OC Media Stereotypes and Bad Portrayals of Different Groups Discussion – Description
M3 After reading Chapter 14 and watching JeanKilbourne’s Ted Talk, you should be thinking about how the media portrays groups of people.
Think about stereotypes that you see on television or negative portrayals of gender, and different races on television.
How do these portrayals influence how we think about others and even how we think about ourselves?
How can you help people see life for what it is actually like and not what is portrayed on television?
Include at least one specific example of a negative portrayal or stereotype in the media.
Respond to at least 2 of your classmates:
AARON KAMINSKI
How does the media portray groups of people. Media is subconscious, but we also engage with media in an active and purposeful way to meet our needs. For example, you might listen to music at the gym that energizes you for a workout or put on a reality television show in the evening to escape from the worries of the day. Likewise, we make media choices that help to support and develop our racial and ethnic identities.
The concept of social identity gratifications (SIG) was born out of the integration of social identity theory and uses and gratifications theory in order to explain how social group identification was related to media use and perceptions (Harwood, 1997, 1999). Social identity theory proposes that our personal identities are made up of social group affiliations (such as race and ethnicity) and that we strive to maintain positive social group identities in part to preserve a positive self-concept. Uses and gratifications theory proposes that media use is active and purposeful to meet our needs and desires. Bringing these ideas together says that media provides gratifications for individuals based on their social group identities.
What Stereotypes do you see on television or negative portrayals of gender, and different races on television. Researchers have found that hours of watching television leads to long exposures and predicts a decrease in self-esteem for all girls and for black boys, but an increase in self-esteem for white boys. These differences correlate with the racial and gender practices in Hollywood, which predominantly casts white men as heroes, while erasing or subordinating other groups as villains, sidekicks, and sexual objects. Studies also show how media images of Native American mascots lower the self-esteem and affect the moods of Native American adolescents and young adults (who suffer from high suicide rates).
Stereotypes are a simplified and often universally applied understanding of what a person, thing, or concept is. For example, “all British people like tea” or “all Americans are loud” would be stereotypes. Stereotypes can be harmful to members of demographics who do not conform to stereotypes, Stereotypes function as a way of creating societal pressure; for example, constantly telling people that they should work in a certain field, behave in a certain way, or even what to enjoy or dislike.
Gender sterotypes are stereotypes specifically based on gender roles. Gender roles are a concept that largely stem from heterosexual cisgender relationships. The male member of the relationship works, rarely helps out around the house, and enjoy sports. The female cooks, cleans, raises the children, caters to her husband’s every whim, and likes makeup or fashion.
How can you help people see life for what it is actually like and not what is portrayed on television?
I think it would be beneficial for someone to subscribe to therapy if they can’t understand the what’s on TV is not really a true portrayal of themselves in real life. You can also limit the amount of TV being watch and use parental controls for kids.
Include at least one specific example of a negative portrayal or stereotype in the media.
Many different groups of people are subject to stereotypes. Positive stereotypes (e.g., “older and wiser”) may provide a benefit to the relevant groups. However, negative stereotypes of aging and of disability continue to persist and, in some cases, remain socially acceptable. Research has shown that when exposed to negative images of aging, older persons demonstrate poor physical and cognitive performance and function, while those who are exposed to positive images of aging (or who have positive self-perceptions of aging) demonstrate better performance and function. Furthermore, an individual’s expectations about and perceptions of aging can predict future health outcomes. To better understand how stereotypes affect older adults and individuals with disabilities, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with support from AARP, convened a public workshop on October 10, 2017. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
luis olivas
Media Portrayals
The media plays a crucial role in shaping how we perceive different groups of people by using stereotypes or negative portrayals. For example, from cartoons to movies, the media often presents scientists and intellectuals in a stereotypical way: Socially awkward, with no regard for appearance, and with glasses and a lab coat. This stereotype suggests that scientists are out of touch with the real world, which can negatively affect how the public sees them. Some of these effects may include associating intelligence with social awkwardness, and it may even discourage those who do not fit this stereotype from pursuing careers in science.
Some stereotypes can do more harm than others. Unfortunately, after the 9/11 attacks, the media played a significant role in perpetuating the negative stereotypes of Middle Easterners as terrorists through widespread coverage and the negative portrayals in movies and tv shows that followed. Additionally, the media often focuses on perpetrators’ ethnicity or religious backgrounds, leading to the public’s association with these groups and acts. However, stereotypes can also emerge from various cultural, historical, and political factors. A negative stereotype like this can have catastrophic consequences, from perpetuating hate and fear across the public to violence.
A great example would be Richard McKinney, a Marine who “developed a hatred toward Islam during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Upon returning home, he plotted to bomb an Islamic Mosque in Indiana. But instead, he met wonderful people who invited him to their homes and welcomed him. Richard McKinney converted to Islam and even served as president of the Islamic Center. His experience serves as a reminder that stereotypes and prejudice are not immutable and can be challenged and overcome.
Addressing negative stereotypes requires an approach that includes media literacy, education, diverse representation, and promoting intercultural understanding. By challenging the stereotypical portrayals we see in the media, promoting fair and accurate representations, and fostering empathy, we can progress in breaking down stereotypes and building a more inclusive society.
The post OC Media Stereotypes and Bad Portrayals of Different Groups Discussion first appeared on .
