A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Literature review Example

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Name Institution name We are normally surrounded by visual images from many sources, television, video movies, computer illustrated text among other sources. In addition, our perception or the impression created to us by these images differs. Each and every person has their own interpretation of the images and the meaning as well as word to describe the images which are countless when we speak the truth. Moreover, many people say that a picture is worth a thousand words. In addition, has been said many times that the seven words in the sequences have become a saying. This is because of the effect of media in our daily lives. Media, a medium that delivers a message to a large audience, anonymous and diverse audience is a powerful presence in people’s lives. To the extent that even those are monitoring the media consumption are not immune to the effects of media (Orbe, n.d. p. 235). Looking at the images below there are different reaction and thousand words for the as well. There are several media theories to support that the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Figure 1: (Mainwood, 2011) Figure 2: (Mainwood, 2011) Hypodermic needle theory Media images after entering people’s minds affect their consciousness, which in turn had immediate consequences (Orbe, n.d. p. 235). This implies that mass media has a direct, immediate and powerful effect on it is a group of people or the audience. The theory further suggest that mass media can influence a large group of people directly with uniformity through shooting or injecting them with appropriate message that will trigger a certain response desired or undesired, intended or unintended the bullet theory normally view the message as the bullet that is shot from the media into the audiences mind. and the hypodermic needle suggest that messages from media are put in the minds of the audiences in a similar manner a doctor injects the patience with a hypodermic needle which has immediate influence. here the receiver is powerless and the media is powerful in such a way as the population is seen as the siting duck and they end up thinking what they are told since there is no other information (Utwente.nl, 2014). Looking at the two images, figure one and figure two the media message from them are like bullets striking every eye resulting in effects on though and behaviour that are direct uniform and powerful (Puri, 2011). From figure 1, the direct message that gets into people’s mind is children from rich family taken good care of and brought up in good environment characterised by cleanliness and full of serenity. Of course, everybody admires such an environment. Showing this picture to parents, children, and even young couples, they will have different opinions. A child will believe that going to school there must be a bicycle, full school uniform including shoes. All these group of audiences would see and would want to associate the way the children in figure one are living. Closer examination of the images will give another view of a well-preserved environment. And in peoples mind the message of taking care of the environment is portrayed even from the looks at the children’s faces that are walking with comfort and smile on their faces. The reaction people will have is the need to take care of the environment for the sake of the generations to come. On the other hand looking at figure 2, the message that is directly injected into people’s mind is hardship, suffering, and poverty, lack of care and children neglect. Children walking in a bad road full of litter without cloths no shoes and it can be seen that there are not going to school. The message the media is shooting to the audience using this figure is that is message pity and disgust because of the poorly managed environment. If the message was take care of the environment and the two are shown to the audience, it would influence them to have the need to take care of the environment. There is no escaping from the effect of the message from this theory. The audience is passive and there is a lot of media material fired at the by the media (Utwente.nl, 2014). The message from the two pictures trigger different reaction from audiences and from the Hypodermic needle theory perspective this it can be seen that media is a dangerous tool and means of communicating idea since the audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message (Puri, 2011). Agenda setting theory Two theorists, Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972, first coined this theory. This theory suggests that media cannot tell people what to think but it can tell them what to think about. Agenda setting normally takes two forms. The first form does not tell audiences what to do which is passive agenda setting. Active agenda setting normally tells people what to do (Csus.edu, 2014). Through the process of selection, omission and framing this media normally put focus on public discussion on certain issues the audiences that are affected by media under this theory are normally active but when it comes to making important decisions, much of the salient information at that particular time is drawn (Lamp, 2014, p.1). Riaz, (2008) argue that presently agenda setting is one of the important media theories. It took its name from the notion that mass media have the ability to carry salient items on their content agendas, which are then transferred, and they become public agenda. Media, through selection and displays of various news contents by their reporters and editors, they focus their attention and influence the perception of the public in what is seen as most important issues of the day. The perception of the world by the audience is very much shaped and refined in the way media frame their content a function termed as agenda setting function of the media. The agenda setting therefore makes people obtain the salience issues from the media they see and incorporate them into their own agenda. By taking a Looking at the two pictures , the media in perspectives of the agenda setting theory clearly do not tell us what to think but it tells us what to the about. While setting walking and doing daily activities people think about many issues not specifically or directed to one main thing. But once a person is subjected to these two media images, many thoughts runs through their minds and people will end up thinking about the two pictures over a long time even years, each time describing them with endless words and views different from anyone else. There could be various was of describing figure 1, children are going to school and this is good. Children who put on school uniform looks neat, clean, and presentable. Pursuing their education will make their future lives brighter and more promising. There are many means of travelling to school such as by foot or by bicycle. Boys prefer using bicycle since because of their masculinity nature. Looking at this picture the salience that media portrays is a well taken of and preserved environment making children can walk freely with easiness. The tarmacked pavement makes walking easy and comfortable. In the peoples mind living in such an environment will provide them with much more peace of mind and will enhance peoples hygiene. The picture also depict that there is life satisfaction as it can be seen that the children are walking with happy faces , this could be attributed by the fact that the basic family needs are provided, food shelter and clothing. In the mind of the audience is people provide these needs to their families that are the kind of lives their children are going to live. Looking at the other pictures, the setting media sets is different from the other picture. People or audience will have different thoughts and opinions. There pictures shows children are neglected and the basic needs is not provided for. This is because the children are even walking barefoot and without clothes. Here the media sets an agenda of a family where parental care is low and children are on their own. In people's minds, this is the life of hardship and poverty. The live where without proper education and steady income children do not attend school. Someone looking at thus will think of life in a third world country, more specifically a slum life. In other instances, someone in a developed country will feel the need for assistance. In media, such intention could be used to deliver the message. The children are living in horrible place and it seems they are suffering. When looking at the environment, the figure shows that the environment is polluted. This could either be used to emphasize the need to have environmental friendly activities or sound an alarm. Some living in a different environment will have a notion that living in the environment like this can even make someone sick. Klapper’s reinforcement theory Joseph Klapper first coined this theory in 1960. He believed that the media normal has limited power to influence human being or its audiences. What it does is to reinforce people's pre-existing attitudes and beliefs, which are developed by more powerful social institutions such as families, schools and religious organisation (Lamp, 2014, p. 1). Media is normally weak as compared to strong social and psychological factors, which include social status, group membership, attitudes and education (Baran and Davis, 2014, p. 113). In this theory, the audiences are normally active and exist in the society where the influences from the social institutions emanate from (Lamp, 2014, p. 1). Media do not normally create opinions that do not exist that are from scratch, but is only effective in reinforcing existing beliefs and attitudes which in turn encourage people or audiences to act on them (Csus.edu, 2014). At times media is seen to work in tandem with other existing influences, which later on makes people to act (Mast, 2008, p. 33). Baran and Davis, (2014, p. 114) argue that instead of media disrupting the society and creating unexpected change, it only acts as agent to status quo and providing people with reasons to go on living, believing and acting as they already do. Mass communication does not server as a necessary and sufficient cause of audience effects but act among those mediating factors and influences, these mediating factors make media a contributing agent rather that a causing agent in the process of reinforcing the exiting conditions (Baran and Davis, 2012). In figure 1 above, the society in which the children are living in have their own believes of what is good and what is expected of them, this is because the children are going to school in neat uniforms. The preservation of the environment of high serenity and cleanliness according to this theory is that there believe to keep the environment clean existed. The two are seen to walk side by side while holding each other. The boy on their side is seen to walk alone. The tendency to believing that safety is achieved by protection is depicted in the photo since the boy pushing the bicycle is seen to hold a helmet on the other hand further more boys the girls are not pulling or using the bicycle a sign that that is not norm in the society. On the second figure, figure two, the fact that there are many words for it not just a saying but also a reality. From the picture it seen the girl child pushing a bicycle most likely assisting the boy with the t-shirt, this could be attributed by the fact that that is the norm and a woman or a girl should assist the boy or a man. Looking at it in a different angle, one it made to believe that it is a common thing to have both boys and girls doing the same thing, gender equality in the society. Conservation of environment is not part of the values in the society that is why there is litter all over the place. Children do not go to school; this could be attributed by the fact that this is a luxury here. In summary looking at a picture one can have so many ways of explaining the activities taking place This is other words means that the saying, a picture is worth a thousand words. The communication and media theories explain clearly different effects and the way media shapes our perception of reality and ways of life. References Baran, S. and Davis, D. (2012), Mass Communication Theory:Foundation , Ferment and Future. 6th ed.,Belmont, CA: WADSWORTH Publishing CO INC. Baran, S. and Davis, D. (2014).,Mass Communication Theory:7th Revised edition. 7th ed, Belmont, CA: WADSWORTH Publishing CO INC. Csus.edu, (2014). Applying Theory to Public Relations Campaigns. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rheey/Bobbit_Sullivan.pdf [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Lamp, B. (2014). Media Influence : A comparison of Communication Theories. 1st ed. [ebook] pp.1-2. Available at: http://lessonbucket.com/media/communicationtheories.pdf [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Mainwood, D. (2011). Comparing and Contrasting photos. Mast, S. (2008). Quantitative Study Measuring the Effects of "restricted" Film Content on a Biblical Worldview. 1st ed. ProQuest Information and Learning Company. Orbe, M. (n.d.). Media and Culture. 1st ed. [ebook] Available at: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/48649_ch_11.pdf [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Puri, S. (2011). Media and Journalism Studies: Hypodermic Needle Theory (Magic Bullet Theory). [online] Sonamjourno.blogspot.com. Available at: http://sonamjourno.blogspot.com/2011/02/hypodermic-needle-theory-magic-bullet.html [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Riaz, S. (2008). Agenda-setting role of mass media. Global Media Journal: Pakistan Edition, 1(2). Utwente.nl, (2014). Hypodermic Needle Theory. [online] Utwente.nl. Available at: http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/Hypodermic_Needle_Theory/ [Accessed 22 May. 2014]. Read More

The message the media is shooting to the audience using this figure is that is message pity and disgust because of the poorly managed environment. If the message was take care of the environment and the two are shown to the audience, it would influence them to have the need to take care of the environment. There is no escaping from the effect of the message from this theory. The audience is passive and there is a lot of media material fired at the by the media (Utwente.nl, 2014). The message from the two pictures trigger different reaction from audiences and from the Hypodermic needle theory perspective this it can be seen that media is a dangerous tool and means of communicating idea since the audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message (Puri, 2011).

Agenda setting theory Two theorists, Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972, first coined this theory. This theory suggests that media cannot tell people what to think but it can tell them what to think about. Agenda setting normally takes two forms. The first form does not tell audiences what to do which is passive agenda setting. Active agenda setting normally tells people what to do (Csus.edu, 2014). Through the process of selection, omission and framing this media normally put focus on public discussion on certain issues the audiences that are affected by media under this theory are normally active but when it comes to making important decisions, much of the salient information at that particular time is drawn (Lamp, 2014, p.1). Riaz, (2008) argue that presently agenda setting is one of the important media theories.

It took its name from the notion that mass media have the ability to carry salient items on their content agendas, which are then transferred, and they become public agenda. Media, through selection and displays of various news contents by their reporters and editors, they focus their attention and influence the perception of the public in what is seen as most important issues of the day. The perception of the world by the audience is very much shaped and refined in the way media frame their content a function termed as agenda setting function of the media.

The agenda setting therefore makes people obtain the salience issues from the media they see and incorporate them into their own agenda. By taking a Looking at the two pictures , the media in perspectives of the agenda setting theory clearly do not tell us what to think but it tells us what to the about. While setting walking and doing daily activities people think about many issues not specifically or directed to one main thing. But once a person is subjected to these two media images, many thoughts runs through their minds and people will end up thinking about the two pictures over a long time even years, each time describing them with endless words and views different from anyone else.

There could be various was of describing figure 1, children are going to school and this is good. Children who put on school uniform looks neat, clean, and presentable. Pursuing their education will make their future lives brighter and more promising. There are many means of travelling to school such as by foot or by bicycle. Boys prefer using bicycle since because of their masculinity nature. Looking at this picture the salience that media portrays is a well taken of and preserved environment making children can walk freely with easiness.

The tarmacked pavement makes walking easy and comfortable. In the peoples mind living in such an environment will provide them with much more peace of mind and will enhance peoples hygiene. The picture also depict that there is life satisfaction as it can be seen that the children are walking with happy faces , this could be attributed by the fact that the basic family needs are provided, food shelter and clothing. In the mind of the audience is people provide these needs to their families that are the kind of lives their children are going to live.

Looking at the other pictures, the setting media sets is different from the other picture.

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