Media MEST 1 - Theories
- Created by: cece999
- Created on: 08-05-16 10:53
Character Theory – Vladimir Propp
1.Hero - Protagonist 2.Villain – Antagonist 3.The donor (helper) 4.The dispatcher (Sends hero on a path) 5.The false hero 6.The helper 7.The princess 8.The father
Link to form and representations
Binary opposites – Levi Strauss
The binary opposites is based around the central climax of a narrative structure.
E.g.
Good/Bad
Young/Old
Man/ Woman
Nice/Evil
Links to forms and representations
Narrative theory - Todorov
This theory applies to any film - they all have the same narrative pattern. Stages shown below.
1.State of equilibrium 2.A disruption 3.A recognition of the disruption 4.An attempt to repair the damage 5.A return to equilibrium/ or a new one
Link to media forms
Gratification Theory – Blumler and Katz
This theory relates to the fact that certain consumers of media are using the media to satisfy needs.
•To be informed •To identify with characters and situations •To be entertained •To enable social activity •To escape daily troubles
Link to audience
Reception theory
A producer encodes meanings. And a audience can then agree or disagree to this.
The opinions can be:
•Dominant – Exactly what the director intended for the consumer to think. •Negotiated – They agree with some parts of the directors intentions. •Oppositional – Completely opposite to directors intentions.
Links to audience
Two Step Flow Theory
People form there opinions off opinion leaders. The opinion leaders are getting there influence from mass media.
Links to audience.
Codes theory - Barthes
1.Enigma – Mystery within the text 2.Action – Sequential elements 3.Sementic code – additional meaning 4.Symbolic code – symbolic contrasts 5.Differential code
Links to forms
Marxism – Karl Marx
Response to poverty – he's wrote Das Kapital as he believed he was separated in a capitalist society.
Upper Class – Bourgeoisie – Own a range of capital themselves.
Working Class – Proletariat – sell labor.
The upper class exploit the working class.
Links to audience and representations
Liberal Pluralism – response to Marxism
•Against Marxism •This believes that society is made up of competing interests groups but its not dominated by the bourgeoisie. •It is up to the media audience to select and see what they believe in.
Links to audience and representations
Moral Panic – Stanley Cohen
He suggests that moral panic occurs when a condition, episode, person or group of people emerge to become defined as a threat to a society and values and interests.
The media plays a big role through reporting it.
Links to audience.
Queer theory
Identities are not fixed – it is a position that rejects conventions or mainstream expressions of the types of behavior.
Links to representations
Butler theory – Judith Butler
Like feminists she says gender (masculine and feminine) as a social construct whereas sex (male and female) is biologically determined.
She says we learn to behave certain ways through our lives. – appropriate gender behavior is awarded whereas inappropriate behavior is punished.This is all reinforced by families, peer groups, law and media representations.
Links to media representations
Male Gaze
Doesn’t matter how woman is represented in a media text she is still objectified.
Links to forms and representations.
Main Theories
These are all the mian theories which are required in the exam,
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