Effects of Talk Show Viewing on Adolescents essays

Effects of Talk Show Viewing on Adolescents essays The article aims to assess whether data is consistent with critics claims on the effects of talk show viewing on the social reality beliefs of adolescents. Critics hypothesize the following negative effects occur (on adolescents) as a result of talk-show viewing: 1) a incessant focus on bizarre behavior and social deviance leading viewers to accept distorted versions of reality, 2) desensitization to the suffering of others occurs due to (regular) viewer immunity to graphic discussions and guest outbursts, 3) the trivialization of important social issues due to the oversimplification of difficult issues. In order to test the three hypotheses, a survey was administered to 282 high school students ranging in age from 13-18. Students answered questions about their attitudes towards social issues and related media use and talk show viewing behavior. The study analyses was limited to daytime television talk shows featuring non-celebrity individuals discussing their personal lives and pr oblems. The authors the study based on the interpretive theory of communication. They attempted, through the survey, to uncover the ways in which talk-shows do/do not influence adolescents in arriving at their general meaning of social reality. Interpretive theories describe the process whereby the active mind [the adolescents] uncovers the meanings of experience [bizarre topics] in whatever form it may take [talk-show viewing]. The results of the survey provided support for the first hypothesis, disputed the second and proved contrary to the third, actually establishing a positive relationship between talk-show viewing and the importance of social issues. Although talk-shows have an effect on adolescents, the data did not suggest that adolescents are corrupted by watching them. Stacey Davis and Marie-Louise Mares, Effects of Talk Show Viewing on Adolescents, Journal of Communication, (1988) p.69-85. ...

revo----lution essays

revolution essays Throughout the course of history, in the Untied States of America, many groups have beneficially influenced the modern day practices and values of the American citizenry. Most Americans hold organizations such as the NAACP, womens civil rights movement, and ACLU in high regard for their contributions and dedication to the working class. However, the Industrial Workers of the World, better known as the IWW, have been brushed under the carpet even though the contributions they have made to the modern day labor force is truly immeasurable. So why is this the case? Is it because the IWW functioned on Anarchist Syndicalism principles and were thought of as Unamerican in a Democratic society? Is it because America embraces capitalism while the IWWs revolutionary vision focused on capitalism as the demise of the working class? The answer to both these questions is probably yes! This, however, is a true tragedy! The IWW when brought under close examination not only had a huge impact on mode rn day labor practices, but also the goals and the means that were employed to produce them are uniquely American rather than Unamerican as most Americans believe. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries the working class in the United States was simply modern day slavery to big business. Much of the working class worked long hours in unsafe conditions and were paid very little for their work. However, they could not simply stop working because many workers had families to clothe, feed, and shelter. As conditions worsened, some members were beginning to become irate at big business owners and formed a revolutionary union in Chicago in 1905 called the Industrial Workers of the World . In order to fight big business and capitalism, the general goal of the IWW was to combine the American working class and eventually wage earners all over the world into one big labor union with an industrial basis and a ...

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Hamlet - Essay Example relationship between siblings is often an indication of the general condition of love and cohesiveness in the family, which is desirable for harmonious living. Inasmuch as effective sibling relationship is encouraged in the family, there are special incidents where it has developed to incest, where siblings engage in sexual relations. Sometimes the father can have an incest relationship with his daughters and boys or the mother engages in an incest relationship with the sons and so forth (Sanni 143). Universally, incest relationship is often regarded as a taboo, yet a lot of arguments over this perspective have increasingly been emerging. This research explores the concept of incest and incestuous desire, examining at how it has become prevalent in the contemporary society. In facilitating this research, emphasis was placed in the quantitative methodologies, which included an examination of the journals and other research works that have been done on the same concept. This also included a number of books and published sources that have been authored on the evolving nature of human relationship. Additionally, some qualitative methods like interviewing were also done among respondents that have experienced this kind of relationships. Community social workers were also engaged in focus group discussions in trying to find out some of the perspectives that have been held by some people concerning this topic. The need for focus group discussion was thought as very effective in that it helped answer some of the crucial questions that many people have continued to hold on the prevalence e of this relationship, inasmuch as it has traditionally been regarded as a taboo. Resource persons, who included community and opinion leaders were also of great help towards understanding the community and cultural perspectives on incest. For a long time, the idea of incest and incestuous relationships has been understood from the traditional, modernist, as well as liner perspective.