Overview

Media Effects and Society provides an in-depth look at media effects and offers a theoretical foundation for understanding mass media's impact on individuals and society. Working from the assumption that media effects are common and are often underestimated, the text focuses on dominant areas of media effects, providing a synthesis of those key areas of research. With an emphasis on the theoretical explanations for media effects, the text provides readers with explanations of how media effects occur, so they can understand how to mitigate harmful effects and enhance positive ones. The range of media effects addresssed herein includes news diffusion, learning from the mass media, socialization of children and adolescents, influences on public opinion and voting, and violent and sexually explicit media content. It also presents a variety of theoretical approaches to understanding media effects, including psychological and content-based theories. In addition, it demonstrates how theories can guide future research into the effects of newer mass communication technologies. New for the second edition are a new chapter on effects of entertainment, text boxes with examples in each chapter, discusson of new technology effects integrated throughout the chapters, expanded pedagogy, a glossary of key terms, and updates to theory and research throughout. Written for those who study and conduct research in media effects, Media Effects and Society presents a thorough and accessible discussion of media effects theory.

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9780415878197

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Praise for the First Edition: A comprehensive, integrated overview of nearly all aspects of empirical research on mass media influence, with good explanations of concepts and theories. Probably still the best such volume available. -- Denis McQuail in McQuail's Mass Communication Theory (6th edition, 2010) The book is primarily intended for undergraduate and graduate students who take media effects courses. As such, it is a very friendly textbook and reveals the experience of its author in her years of teaching such courses. But the book is also an excellent starting text for researchers, especially from other fields, interested in the impact of the media on their audiences. The integration of theory and research in the main domains of media effects can provide those who study or conduct research in any area of media impact with an excellent review of concepts, theories, models,research tools, and findings...Perse, after successfully introducing to us the packed alcoves of the media effects 'store,' opens the last door, the one to the future 'products' of media effects, and leaves us there, equipped with theoretical tools to set out on the way. - Contemporary Psychology ...it is an attractive and very worthwhile book... - Political Communication

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University of Delaware, USA

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