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Social Effects of Mass Communication


Course Description

Patterns of influence among mass communication and the individuals, organizations, and institutions in society. Current research and critical literature are analyzed in reviewing debates about claims of media effects, including socialization of children, formation of attitudes and values, promotion of social behaviors, and legitimation of power structures.


Athena Title

MASS COMM EFFECTS


Pre or Corequisite

Permission of department


Semester Course Offered

Offered spring


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

This course is designed to give students experience in analyzing arguments and evidence that individuals and groups use in making claims about social effects of mass communication. The course should help the department realize some of the outcomes included in its assessment plan.


Topical Outline

Brief history; Examples of campaigns to persuade society of media effects; Definition and theories; How arguments over social effects are constructed; Nature of evidence used; Promise and problems of science as a means of producing evidence; Major theories; findings of scientific studies; Non-scientific approaches; Alternative paradigms; Predicting views on effects of new media.


Syllabus