Question 1

_____________ theory argues that media don't do things to people;rather,people do things with media.In other words,media's influence is limited to what people allow it to be.
A) Uses and gratifications
B) Limited effects
C) Attitude change
D) Agenda setting

Accepted Answer

The uses and gratifications theory posits that individuals actively choose and use media to satisfy their needs and desires rather than being passive recipients of media effects. Therefore, media's influence is limited to what people allow it to be, as they only consume media that aligns with their motivations and interests.

Question 2

The underlying assumption of _____________ theory is that our experience of reality is an ongoing,social construction,not something that is only sent,delivered,or otherwise transmitted to a docile public.
A) uses and gratifications
B) limited effects
C) attitude change
D) cultural

Accepted Answer

The assumption described in the question aligns with the cultural theory, which emphasizes how cultural factors shape our understanding of reality and communication processes. The other answer choices (uses and gratifications, limited effects, and attitude change) are based on different assumptions and theoretical perspectives.

Question 3

_____________ theory is the idea that people learn through observation to model the behaviors they see.
A) Selective observation
B) Excitation
C) Social cognitive
D) Vicarious reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Social cognitive theory, also known as social learning theory, posits that people learn by observing others and modeling their behaviors, attitudes, and emotions. This theory emphasizes the importance of the social context in shaping behavior, and suggests that individuals are capable of self-regulation and intentional behavior change through cognitive processes. Vicarious reinforcement, or the reinforcement of behavior through observing others receive rewards or punishments, is one of the key concepts of social cognitive theory.

Question 4

_____________ theory argues that people who share a culture also share an ongoing correspondence of meaning.
A) Social construction of reality
B) Cultivation analysis
C) Symbolic interaction
D) Product positioning

Accepted Answer

The answer of _____________ theory argues that people who share...

Question 5

Theorists in the 1930s who valued serious art and saw consumption of art as a means to elevate people to a better life represented
A) attitude change theory.
B) Neo-Marxism
C) the Frankfurt School.
D) British cultural theory.

Accepted Answer

The Frankfurt School was a group of theorists in the 1930s who believed in the transformative power of art and culture to elevate people to a better life. They valued serious art and saw consumption of art as a means to improve individuals and society as a whole. The Frankfurt School was associated with critical theory and Neo-Marxist thought.

Question 6

In limited effects theory,the influence of media is thought to be limited by people's religious and political affiliations,in other words by their
A) personal relationships.
B) individual differences.
C) social categories.
D) opinion leaders.

Accepted Answer

Limited effects theory suggests that people's religious and political affiliations, which are social categories, influence the extent to which they are affected by media messages. This theory argues that individuals have preexisting beliefs and attitudes that shape how they interpret media messages, and that these preexisting beliefs are largely influenced by their social categories. Personal relationships, individual differences and opinion leaders may also have an impact on the effects of media, but limited effects theory focuses specifically on social categories.

Question 7

The idea that information from the media,and therefore media effects,travel from media through opinion leaders to opinion followers is called _____________ theory.
A) uses and gratifications
B) limited effects
C) attitude change
D) two-step flow

Accepted Answer

Two-step flow theory suggests that media messages are mediated by opinion leaders who then transmit the information to opinion followers. This theory emphasizes the importance of interpersonal communication in the dissemination of media effects.

Question 8

Social cognitive theorists give the label _____________ to the special form of imitation in which observers do not exactly copy what they have seen but make a more generalized,still-related response.
A) modeling
B) vicarious reinforcement
C) identification
D) behavioral hierarchy

Accepted Answer

Identification refers to the process where observers do not exactly copy what they have seen but instead make a more generalized, related response, aligning with social cognitive theory.

Question 9

The idea that media's influence resides in the "relationship between the larger social system,the media's role in that system,and audience relationships to the media" forms the basis of _____________ theory.
A) uses and gratifications
B) dependency
C) attitude change
D) agenda setting

Accepted Answer

The concept of dependency theory suggests that media's influence on audience behavior and attitudes is determined by the relationship between the larger social system (such as political, economic, or cultural factors), the role of media within that system, and the audience's dependence on media for information and entertainment. Uses and gratifications theory focuses on the individual's motives for using media, attitude change theory examines how media messages can alter attitudes and beliefs, and agenda-setting theory explores how media can influence what topics are deemed important by the public.

Question 10

_____________ theory argues that people experience a kind of mental discomfort when confronted with new information.As a result,they consciously and subconsciously work to limit or reduce that discomfort.
A) Dissonance
B) Limited effects
C) Attitude change
D) Two-step flow

Accepted Answer

This description matches the concept of cognitive dissonance theory, which suggests that people experience discomfort when their beliefs or actions are inconsistent with each other. They may then try to reduce this discomfort by changing their beliefs or behaviors.

Question 11

In social construction of reality theory,_____________ are collections of meanings assigned to some phenomenon or situation.
A) typification schemes
B) signs
C) symbols
D) artifacts

Accepted Answer

Typification schemes are defined as the collections of meanings assigned to some phenomenon or situation in social construction of reality theory. They are mental constructs that help individuals make sense of their experiences and surroundings by linking certain patterns of thought and behavior to particular situations or groups of people. Therefore, typification schemes play a crucial role in shaping how individuals perceive and interact with the world around them. Choices B, C, and D are not the best options since they refer to specific forms of symbols or objects, rather than the broader concept of collections of meanings.

Question 12

In social cognitive theory,seeing a model punished for a behavior reduces the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior.This is called
A) observation learning.
B) the inhibitory effect.
C) the disinhibitory effect.
D) vicarious reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

The inhibitory effect is the term used in social cognitive theory to describe how seeing a model punished for a behavior reduces the likelihood that an observer will perform that behavior. Option A, observation learning, refers to the process of learning by observing others perform a behavior. Option C, disinhibitory effect, is the opposite of the inhibitory effect and refers to the tendency for seeing a model perform a previously forbidden behavior without being punished to increase the likelihood that an observer will also perform that behavior. Option D, vicarious reinforcement, is the increase in the likelihood of an observer performing a behavior after seeing a model being rewarded for that behavior.

Question 13

_____________ theoryproduced theorist Stuart Hall,who first developed the idea of media as a public forum.
A) Cultural
B) Limited effects
C) Attitude change
D) British cultural

Accepted Answer

Stuart Hall is a key figure associated with British Cultural Studies, which is sometimes simply referred to as Cultural Studies. This theory focuses on how culture is used in society, including the role of media as a public forum.

Question 14

Social cognitive theorists call the direct replication of an observed behavior
A) modeling.
B) imitation.
C) identification.
D) behavioral hierarchy.

Accepted Answer

The direct replication of an observed behavior is known as imitation, which is a key aspect of social cognitive theory. Modeling refers to the process of observing and learning from others' behaviors, identification involves relating to and adopting the values and beliefs of a model, and a behavioral hierarchy is a structured list of behaviors arranged according to their importance or complexity.

Question 15

People frequently use symbolic interaction theory when they are studying advertising's influence because advertisers often succeed by employing _____________,or encouraging the audience to perceive their products as symbols that have meaning beyond their actual function.
A) social construction of reality
B) neo-Marxism
C) symbolic interaction
D) product positioning

Accepted Answer

The answer of People frequently use symbolic interaction theory when...

Question 16

The idea that mass communication ordinarily does not serve as a necessary and sufficient cause of audience effects,but rather functions among and through a nexus (web)of mediating factors and influences,is the basis of Joseph Klapper's _____________ theory.
A) two-step flow
B) dissonance
C) magic bullet
D) reinforcement

Accepted Answer

Joseph Klapper's theory of reinforcement posits that mass communication is not a direct cause of audience effects but instead reinforces existing attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of the audience. It operates through a nexus of mediating factors, such as family, friends, and social institutions, that shape the way individuals interpret and respond to media messages. The two-step flow and magic bullet theories suggest that mass communication has a direct and powerful influence on audiences, while the dissonance theory suggests that media messages that conflict with an individual's beliefs or values can lead to psychological discomfort and a change in attitudes or behaviors.

Question 17

_____________ theory explains how people's attitudes are formed,shaped,and changed through communication and how those attitudes influence behavior.
A) Magic bullet
B) Limited effects
C) Attitude change
D) Two-step flow

Accepted Answer

The theory that explains how people's attitudes are formed, shaped, and changed through communication, and how those attitudes influence behavior is known as attitude change theory. Magic bullet theory refers to the idea that media messages have a direct and immediate effect on audiences, which is generally discredited. Limited effects theory suggests that media has a limited influence on audiences, and two-step flow theory suggests that information flows from the media to opinion leaders who then influence others.

Question 18

People's psychological dissonance is reduced through the selective processes,one of which is _____________,the process in which people attend to only those messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs.
A) selective exposure
B) selective retention
C) selective perception
D) selective counterveillance

Accepted Answer

Selective exposure is the process through which individuals attend to only those messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs, and avoid messages that are inconsistent with their worldview. Selective retention refers to the process of remembering only those messages that are consistent with our preexisting beliefs and attitudes, while selective perception refers to the process through which we interpret or perceive information in a way that is consistent with our preexisting attitudes and beliefs. Selective counterveillance is not a recognized process in psychology.

Question 19

In social cognitive theory,seeing a model rewarded for prohibited or threatening behavior increases the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior.This is called
A) observation learning.
B) the inhibitory effect.
C) the disinhibitory effect.
D) vicarious reinforcement.

Accepted Answer

The disinhibitory effect refers to the increased likelihood of an observer performing prohibited or threatening behavior when they see a model being rewarded for that behavior. This is because the reward cancels out any previously learned inhibitions against the behavior. Observation learning, vicarious reinforcement, and the inhibitory effect are all related concepts in social cognitive theory, but they do not specifically refer to the scenario described in the question.

Question 20

People's psychological dissonance is reduced through the selective processes,one of which is ____________,the process by which people interpret messages in a manner consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs.
A) selective exposure
B) selective retention
C) selective perception
D) selective counterveillance

Accepted Answer

Selective perception is the process where people interpret messages in a way that is consistent with their preexisting beliefs and attitudes. They selectively perceive information in a manner that aligns with their previously held opinions, thus reducing their psychological dissonance. Selective exposure refers to the tendency of people to seek out information that confirms their beliefs, while selective retention relates to the tendency of people to remember information that supports their preexisting beliefs. Selective counterveillance is not a known term in psychology.

Quiz 13: Theories and Effects of Mass Communication

_____________ theory argues that media don't do things to people;rather,people do things with media.In other words,media's influence is limited to what people allow it to be.

The underlying assumption of _____________ theory is that our experience of reality is an ongoing,social construction,not something that is only sent,delivered,or otherwise transmitted to a docile public.

_____________ theory is the idea that people learn through observation to model the behaviors they see.

_____________ theory argues that people who share a culture also share an ongoing correspondence of meaning.

Theorists in the 1930s who valued serious art and saw consumption of art as a means to elevate people to a better life represented

In limited effects theory,the influence of media is thought to be limited by people's religious and political affiliations,in other words by their

The idea that information from the media,and therefore media effects,travel from media through opinion leaders to opinion followers is called _____________ theory.

Social cognitive theorists give the label _____________ to the special form of imitation in which observers do not exactly copy what they have seen but make a more generalized,still-related response.

The idea that media's influence resides in the "relationship between the larger social system,the media's role in that system,and audience relationships to the media" forms the basis of _____________ theory.

_____________ theory argues that people experience a kind of mental discomfort when confronted with new information.As a result,they consciously and subconsciously work to limit or reduce that discomfort.

In social construction of reality theory,_____________ are collections of meanings assigned to some phenomenon or situation.

In social cognitive theory,seeing a model punished for a behavior reduces the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior.This is called

_____________ theoryproduced theorist Stuart Hall,who first developed the idea of media as a public forum.

Social cognitive theorists call the direct replication of an observed behavior

People frequently use symbolic interaction theory when they are studying advertising's influence because advertisers often succeed by employing _____________,or encouraging the audience to perceive their products as symbols that have meaning beyond their actual function.

The idea that mass communication ordinarily does not serve as a necessary and sufficient cause of audience effects,but rather functions among and through a nexus (web) of mediating factors and influences,is the basis of Joseph Klapper's _____________ theory.

_____________ theory explains how people's attitudes are formed,shaped,and changed through communication and how those attitudes influence behavior.

People's psychological dissonance is reduced through the selective processes,one of which is _____________,the process in which people attend to only those messages that are consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs.

In social cognitive theory,seeing a model rewarded for prohibited or threatening behavior increases the likelihood that the observer will perform that behavior.This is called

People's psychological dissonance is reduced through the selective processes,one of which is ____________,the process by which people interpret messages in a manner consistent with their preexisting attitudes and beliefs.