MSCR 1220 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Mass Media, Moral Panic, Indep

• School: Northeastern University
• Department: Media and Screen Studies
• Course: MSCR 1220
• Professor: Kristopher L.Cannon

Document Summary

Sociological perspective can help us understand the media asks us to consider at the micro and macro levels and their relationships between media and the social world. Is media coverage of crime necessary: some research says it promotes feat and moral panic, relationship between media content and public attitude depends on media forms and audience traits, local crime reports increase fear. Importance of social relations: an indiv is, to varying degrees, a product of social relations, language, education, norms and vals = socialization, our sense of id and individuality emerges from our social interactions with others. Structural constraint and human agency: structure suggests constraint on human action, agency indicates independent action, social relationships characterized by a tension between structure and agency. Change in pattern of expected behavior: structures have pros and they have limitations, school- the structure of school (regulations and norms) constrain. Agency: agency indicates independent action, school- students can choose and have capacity for indep action.