Elizabeth M. Perse                                                                                                      Spring 2002
Office: 240 Pearson Hall                                                                                             Section 10
Phone: 831-8041                                                                                                        Gore 204
e-mail: eperse@udel.edu                                                                                             MWF 10:10 - 11:00
Office Hours: MWF  11:15 - 12:00 & by appointment

Course Objective/Description: Media and their content can have effects on individuals, society, and culture. The goal of this course is to examine different types of media effects, considering especially the processes that enhance these effects. We will focus on the effects of news, instruction, advertising, and entertainment programming. Students will become more aware of media influence, develop critical consumption skills, and be aware of the role of communication research in public policy.

Readings: Perse, E. M. (2001). Mass media effects and society. Mahwah, NJ; Erlbaum.

Additional readings are available on the class home page:

http://www.udel.edu/communication/COMM450/eperse/comm450.html

Grading: Grading will be based on four elements: exams, class presentation, reading reactions, and new media research project.

Exams. Students will complete three exams. The first will cover the first half of the course material and be worth 25 points; the second will cover the second half and be worth 25 points; and the third will cover all the course material and be worth 30 points. Make-up exams will be given only (a) when arrangements have been made with the instructor in advance and (b) in case of illness verified by a physician's note. Exams will be given on April 19, 22, and 24. Each exam will count 30 points.

Class Presentations. The class will be divided into small research groups and each group will be responsible for one class presentation on an assigned topic. The presentation will include (but not limited to) oral reports, summaries of research, audio-visual presentations. I will work with groups to provide leads, reading lists, and any equipment needed for presentation. Each presentation should take about 1 hour. Grades for class presentations will be based on the following criteria:

1. Description of issue/event, including effective use of audio-visual materials.
2. Linkage to general and specific topics under discussion.
3. Historical context. Why is this an important issue/event.
4. Description of any media effects -- immediate and/or delayed.
5. Reasons for media influence: models of media effects; important intervening variables.

A single grade will be issued to all group members. Class presentations will count for 10 points.

Reading Reactions. We are covering five general areas of media effects. For each of these areas, you are to write a short (2-3 page) reaction to the readings for that area. You may focus on any aspect of the readings. The reaction papers should be typed, double-spaced, and follow APA (4^th ed.) style. The reaction papers are due: February 20, March 1, March 13, March 25, and April 8. Each reaction paper is worth 2 points.

New Media Research Project. Students will conduct original research investigating the effects of new media. Each research group will identify some area of research and pose specific research questions and/or hypotheses that will be submitted for my approval on April 10. With that submission I also expect to see at least four relevant scholarly references that relate to the research questions. The last several weeks of the semester will be devoted to designing the methods and instrumentation and conducting small pilot studies. Groups are expected to meet with me for help and approval. The final exam week meeting time will be devoted to presentations of research results to the class. I expect each group to take about 15 minutes and use visual aids to make their ideas clear. I also expect students to ask questions and discuss the results. As another aspect of the presentation, each group will prepare and bring with them a poster that summarizes their study. Each group will prepare a 10-page report of their research, discussing the theoretical background to their research questions/hypotheses, brief descriptions of the methods and results, and a discussion of what the results of the studies offers to our knowledge about media effects of new media technologies. Make sure that you cite relevant prior research for both your introduction/theoretical foundation and methods section. I expect each paper to cite about 10 scholarly references.
 

We will discuss possible ideas for these projects throughout the semester, but some ideas might include: agenda-setting effects of online news, effects of new news formats, the effects of the Web in political campaigns, effects of violent video games, effects of large-screen television.
 

Each member of the research group will receive the same grade. Grades for the final research project will be assigned as follows:
 

Final paper = 30 points

Presentation = 10 points

Poster = 10 points
 

There are a total of 160 possible points for this course. Final grades will be assigned as follows:
 

A = 148 points	B- = 124	D+ = 100
A- = 140	C+ = 116	D = 96
B+ = 132	C = 112	D- = 92
B = 128	C- = 108	F below 92

 
 
 

Course Schedule
Date	Topic	Assignment
Feb 6	Introduction to the course	Perse, Chapter 1
Feb 8	Do media have effects?	Perse, Chapter 2
Feb 11	Why study media effects
Feb13	Models of media effects
Feb 15	Intervening variables
Feb 18	War of the Worlds	Reading 1
Feb 20	MASS MEDIA AND CRISIS Reaction Paper #1 due	Perse, Chapter 3, R 2
Feb 22	functions of mass comm, media events, rally effects
Feb 25	diffusion, dependency
Feb 27	Presentation: The Kennedy Assassination
Mar 1	SHAPING PUBLIC OPINION Reaction Paper #2 due	Perse, Chapter 4, R 3
Mar 4	Elaboration Likelihood Model agenda setting, framing
Mar6	spiral of silence
Mar8	effects on voting
Mar11	Presentation: Political Advertising
Mar13	LEARNING Reaction Paper #3 due	Perse, Chapter 5, R 4-6
Mar 15	learning theories
Mar 18	active and passive approaches
Mar 20	distraction, knowledge gaps
Mar 22	Presentation: Sesame Street
Mar 25	SOCIALIZATION Reaction Paper #4 due	Perse, Chapter 6, R 7-8
Mar 27	gender, race, social behavior, health, alcohol, nutrition
Mar 29	Presentation: Nutrition on Television
Mar 30 - Apr 7	Spring Break
Apr 8	SEX AND VIOLENCE Reaction Paper #5 due	Perse, Chapters 7, 8,  R 9-10
Apr 10	politics of violence Research Questions Due
Apr 12	theories of effects
Apr 15	pornography
Apr 17	Presentation: Is there too much sex on TV?
Apr 19	EXAM 1
Apr 22	EXAM 2
Apr 24	EXAM 3
Apr 26	Working on the Research Project
Apr 29
May 1
May 3
May 6
May 8
May 10
May 13
May 15
Final Exam Week	Research Presentations

Note: The dates on this course outline are approximate. You are responsible for any changes made in the schedule.
 
 

1 Lowery, S. A., & DeFleur, M. L. (1988). Milestones in mass communication research (2nd ed.). Chapter 3: The invasion from Mars: Radio panics America (pp. 55-78). New York: Longman.
 

MASS COMMUNICATION AND CRISES
 

2 McLeod, D. M., Eveland, W. P., & Signorielli, N. (1994). Conflict and public opinion: Rallying effects of the Persian Gulf War. Journalism Quarterly, 71, 20-31.
 

MASS COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC OPINION
 

3 Iyengar, S., & Simon, A. (1993). News coverage of the gulf crisis on public opinion. Communication Research, 20, 365-383.
 

LEARNING
 

4 Armstrong, G. G., & Greenberg, B. S. (1990). Background television as an inhibitor of cognitive processing. Human Communication Research, 16, 355-386.
 

5 Levin, S. R., & Anderson, D. R. (1976). The development of attention. Journal of Communication, 26(2), 126-135.
 

6 Saegert, J. (1987). Why marketing should quit giving subliminal advertising the benefit of the doubt. Psychology & Marketing, 4, 107-120.
 

SOCIALIZATION
 

7 Bryant, J., & Rockwell, S. C. (1994). Effects of massive exposure to sexually oriented prime-time television programming on adolescents' moral judgment. In D. Zillmann J. Bryant, & A. C. Huston (Eds.), Media, children, and the family (pp. 183-195). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
 

8 Atkin, C. K. (1993). On regulating broadcast alcohol advertising. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 37, 107-113.
 

SEX AND VIOLENCE
 

9 Donnerstein, E., Wilson, B., & Linz, D. (1992). On the regulation of broadcast indecency to protect children. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 36, 111-117.
 

10 Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (1982). Pornography, sexual callousness, and the trivialization of rape. Journal of Communication, 32(4), 10-21