In the Western world in this day and age, it has become impossible to imagine things without mass media. They are omnipresent and frequently keep us company in our daily routine. Media products could not be more diverse: they range from newspapers and countless other written products over radio- and television broadcasting to the internet, video games, and motion pictures. Their diversity as well as their consistent further development make mass media a fascinating field of investigation, and there are more and more schools and universities across the globe which concentrate on mass media, its history, its future prospects, and various other aspects. The influence attributed to media constitutes a controversial topic. While fulfilling numerous valuable functions, such as circulating information and thereby contributing to education, there might also be some negative effects resulting from exposure to certain means of mass communication, which at this point can only be speculated. In recent years, following some shocking high school shoot-outs , media effects have become a widely-discussed topic and hence attracted lots of public attention. Do acts of violence seen on television or depicted in video games have a wider impact on adolescents than on adults? As a matter of fact, the media themselves contribute to their own disreputability by making trivialised statements about their direct influence on youths’ demeanour (Bonfadelli 2004: 9).
But aside from this rather explosive issue, how do media influence adolescents’ daily life, e.g. their language use? Schlobinski and his research fellows Kohl and Ludewigt raise this question in their essay’s introduction (1993: 149). In the past, media were frequently accused of having an enormous influence on adolescent language use: Neil Postman’s works (1982; 1985) are mentioned, which basically blame the media for ‘polluting’ young people’s language, causing intense discussions about this topic (Schlobinski/Kohl/Ludewigt 1993: 149).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Media effects research
2.1. Defining media effects
2.2. ‘Mediating factors’
2.3. ‘Uses and Gratifications’
2.4. Lobbies interested in research findings
3. Research
3.1. Qualitative Sociolinguistics
3.2. Methodology
3.3. The recipient(s) : Groups and individuals
3.4. Stages of communication
4. Findings
4.1. Media preferences
4.2. Categories of media references
4.3. Sources for references
4.3.1. Advertising
4.3.2. Music
4.3.3. Movies
4.4. Social functions
4.4.1. Group formation and manifestation
4.4.2. Identity formation
4.4.3. Entertainment
4.5. Other functions
4.6. General findings
5. Conclusion
6. References
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the influence of mass media on the everyday speech of adolescents. It addresses the central question of how media contents are appropriated by young people and integrated into their linguistic practices, moving beyond simplistic "passive consumer" models to explore the active, creative, and critical engagement of adolescents with media.
- Methodological approaches to studying media references in youth language.
- The social functions of media citations in peer-group interactions.
- Sources of media references including advertising, music, and movies.
- The role of media in identity formation and group manifestation.
- The distinction between pre-communicative, communicative, and post-communicative phases.
Excerpt from the Book
4.4.1. Group formation and manifestation
According to Holly (1993), talking about media contents helps a group to establish common ground and values (Branner 2002: 340). By sharing common media knowledge, similarities within the group are highlighted and temporary disunity is quickly swept under the rug (Branner 2002: 353). Co-constructions of media references serve as means to establish group culture and demonstrate solidarity and group identity (Branner 2002: 353). As Püschel and Holly highlight, through blasphemously evaluating the contents on the screen, groups members confirm that they have equally set their benchmarks, which then strengthens the group’s conformity (1997: 37).
Likewise, Püschel and Holly argue that media references signify sentiments, which then become a potential part of group experience (1997: 35). Furthermore, they found that recipients address each other during the media consumption by calling each other’s attention to matters on the screen: in doing so, the speaker usually reminds the others of certain common experiences in the past and thereby links the television content with his/her own biography (Püschel/Holly 1997: 36)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the ubiquity of mass media and introduces the controversial topic of its influence on adolescent language, transitioning away from reductionist views of media consumption.
2. Media effects research: Provides a theoretical foundation by defining media effects and discussing key concepts like 'mediating factors' and the 'Uses and Gratifications' approach.
3. Research: Details the sociolinguistic methodology and explains how researchers observe linguistic appropriation through interviews and the analysis of conversational stages.
4. Findings: Examines specific media preferences and categorizes how adolescents utilize advertising, music, and film to perform social functions like group identity and entertainment.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the evidence that adolescents are active, creative users of media and suggests future research should focus on the impact of the internet.
Keywords
Media effects, Adolescents, Youth language, Sociolinguistics, Peer groups, Media appropriation, Bollywood, Advertising slogans, Identity formation, Uses and Gratifications, Qualitative analysis, Media references, Communication, Cultural resources, Language change.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper investigates how mass media products influence the everyday speech and linguistic behavior of adolescents.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research explores media preferences, the social functions of language in peer groups, and how media content is used for identity construction and entertainment.
What is the main research question?
The paper asks how media references function in adolescent discourse and whether media consumption directly dictates language use or is used as an active resource.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The paper employs a qualitative sociolinguistic approach, analyzing naturally occurring conversations, interviews, and participant observations.
What is examined in the main body?
The main body summarizes media effects theories, methodologies for analyzing speech, and specific findings regarding sources of references like movies, music, and advertising.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include youth language, media appropriation, social identity, qualitative research, and peer group dynamics.
How do adolescents use Bollywood movies in their speech?
Desi teenagers use Bollywood-based speech to re-enact humorous dialogue, inhabit character voices, and maintain a connection to their ethnic roots.
What role does 'advertising' play in peer communication?
Advertising slogans function as shared cultural resources that adolescents use for playful language variation, organizing conversations, and filling social lulls.
How does the author view the 'passive audience' concept?
The author rejects the notion of the passive, manipulable audience, arguing instead that adolescents actively and critically negotiate media content.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2007, Mass media's influence on everyday speech amongst adolescents: Research findings and perspectives, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/76212
