Deck 6: Mass Media and Social Media

Question 1

If someone failed to contribute money because massive amounts of media coverage made him or her less sensitive to the needs of victims of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti,this would be an example of

A)selfishness.
B)the narcotizing effect.
C)globalization.
D)socialization.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following have sociologists suggested is a dysfunction of the mass media?

A)Conferring status
B)Having a narcotizing effect
C)Integration of a common view
D)Providing a collective experience

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which sociologist(s)first identified the effects of viewer fatigue and created the term narcotizing dysfunction?

A)Robert Park
B)Deena Weinstein
C)Paul Lazarsfeld and Robert Merton
D)David Demers

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following would have the greatest impact in terms of reaffirming social norms of proper behavior?

A)Watching a televised funeral procession
B)Watching and listening to a Celine Dion video
C)Watching and listening to a televised cable newscast
D)Watching a televised execution of a mass murderer

Question 5

Which of the following is true of mass media in the United States?

A)New technologies have changed people's viewing and listening habits.
B)People do not spend a lot of time with the new forms of media.
C)Media consumers continue to prefer television,as opposed to portable devices.
D)New forms of media only provide information on celebrities.

Question 6

Magazines would be considered

A)transmitters.
B)opinion leaders.
C)mass media.
D)narcotizers.

Question 7

Media advertising contributes to a

A)consumer culture.
B)counter culture.
C)nonmaterial culture.
D)hierarchy culture.

Question 8

People ignoring credible warnings about terrorist attacks due to the massive amounts of coverage in the aftermath of September 11,2001,is an example of

A)gatekeeping.
B)surveillance function.
C)narcotizing dysfunction.
D)dominant ideology.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true?

A)The narcotizing dysfunction of the media was identified in the 1980s after the deluge of cable news programming.
B)Massive amounts of information tend to excite audiences.
C)The numbing effect of the narcotizing dysfunction may prevent people from taking action in response to compelling issues.
D)The term narcotizing dysfunction was created by feminist scholars.

Question 10

Which sociological perspective would likely contend that the role of the mass media is to provide socialization,enforce social norms through public events,and create social stability and cohesion through collective experiences?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Feminist perspective

Question 11

Which sociological perspective would be most likely to focus on the functions of the mass media in conferring status on people,organizations,and public issues?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Feminist perspective

Question 12

The widespread dissemination of compromising images that were meant to be shared only among close friends is one aspect of the social phenomenon called

A)cyberbullying.
B)blackmail.
C)bribery.
D)cyberstalking.

Question 13

The function of media advertising is to support the economy,provide information about products,and underwrite media costs associated with

A)conferment of status.
B)promotion of consumption.
C)enforcement of social norms.
D)surveillance of the social environment.

Question 14

Which of the following terms refers to the phenomenon whereby massive amounts of coverage result in the audience becoming numb and failing to act on the information regardless of how compellingly the issue was presented?

A)Narcotizing dysfunction
B)Surveillance function
C)Gatekeeping
D)Hyper-consumerism

Question 15

Which of the following terms is used by sociologists to refer to print and electronic means of communication that carry messages to widespread audiences?

A)Transmitters
B)Opinion leaders
C)Mass media
D)Narcotizers

Question 16

A new sort of ________ is emerging online: communities developing around common interests or shared identities.

A)interactive niche
B)tribalism
C)online nest
D)identity cell

Question 17

People,organizations,and public issues appearing regularly on the covers of prominent magazines is a method used to

A)confer status.
B)celebrate events.
C)provide fortune.
D)promote objectivity in reporting.

Question 18

Which of the following would the functionalist perspective most likely view as creating the greatest collective experience?

A)A college student studying quietly in the library
B)A person exercising in a public park
C)The terrorist attacks of September 11,2001
D)Police arresting a shoplifter

Question 19

Sociologist Robert Park studied

A)the history of radio broadcasting.
B)how newspapers helped immigrants to the U.S.adjust to their environments and taught them the customs and opinions of people in their new home country.
C)the role the Internet played in the aftermath of the September 11,2001,tragedy.
D)rock music as a social problem.

Question 20

Which of the following is considered one way the media reaffirm proper behavior in society?

A)Newscasters discussing narcotic desensitizing
B)A daytime talk show discussion on homosexuality
C)Movie and TV scenes showing criminals getting caught by authorities
D)Movie and TV scenes depicting the rape of women

Question 21

The U.S.government was heavily criticized for which of the following media monitoring behaviors after the September 11,2001,attacks?

A)Censoring college newspaper Internet content
B)Editing Clear Channel Radio news program broadcasts
C)Censoring ABC Nightly News reports
D)Authorizing wiretaps of U.S.citizens' telephone conversations

Question 22

Which sociological perspective(s)would be most likely to emphasize that the mass media exacerbate many divisions in our society,including those based on gender,race,ethnicity,and social class?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict and feminist perspectives
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Global and interactionist perspectives

Question 23

The term media monitoring is used most often to refer to

A)parents checking what their child watches.
B)the government censoring media.
C)interest groups' monitoring of content.
D)studios following what is a "hit."

Question 24

What is the term used for the set of cultural beliefs and practices that helps to maintain powerful social,economic,and political interests?

A)Gatekeeping
B)Surveillance function
C)Narcotizing dysfunction
D)Dominant ideology

Question 25

Which sociological perspective would most likely be concerned with manipulation of "photo ops" to create an image of self-serving reality?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Feminist perspective

Question 26

Which sociological perspective is most likely to be concerned with television distorting gender roles and stereotyping,often rooted in the media's willingness to promote more traditional views?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Feminist perspective

Question 27

Which sociological perspective would be most likely to focus on gatekeeping as a process that reflects a desire to maximize profits by those with power and authority?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Global perspective

Question 28

Which medium experiences the least amount of gatekeeping?

A)Television
B)Radio
C)The Internet
D)Publishing

Question 29

Fans of the TV show Star Trek meet in costume at a convention celebrating the anniversary of the show's conception.Which sociological perspective would be most likely to focus attention on this event?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Global perspective

Question 30

Worldwide,low-income groups,racial and ethnic minorities,rural residents,and the citizens of developing countries have far less access than others to the latest technologies.This gap is referred to as the

A)digital enclosure.
B)digital world.
C)digital dam.
D)digital divide.

Question 31

The creation of unreliable generalizations that distort the reality of persons,groups,and cultures is indicative of

A)posture enabling.
B)the surveillance function.
C)the narcotizing dysfunction.
D)stereotyping.

Question 32

Eli Pariser wrote The Filter Bubble,which discusses the

A)competition between search engines.
B)monopoly created by Google.
C)way in which search engines filter our searches to what we are already familiar with.
D)access or lack of access created by the digital divide in the United States.

Question 33

A major network news agency that discourages reporting of issues concerning homosexuality is most likely practicing

A)a dominant ideology.
B)a narcotizing dysfunction.
C)a surveillance function.
D)gatekeeping.

Question 34

The process by which a relatively small number of people control what eventually reaches the audience is referred to as

A)the dominant ideology.
B)gatekeeping.
C)the surveillance function.
D)the narcotizing dysfunction.

Question 35

Which sociological perspective is more likely to study the media's influence on society from the micro level to determine how social behavior is shaped?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Feminist perspective

Question 36

The inclusion of local news on 24-hour cable news channels contributed to the growth of ________ media.

A)around-the-clock
B)community-centered
C)local-centric
D)hyper-local

Question 37

Realistic portrayals of minorities and working-class persons tend to be ignored by mass media decision-makers primarily because

A)viewers only enjoy fantasizing about being rich and powerful.
B)most decisions are driven by Nielsen ratings.
C)most decisions are made overwhelmingly by wealthy White males.
D)minorities and working-class people feel ashamed of their social position.

Question 38

George is the executive producer of a small recording company with an established label.He rejects a popular local band because it competes with a group already on their label.He functions as a

A)gatekeeper.
B)censor.
C)comptroller.
D)watchdog.

Question 39

Which of the following statements concerning media portrayal of gender roles would the feminist perspective most likely endorse?

A)Women are overrepresented in most television roles.
B)Women are often portrayed as being in need of rescue by males.
C)Men are often portrayed as compliant,working-class persons.
D)Women are portrayed as overweight and dull in most television roles.

Question 40

Which sociological perspective would be most likely to support the idea that a dominant ideology is created through media images and used to construct a reality based on protecting the interests of the powerful?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Conflict perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Global perspective

Question 41

The narcotizing dysfunction can desensitize an audience to suffering and can influence the degree to which that audience might conclude that a solution to a crisis has already been found.

Question 42

For developing nations,the consequences of the global disconnect are far more serious than an inability to surf the Net.

Question 43

The complex issues of censorship can be considered to be an illustration of

A)social capital.
B)material culture.
C)culture lag.
D)nonmaterial culture.

Question 44

A person who influences the opinions and decisions of others through day-to-day personal contact and communication is referred to as a(n)

A)gatekeeper.
B)opinion leader.
C)specialist.
D)concentrator.

Question 45

In an effort to better understand and combat a malaria outbreak in Kenya,public health researchers monitored the content of ________ to map the spread of the disease.

A)television reports
B)text messages
C)emails
D)health surveys

Question 46

Functionalists believe the media reflects and even exacerbates many of the divisions in our society and world,including those based on gender,race,ethnicity,and social class.

Question 47

Which of the sociological perspectives would see the debate over media content as an extension of everyday life?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Global perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Conflict perspective

Question 48

The media often reaffirm proper behavior by showing what happens to people who violate social expectations.

Question 49

According to sociologist Pierre Bourdieu,________ is the collective benefit of social networks,which are built on reciprocal trust.

A)constant connectivity
B)group cohesion
C)social capital
D)communal stake

Question 50

According to the text,cell phones have been crucial in providing ________ to help aid global refugees.

A)monetary transactions
B)translation services
C)migration statistics
D)geotagging

Question 51

Which of the sociological perspectives would express concern about those with power,whether media companies or governments,exercising control over what people can see and read?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Global perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Conflict perspective

Question 52

Which of the sociological perspectives would more than likely take a positive view of the Internet,pointing to its manifest ability to facilitate communication?

A)Functionalist perspective
B)Global perspective
C)Interactionist perspective
D)Conflict perspective

Question 53

Who predicted nearly sixty years ago that the rise of electronic media would create a "global village," thereby reducing the barriers created by physical distance?

A)Erving Goffman
B)Vivian Gornick
C)Darnell Hunt
D)Marshall McLuhan

Question 54

The personalized approach to news information gathering was referred to by Cass Sunstein (2002)as

A)cultural lag.
B)global torrent.
C)ego casting.
D)global village.

Question 55

Which metaphor for the media's reach does sociologist Todd Gitlin consider more apt than "global village"?

A)Global torrent
B)Global wave
C)Global city
D)Global quagmire

Question 56

Female and male athletes are treated equally by the media.

Question 57

Sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld

A)pioneered the study of opinion leaders in his research on voting behavior in the 1940s.
B)described the depiction of women as reflecting "innumerable small murders of mind and spirit (that)take place daily."
C)researched rock music and found no sociologically credible evidence that rock caused sexual promiscuity,rape,drug abuse,Satanism,or suicide.
D)studied how newspapers helped immigrants to the U.S.adjust to their environments and taught them the customs and opinions of their new country.

Question 58

A producer who declines adding a gay character to a storyline because she feels it would "upset certain audience members" is performing a gatekeeping role.

Question 59

Conflict theorists typically emphasize

A)the conferral of status.
B)the promotion of consumption.
C)the digital divide.
D)the enforcement of social norms.

Question 60

Even if the audience for a certain form of mass media is spread out over a wide geographic area and the members do not know one another,they will be somewhat distinctive in terms of

A)general interest.
B)age,gender,income,political party,formal schooling,and race and ethnicity.
C)the size of the grouping.
D)None of these answers is correct.

Question 61

Discuss the role of the media from the functionalist perspective and give examples to illustrate the impact of the media on social life.

Question 62

Discuss the role of the media from the conflict perspective.Define the term gatekeeping and give examples to illustrate its effects on society.

Question 63

Discuss censorship.Do you believe that the Internet should be a free and open exchange of ideas and information? Why or why not?

Question 64

Discuss how the recent war with Iraq may have a narcotizing effect for some viewers,and provide illustrations to support your answer.

Question 65

Feminists typically share the view of conflict theorists that the mass media stereotype and misrepresent social reality.

Question 66

Discuss how the interactionist view is useful in analyzing the role of the audience when trying to understand the impact of the media on social life.

Question 67

Why does the lack of Internet connectivity impact developing nations in such a negative way?

Question 68

Not all countries are equally connected across the globe.

Question 69

The postmodernist media has created a global village,where physical distance is no longer a barrier.

Question 70

The issues of censorship in the United States lead immediately to the First Amendment of the Constitution.

Question 71

Discuss segmented audience.What drives this type of specialized audience?

Question 72

Among the major sociological perspectives of functionalism,conflict theory,interactionism,and the feminist perspective,conflict theorists would be most likely to suggest that the mass media serve a useful function in society by bringing members together in a collective experience.

Question 73

The media audience is always a secondary group of observers who are spread over a wide geographic area and can most accurately be analyzed from the functionalist perspective.

Question 74

Discuss the similarities between the conflict perspective and feminist perspective regarding the significance of the media in shaping social attitudes.

Question 75

The increase in the use of mass media,specifically electronic media,has allowed for abuses of personal privacy.

Question 76

In general,support for censorship in the United States is very strong.