Media and Social Expectations
TITLE
To what extent does the media help individuals to learn social expectations?
ESSAY
Title: The Role of Media in Shaping Social Expectations
Introduction:
In today's society, we are constantly bombarded with various forms of media that influence how we perceive ourselves and others. This essay will explore the extent to which the media helps individuals to learn social expectations by examining both arguments for and against its influence.
Arguments For the Influence of Media on Social Expectations:
1. Media-Saturated Society: Our modern society is saturated with media, including films, TV shows, and social media platforms. Individuals of all ages engage with these mediums daily, making the media one of the most influential sources of social expectations.
2. Manipulation of Representations: The media has the power to shape how different groups are represented, leading to the perpetuation of stereotypes. This can impact social interactions and self-perception, especially concerning issues like gender roles and racial stereotypes.
3. Consumer Culture: Postmodernists argue that the media plays a significant role in creating a consumer culture. Through celebrity endorsements and lifestyle portrayal, the media influences individuals to make purchasing decisions based on certain trends and associations.
4. Social Media Influence: The rise of social media has introduced a new form of social control, where concepts like 'likes' and 'de-friending' can impact individuals' self-identity and social interactions, particularly among the younger generation.
5. Encouragement of Social Conformity: Media coverage of deviant behavior and its consequences can serve as a deterrent, thereby encouraging social conformity. The portrayal of consequences for breaking societal norms can shape individuals' perceptions and behaviors.
6. Influence of Celebrity Role Models: Celebrities portrayed in the media can serve as role models for young individuals, influencing their lifestyle choices, appearance, and behavior.
7. Promotion of Stereotypes: The media often promotes stereotypes and can contribute to the demonization of certain social groups, affecting how these groups are perceived and treated in society.
8. Labelling Theory: The media has the power to create moral panics by labeling certain groups as "folk devils," influencing public perception and potentially leading to social stigmatization.
Arguments Against the Influence of Media on Social Expectations:
1. Family's Role in Socialization: The family is considered the primary agent of socialization, where parents instill social expectations through primary socialization and the imposition of sanctions.
2. Individual Agency: Research suggests that individuals do not passively accept media messages but exercise discrimination and choice in interpreting and accepting them. Peers can also influence individuals' perceptions and behaviors.
3. Importance of Peer Pressure: Peer groups, especially in traditional societies, play a significant role in influencing individual behavior through rites of passage and social bonding.
4. Role of Education: Education is a crucial agent of socialization that equips individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills for societal integration, with both formal and hidden curriculums shaping social expectations.
5. Influence of Religion: In some cultures, religion holds more sway over individuals' behaviors and values than the media, providing a moral framework for interactions.
6. Workplace Influence: The workplace plays a vital role in resocializing individuals into new norms and values, with sanctions and rewards shaping conformity and behavior.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, while the media undoubtedly plays a significant role in shaping social expectations, it is important to acknowledge the multifaceted nature of socialization. While the media can influence perceptions and behaviors, other agents such as the family, peers, education, religion, and the workplace also play pivotal roles in shaping individuals' understanding of societal norms and expectations. Understanding the complex interplay of these factors is crucial in comprehending how individuals navigate and shape social expectations in today's world.
SUBJECT
SOCIOLOGY
LEVEL
O level and GCSE
NOTES
**To what extent does the media help individuals to learn social expectations?**
**Arguments for:**
- We live in a media-saturated society, where children and adults interact with multiple media every day, including films, TV, and social media. The media's influence extends throughout life, making it the most effective in terms of exposure.
- The media shapes how we perceive ourselves and others by manipulating representations of different groups. For example, women are often portrayed in stereotypical ways, affecting social interactions significantly.
- Postmodernists argue that the media is highly influential in shaping culture, creating a consumer culture that encourages purchasing based on celebrity endorsements or lifestyle associations.
- Social media serves as a new form of social control, impacting young people's self-identity and social interactions through likes and de-friending.
- The media promotes social conformity by showcasing the effects and consequences of deviance, such as in news stories about lawbreakers and their sentences.
- Celebrity role models in traditional and new media influence the younger generation's lifestyle, appearance, and behavior.
- The media often perpetuates stereotypes and demonizes certain social groups.
- According to labeling theory, the media can incite moral panics by creating folk devils, shaping audience perceptions of specific social groups.
**Arguments against:**
- The family plays a more crucial role in teaching social expectations through primary socialization and the use of sanctions by parents.
- Research indicates that individuals do not passively accept negative media messages but exercise discrimination and choice in what they absorb, often influenced by peers.
- Peer pressure holds more sway in influencing behavior, as seen in traditional societies where age groups are united by rites of passage into peer groups.
- School peer groups, formed in age-based classes, foster strong emotional bonds that can outweigh the influence of media messages.
- Education is arguably the most potent agent of secondary socialization, equipping youth with essential skills for the workplace due to the lifelong learning approach.
- In some cultures, religion wields a more powerful influence than the media, providing a moral framework for all interactions.
- Religious leaders and holy texts can have a more significant impact than media propaganda.
- The workplace plays a critical role in individuals' welfare, as they adapt to new norms and values and strive to avoid sanctions while seeking rewards like promotions and higher status.
- Any other reasonable response.