This chapter discusses the history of media research, current theories and research, and controversies in understanding media effects. It outlines the evolution of media research from early fears and propaganda studies to modern analyses of television effects and new media usage. Current theories examine powerful and minimal effects models as well as flow theories. Research perspectives include diffusion of innovations and cultural studies approaches. Understanding media impact is challenging due to limitations of research and distinguishing correlation from causation.

1. Chapter 2
Chapter Outline
• History
• Theory and Research
• Controversies
MEDIA IMPACT:
Understanding Research and Effects

2. A Brief History of Media Research
Early Fears
• 15th Century church leaders
• WWI propaganda

6. A Brief History of Media Research
Payne Fund Studies
• Modeling
• Content analyses
• Laboratory experiment
• Survey methods
• 1930 Motion Picture Production code

7. A Brief History of Media Research
The People’s Choice Study

8. A Brief History of Media Research
The People’s Choice Study
• Random sampling
• Selective exposure
• Selective perception
• Selective retention
• Opinion leaders (mavens)
• Two-step flow of information

12. A Brief History of Media Research
• American Soldier studies
• Applied Research conducted by
industry

13. A Brief History of Media Research
Studies into the Effects of Television
• Television in the Lives of Our
Children
• Wilbur Schramm (Stanford
University): from ages three through
16 children are likely to devote more
time to television than to any other
activity except sleep

14. A Brief History of Media Research
• Daily TV viewing will fall to 4 hours and 31 minutes this year,down
from4 hours and 38 minutes in 2012.
• Digital media, meanwhile, is expectedto consumemore of Americans'
time than ever with a daily intake of 5 hours and 9 minutes, up from 4
hours and 31 minutes last year.
• Printand radio will see slight declines as well. eMarketer predicts
radio time will drop to 1 hour and 26 minutes from 1 hour and 32
minutes,while print is forecast to further tumble to 32 minutes from
38 minutes in 2012.
• Overall, the amountof time people are spendingwith media is
increasing with moremultitasking acrossdevices.Total media time
is predictedto make up 11 hours and 52 minutes per day this year,an
increasefrom 11 hours and 39 minutesin 2012.

15. 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

17. A Brief History of Media Research
• Cultural studies depend on careful observations of,
and thinking about, media and society.
• Marshall McLuhan: the medium is the message
• Technological determinism
• global village, in which information about
people of different cultures become as
meaningful to media consumers as things
happening in their own neighborhoods.

18. • Society-making media
• Segment-making media
A Brief History of Media Research

19. Understanding Today’s Theory and
Research
• Theory
• Powerful-effects model
• Minimal-effects model
• Mixed-effects model

20. Understanding Today’s Theory and
Research
Flow Theories

21. Understanding Today’s Theory and
Research
Media Effects: Social Science Perspectives

22. Understanding Today’s Theory and
Research
Diffusion of innovations theory five types of people have
different levels of willingness to accept new ideas from
the media:
1. Innovators tend to be politically liberal extroverts
who are venturesome and eager to try new ideas.
2. Early adopters make quick but informed choices.
3. Early majority makes careful, deliberate decisions.
4. Late majority tends to be skeptical.
5. Laggards tend to be conservative, traditional and
resistant to any type of change.

23. Understanding Today’s Theory and
Research
• Cultural Studies
• The role that media play in changing entire societies is
difficult to measure.
• media ecology
• Gender studies
• Political-economic analysis

24. Controversies in Media Impact
• Research vs. “Common Sense”
• Limitations of research confuse conventional
wisdom.
Causation and correlation
• Correlation only proves that two things occurred at
the same time, not that one thing caused the other.

25. Chapter 2
Chapter Outline
• History
• Theory and Research
• Controversies
MEDIA IMPACT:
Understanding Research and Effects