AS level introduction to the three approaches (intentional, constructive and reflective) LESSON 7 - Follow up lesson was to research how age is represented and present their chosen examples.

2. Reflective approach
• This approach suggests that representations
are a direct reflection of reality.

3. Intentional Approach
• This suggests that producers deliberately
shape reality through representation and
suggests an audience’s understanding of the
world is as a result of those representations.

4. Constructionist Approach
• This is a mixture! It
accepts that
representations
construct meaning, but
that this meaning is
understood through
reference to reality and
the audience’s own
ability to analyse, accept
and reject.

5. Constructionists believe:
• Representation is a mixture of:
– The actual thing being represented
– The values/attitudes and lifestyle (VALs) of the
people/institutions constructing the
representation
– The reaction of the individual member of the
audience (and their VALs)
– The context of the society in which the
representation is taking place

6. Ideology
• Media texts convey ideological messages:
• Ideology is a system of ideas, values and
beliefs promoted by dominant groups to
reinforce their power (e.g: governments, state
institutions, corporations).

7. Theorist - Karl Marx
• Developed the concept of ideology in 1900s.
• Analysed the way those in power protected
their interests by representing their privileged
position as being natural.
• Consider how dominant ideologies are
reinforced/challenged by media texts.

8. Homework
• Research the following two theorists.
• Provide a brief summary of their theories –
what do the concepts mean?
Theorist
Gramsci
Acland
Year
1971
1995
Concepts
Cultural hegemony
Ideology of protection; deviant youth and
reproduction of social order

9. Positive/negative representations
• If representations do affect the way in which
we think about particular groups, what does
that suggest about the media audience?

10. Your task
• In pairs, to research representation of age
from any medium on the next slide.
• Produce a presentation, including
images/footage: saved to the ‘Mac Shared’
Area.
• Make reference to semiotics (visual codes and
audio codes if appropriate).

11. The choices! Ooh!
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Soaps
Adverts
Magazines
Films
News
Sitcoms
Cartoons
Comics
Reality TV
TV Drama

12. Representations of age
• What is the media (form and genre).
• How has the representation been constructed
(visual and audio codes)?
• What reasons are there for the representation?
• How might the representation affect audience?
• Who produced the representation?
• What approach do you think could apply to your
chosen example?

13. Your presentations!