Representation and IdeologyWhat do these terms mean to

you?

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What is Ideology?

Ideology is the term given to the Ideology is the term given to the ideasideas, , valuesvalues and and beliefsbeliefs that are present in a that are present in a media text.media text.

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What ideology is evident in this media text?

ideasideas

valuesvalues

beliefsbeliefs

Think about:Think about: representation: what representation: what qualities are / are not qualities are / are not attractive?attractive?representation of sex and representation of sex and sexuality in media textssexuality in media texts

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What ideas, values and beliefs are represented in this media text?

What judgements are being made?Do you agree with the opinions being expressed here?If so, why? Can you think of how you came to have these values?

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Key Question:

Do representations in the media reflect Do representations in the media reflect cultural climate or do they create it?cultural climate or do they create it?

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Homework

Look through and analyse this week’s Look through and analyse this week’s ““heatheat” magazine.” magazine.

Make detailed notes, with examples (use Make detailed notes, with examples (use page numbers!), on the page numbers!), on the ideasideas, , valuesvalues and and beliefsbeliefs represented in this media text. represented in this media text.

Use each of the three key areas of ideology Use each of the three key areas of ideology as subheadings, as this will help you as subheadings, as this will help you structure your ideas.structure your ideas.

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Aims of this sessionAims of this session

To develop an understanding of the power To develop an understanding of the power of ideology and representation in of ideology and representation in influencing the target audience.influencing the target audience.

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‘‘Effects’Effects’ ……are concerned with are concerned with

what the media ‘do to what the media ‘do to you’, you’,

… … are about how you are about how you behave and how you behave and how you think as a result of think as a result of your exposure to your exposure to media messages.media messages.

‘‘Ideology’Ideology’ ……is concerned with is concerned with

politics, from personal politics, from personal and family, to and family, to regional, national and regional, national and global,global,

……is about the is about the attitudes, values and attitudes, values and beliefs that direct the beliefs that direct the representation of representation of individuals and individuals and groups.groups.

Effects and IdeologyEffects and Ideology

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The Hypodermic Needle EffectThe Hypodermic Needle Effect

The idea that there is a The idea that there is a simple simple cause and effect cause and effect relationshiprelationship between between media content and media content and audience behaviour is audience behaviour is often called the often called the ‘effects ‘effects model’model’ or the or the ‘hypodermic needle ‘hypodermic needle effect’effect’..

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What does this model suggest?What does this model suggest?

This theory suggests that the This theory suggests that the audience can be ‘injected’ audience can be ‘injected’ with ideas and values from with ideas and values from the media. For example, they the media. For example, they might blame violent films for might blame violent films for the Jamie Bulger murders.the Jamie Bulger murders.

Do you agree with this Do you agree with this theory? Why / why not?theory? Why / why not?

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What was said at the trialWhat was said at the trial

After the boys had been taken down from After the boys had been taken down from the dock, the judge made a strong the dock, the judge made a strong statement attacking the influence of statement attacking the influence of violent films on children. "It is not for me violent films on children. "It is not for me to pass judgment on their upbringing, but to pass judgment on their upbringing, but I suspect exposure to violent video films I suspect exposure to violent video films may in part be an explanation."may in part be an explanation."

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What was said at the trialWhat was said at the trial

After the boys had been taken down from After the boys had been taken down from the dock, the dock, the judge made a strong the judge made a strong statement attacking the influence of statement attacking the influence of violent films on childrenviolent films on children. "It is not for me . "It is not for me to pass judgment on their upbringing, but to pass judgment on their upbringing, but I suspect exposure to violent video films I suspect exposure to violent video films may in part be an explanation."may in part be an explanation."

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What was said at the trialWhat was said at the trial

After the boys had been taken down from After the boys had been taken down from the dock, the dock, the judge made a strong the judge made a strong statement attacking the influence of statement attacking the influence of violent films on childrenviolent films on children. "It is not for me . "It is not for me to pass judgment on their upbringing, but to pass judgment on their upbringing, but I suspect exposure to violent video films I suspect exposure to violent video films may, in part, be an explanationmay, in part, be an explanation.“.“

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……So to what extent are So to what extent are audiences influenced by the audiences influenced by the ideas, values, beliefs and ideas, values, beliefs and assumptions being assumptions being communicated in the media?communicated in the media?

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Case Study – ‘Sex and the City’Case Study – ‘Sex and the City’ What is the underlying What is the underlying

ideology of this ideology of this programme?programme?

How are female / male How are female / male characters characters represented?represented?

To what extent do To what extent do you agree with the you agree with the ideology of this media ideology of this media text?text?

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……So to how might the So to how might the hypodermic needle effect be hypodermic needle effect be responsible for changing responsible for changing attitudes and values in society?attitudes and values in society? Think back to what we Think back to what we

read about how the read about how the media has changed media has changed since 1945.since 1945.

There was no There was no television.television.

Four letter words and Four letter words and topless girls were topless girls were taboo.taboo.

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Key Question:Key Question:

Do representations in the media Do representations in the media reflect cultural climate or do they reflect cultural climate or do they create it?create it?

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The Hypodermic Needle Effect The Hypodermic Needle Effect in Filmin Film

Write a paragraph, Write a paragraph, analysing the analysing the representation and representation and ideology in the image.ideology in the image.

How would advocates of How would advocates of the hypodermic needle the hypodermic needle theory view the effect of theory view the effect of this media product on the this media product on the audience?audience?

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Key Points to Remember…Key Points to Remember…

How is the character of James Bond How is the character of James Bond represented in the films?represented in the films?

What visual clues are provided in the What visual clues are provided in the image?image?

What is your reaction to a man, dressed in What is your reaction to a man, dressed in a formal dinner suit, holding a gun?a formal dinner suit, holding a gun?

How might the hypodermic needle effect How might the hypodermic needle effect theory explain your reaction to James Bond, theory explain your reaction to James Bond, as a media icon?as a media icon?

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The Hypodermic Needle Effect The Hypodermic Needle Effect in Filmin Film

Write a paragraph, Write a paragraph, analysing the analysing the representation and representation and ideology in the image.ideology in the image.

How would advocates of How would advocates of the hypodermic needle the hypodermic needle theory view the effect of theory view the effect of this media product on the this media product on the audience?audience?

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Case Study: “Pulp Fiction”Case Study: “Pulp Fiction”

To what extent do images such as these, from To what extent do images such as these, from Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”, suggest that Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction”, suggest that the audience has become de-sensitised to violence the audience has become de-sensitised to violence in film?in film?