1. List down any theories and theorists you
may know.

2. Theories of Representation
LO: To create resources that will
assist my exam revision.
Tuesday 29th
April 2014

3. By the end of the lesson you:
MUST: Research and understand the theories
of representation.
SHOULD: Know at least one theory
confidently that you can apply and use.
COULD: Develop how these theories could
be incorporated to your productions.

4. What is Representation?
The concept of representation is concerned with
how the media construct meanings about the
world.
Can be divided into:
Gender Age Ethnicity
Disability Social Class Sexuality
Regional Identity

5. Goffman (1972)
• Believes men are shown in dominant positions and
appear to be reflective of thought and
intelligence. Women are physically portrayed in
sexual or reclining poses with blank or inviting
expressions.
• Women are also subject to dismemberment of the
body, where parts of the body is on show, such as
legs, rather than the full body. This is used to sell
products which are not relevant to the body.

6. Mulvey (1975)
• The Male Gaze – representations of women
(and men) are constructed from a males point
of view, therefore we look at these women
(and men) through a man’s eyes even if we
are female.
• Argues that mainstream Hollywood films
represent women characters as passive
objects of male sexual desire in her ‘male
gaze’ theory.

7. Hall (1980)
Media creates a meaning of what they intended
for the audience to get from it and believes they
will either:
a) a dominant code - they accept preferred
readings
b) a negotiated code - they accept some
readings but reject others.
c) an oppositional code - they reject all
preferred readings

8. Gauntlett (2002)
• Argues that women buy magazines like
“Glamour” and “Cosmopolitan” for reasons of
self-esteem and reassurance.
• Also believes that “women were twice as likely
as men to be in commercials for domestic
products and men were twice as likely as
women to be seen in adverts for non-domestic
products”.

9. Individual Research
• Research – look up the basic understanding of
the theory.
• Write – write up the relevant information given
by the research.
• Examples – research and find examples that
back up the theory e.g. films, music videos etc.
• Images – collect relevant images that can be
used on your page.
AIM: To produce A4 side (copy each) & present findings

10. Peer Assessment Sheet
1. Did they use any visual aids?
2. Did they give examples of existing media?
3. How well did you understand the theory?
What 3 points did you take from this
presentation?