decade, and are still occurring, in media content and within media companies Cross platform - correct answers a business model that involves consolidating various media holdings, such as cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and Internet access, under one corporate umbrella Narrative - correct answers the structure underlying most media products, it includes two components: the story (what happens to whom) and the discourse (how the story is told) High culture - correct answers a symbolic expression that has come to mean "good taste"; often supported by wealthy patrons and corporate donors, it is associated with fine art (such as ballet, the symphony, painting, and classical literature), which is available primarily in theaters or museums. Low culture - correct answers a symbolic expression supposedly aligned with the questionable tastes of the "masses," who enjoy the commercial "junk" circulated by the mass media, such as soap operas, rock music, talk radio, comic books, and monster truck pulls Modern period - correct answers the term describing a historical era spanning the time from the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to the present; its social values include celebrating the individual, believing in rational order, working efficiently, and rejecting tradition. Progressive Era - correct answers a period of political and social reform that lasted from the 1890s to the 1920s Postmodern era - correct answers the term describing a contemporary historical era spanning the 1960s to the present; its social values include opposing hierarchy, diversifying and recycling culture, questioning scientific reasoning, and embracing paradox Media literacy - correct answers an understanding of the mass communication process through the development of critical-thinking tools—description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement—that enable a person to become more engaged as a citizen and more discerning as a consumer of mass media products Critical process - correct answers the process whereby a media-literate person or student studying mass communication forms and practices employs the techniques of description, analysis, interpretation, evaluation, and engagement Description - correct answers the first step in the critical process, it involves paying close attention, taking notes, and researching the cultural product to be studied Analysis - correct answers the second step in the critical process, it involves discovering significant patterns that emerge from the description stage Interpretation - correct answers the third step in the critical process, it asks and answers the "What does that mean?" and "So what?" questions about one's findings Evaluation - correct answers the fourth step in the critical process, it involves arriving at a judgment about whether a cultural product is good, bad, or mediocre; this requires subordinating one's personal taste to the critical assessment resulting from the first three stages (description, analysis, and interpretation) Engagement - correct answers the fifth step in the critical process, it involves actively working to create a media world that best serves democracy Media effects research - correct answers the mainstream tradition in mass communication research, it attempts to understand, explain, and predict the impact—or effects—of the mass media on individuals and society Cultural studies - correct answers in media research, the approaches that try to understand how the media and culture are tied to the actual patterns of communication used in daily life; these studies focus on how people make meanings, apprehend reality, and order experience through the use of stories and symbols Propaganda analysis - correct answers the study of propaganda's effectiveness in influencing and mobilizing public opinion Pseudo-polls - correct answers typically call-in, online, or person-in-the-street nonscientific polls that the news media use to address a "question of the day." Hypodermic Needle Model - correct answers an early model in mass communication research that attempted to explain media effects by arguing that the media figuratively shoot their powerful effects into unsuspecting or weak audiences; sometimes called the bullet theory or the direct effects model . Minimal-effects model - correct answers a mass communication research model based on tightly controlled experiments and survey findings; it argues that the mass media have limited effects on audiences, reinforcing existing behaviors and attitudes rather than changing them. Selective retention - correct answers the phenomenon whereby audiences remember or retain messages and meanings that correspond to their preexisting beliefs and values. Uses and gratifications model - correct answers a mass communication research model, usually employing in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires, that argues that people use the media to satisfy various emotional desires or intellectual needs. Scientific method - correct answers a widely used research method that studies phenomena in systematic stages; it includes identifying a research problem, reviewing existing research, developing working hypotheses, determining an appropriate research design, collecting information, analyzing results to see if the hypotheses have been verified, and interpreting the implications of the study. Hypotheses - correct answers in social science research, tentative general statements that predict a relationship between a dependent variable and an independent variable. Experiments - correct answers in regard to the mass media, research that isolates some aspect of content; suggests a hypothesis; and manipulates variables to discover a particular medium's impact on attitudes, emotions, or behavior. Random assignment - correct answers a social science research method for assigning research subjects; it ensures that every subject has an equal chance of being placed in either the experimental group or the control group. Survey research - correct answers in social science research, a method of collecting and measuring data taken from a group of respondents. Longitudinal studies - correct answers a term used for research studies that are conducted over long periods of time and often rely on large government and academic survey databases. Correlations - correct answers observed associations between two variables. Content analysis - correct answers in social science research, a method for studying and coding media texts and programs. Social learning theory - correct answers a theory within media effects research that suggests a link between the mass media and behavior. Agenda-setting - correct answers a media-research argument that says that when the mass media pay attention to particular events or issues, they determine—that is, set the agenda for—the major topics of discussion for individuals and society. Cultivation effect - correct answers in media research, the idea that heavy television viewing leads individuals to perceive reality in ways that are consistent with the portrayals they see on television. Spiral of silence - correct answers a theory that links the mass media, social psychology, and the formation of public opinion; the theory says that people who hold minority views on controversial issues tend to keep their views silent. Third-person effect - correct answers the theory that people believe others are more affected by media messages than they are themselves. Textual analysis - correct answers in media research, a method for closely and critically examining and interpreting the meanings of culture, including architecture, fashion, books, movies, and TV programs. Audience studies - correct answers cultural studies research that focuses on how people use and interpret cultural content. Also known as reader-response research. Political economy studies - correct answers an area of academic study that specifically examines interconnections among economic interests, political power, and how that power is used. Public sphere - correct answers those areas or arenas in social life—like the town square or coffeehouse—where people come together regularly to discuss social and cultural problems and try to influence politics; the public sphere is distinguished from governmental spheres, where elected officials and other representatives conduct affairs of state.