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Baran Book Cover
Introduction to Mass Communication, 2/e
Stanley J. Baran

Theories of Mass Communication

Glossary

agenda setting  theory that argues that media may not tell us what to think but that media tell us what to think about
attitude change theory  theory that explains how peopleís attitudes are formed, shaped, and changed and how those attitudes influence behavior
critical cultural theory  idea that media operate primarily to justify and support the status quo at the expense of ordinary people
cultivation analysis  idea that television ìcultivatesî or constructs a reality of the world that, although possibly inaccurate, becomes the accepted reality simply because we as a culture believe it to be the reality
cultural theory  the idea that meaning and therefore effects are negotiated by media and audiences as they interact in the culture
dependency theory  idea that mediaís power is a function of audience membersí dependency on the media and their content
disinhibitory effects  in social learning theory, seeing a model rewarded for prohibited or threatening behavior increases the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior
dissonance theory  argues that people, when confronted by new information, experience a kind of mental discomfort, a dissonance; as a result, they consciously and subconsciously work to limit or reduce that discomfort through the selective processes
grand theory  a theory designed to describe and explain all aspects of a given phenomenon
hypodermic needle theory  idea that media are a dangerous drug that can directly enter a personís system
identification  in social learning theory, a special form of imitation where observers do not exactly copy what they have seen but make a more generalized but related response
imitation  in social learning theory, the direct replication of an observed behavior
inhibitory effects  in social learning theory, seeing a model punished for a behavior reduces the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior
limited effects theory  medias' influence is limited by peopleís individual differences, social categories, and personal relationships
magic bullet theory  the mass society theory idea that media are a powerful killing force that directly penetrates a persons' system
mainstreaming  in cultivation analysis, televisionís ability to move people toward a common understanding of how things are
mass communication theories  explanations and predictions of social phenomena relating mass communication to various aspects of our personal and cultural lives or social systems
mass society theory  the idea that media are corrupting influences; they undermine the social order, and average people are defenseless against their influence
middle-range theories  ideas that explain or predict only limited aspects of the mass communication process
modeling  in social learning theory, learning through imitation and identification
neo-Marxist theory  the theory that people are oppressed by those who control the culture, the superstructure, as opposed to the base Frankfurt School media theory, centered in neo-Marxism, that valued serious art, viewing its consumption as a means to elevate all people toward a better life; typical media fare was seen as pacifying ordinary people while repressing them
news production research  the study of how economic and other influences on the way news is produced distort and bias news coverage toward those in power
observational learning  in social learning theory, observers can acquire (learn) new behaviors simply by seeing those behaviors performed
opinion followers  people who receive opinion leadersí interpretations of media content; from two-step flow theory
opinion leaders  people who initially consume media content, interpret it in light of their own values and beliefs, and then pass it on to opinion followers; from two-step flow theory
paradigm  a theory that summarizes and is consistent with all known facts
paradigm shift  fundamental, even radical rethinking of what people believe to be true for a given body of knowledge
product positioning  the practice in advertising of assigning meaning to a product based on who buys the product rather than on the product itself
reinforcement theory  Joseph Klapper's idea that if media have any impact at all it is in the direction of reinforcement
selective attention  see selective exposure
selective exposure  the idea that people expose themselves or attend to those messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs
selective perception  idea that people interpret messages in a manner consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs
selective processes  people expose themselves to, remember best and longest, and reinterpret messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs
selective retention  assumes that people remember best and longest those messages that are consistent with their existing attitudes and beliefs
signs  in social construction of reality, things that have subjective meaning in social construction of reality, things that have subjective meaning
social cognitive theory  the idea that people learn by observation
social construction of reality  theory for explaining how cultures construct and maintain their realities using signs and symbols; argues that people learn to behave in their social world through interaction with it
symbolic interaction  the idea that people give meaning to symbols and then those symbols control peoples' behavior in their presence
symbols  in social construction of reality, things that have objective meaning
two-step flow theory  the idea that mediaís influence on peopleís behavior is limited by opinion leaders, people who initially consume media content, interpret it in light of their own values and beliefs, and then pass it on to opinion followers†who have less frequent contact with media
typification schemes  in social construction of reality, collections of meanings people have assigned to some phenomenon or situation
uses and gratifications approach  the idea that media don't do things to people; people do things with media