How Does Television Affect Social Image of Women - Research Paper Example

How does television affect social image of a woman The role of a woman in Western society never was as less determined as nowadays. Since the past century women had traveled a long way from the very strict patriarchic stance on woman social position and through the feministic public sentiments towards equality with men. And yet the role of a woman still does not completely depend on a woman herself, or on her will and self-presentation, but on a social opinion of what a woman is. In its turn, a social opinion never has been as flexible as nowadays. From strict determined norms of behavior and clear issues which Western culture once presented, modern society has come to democratic views in all spheres of human life. The power of the majority implies the power of quantity, therefore a control over the mass consciousness nowadays is so desirable. Mass media, culture, society… A new order of society has begun its formation since the end of the World War I when the role of the mass became crucial – “mass society” (Shils 43). With the new society new needs and concerns had come. To satisfy those needs and concerns mass culture was born, and to communicate them in a mass way, a mass media was developed. The study of those effects which mass media caused on mass society had immediately begun. Already in 1922 “Lippman argued that mass communication could become the basis for people’s view of the world, and about the same time, in 1927 Lasswell considered mass communication as a tool for manipulation and social control” (Perse 3). Latter McLuchan in order to stress on a type of social relationships that mass media has formed within mass society called modern society “a global village” (Galician). That means those issues and beliefs, stereotypes and, generally, all those social relations which once had only existed inside a social group now are spread on a general global community. Therefore all those people who are involved in mass communication are members of a single global social group – mass society. And as for every social group the process of socialization is unavoidable, behavior of members of mass society is determined by norms, values and culture of mass society (Galician). To establish those issues mass media is widely used. One of the main characteristics of mass media is its learning effect. However, this learning process is quite different from education. Denis McQuail says mass media can serve for “a cultivation of images” (20). And Mary-Lou Galician describes it as a process of “eculturation” (Galician). It means mass media enforce some mass cultural issues to the audience. But it would be wrong to say, that mass media influences one-way on audience without any feedback. The process is mutual, and content of mass media depends highly on audience’s expectations. “Mass media both shape us and reflect us” (McQuail 21). Therefore current social concerns and issues are embodied in mass media images. Mass media effects Before the discussing of impact which media causes on social consciousness, let’s firstly think how much time of our lives we spend along with the media, from watching news for a need of information, to using media as a form of personal entertainment and for work. Media accompanies modern society on every step it takes, spreading information, opinions, and images. With the technological development media had become more mobile, therefore mass media is increasing its influence on the way people live and think, and on social structure. Among the most important mass media effects are: effect on personal behavior and social improvement, the effect of propaganda on ideology, the effect of media ritual on social control (Perse 2). It means mass media serves good for a construction of reality by popularizing thoughts, issues and images. Putting all this together, mass media can be called an instrument of social power (McQuail 21). Yet mass media main task is to deliver and spread information about events and auditory expects true facts and reasonable judgments. Though modern people tend to trust mass media in forming their worldview, mass media is not the only agent of socialization for people. There are other factors which determine human behavior and form their image of the world. They are family, school, friendship and religious groups – all kinds of social environment (Galician). These non-mass media agents also cultivate particular issues and norms, and usually do that even more convincing then mass media, because of two factors. Firstly, people tend to trust them more then mass media, because of personal relation. People simply trust mass media less then they trust personal connections. Secondly, there are emotional connections people have with each other. Authority depends not only on competence, but on personal relationships. Not all the types of mass media can offer something equal to such an emotional involvement, but television is definitely the best that mass media has to counterpose. Why television? Among all types of mass media television has the greatest impact on its audience. Several characteristics specify mass information which is retrieved from television in comparison to information from print, radio and Internet. Television has greater capabilities. Information on television is in audio-visual format, therefore audience is maximally involved in a stream of information. Facts are spoken and illustrated at the same time. In mass consciousness what is seen on TV is more reliable than what is spoken on radio, or written in newspaper. Though trust also depends on reputation of the channel, and The New York Time’s, or BBC Internet version could be considered as more reliable source than some unknown channel people simply tends to believe television, because it looks “real” (Sharma). By watching information audience has a feeling of participation like every viewer is personally involved in the event. Despite that television causes participation effect and gives an illusion of reality, TV programs are strictly determined by channel policy. Viewer can choose a channel, but not the content of that channel. In what light information will be presented depends on channel’s interpretation, as well as what opinion on a subject, or what image will be formed in mass consciousness. It’s important to mention, that because of this determined involvement information retrieved from television is the hardest to analyze. One can re-read a newspaper, use his/her own individual visualization while listening to the radio, and one can pause a picture shot on the Internet if he/she wants to stop and think about the piece of information. Nothing of these is possible with television, because television “cultivates” its audience (Galician). Also television is more commonly used for entertainment. Researchers say people use to be better affected when they are entertaining, because audience is less suspicious about entertainment programs, comparing to informative ones. But while one is watching the model of behavior in a show, one learns to behave the similar way. It’s called “the likehood model of persuasion” (Galician). And that’s how images from TV determine mass audience behavior and expectations. Therefore, the image of a modern woman (as well as other portrayals) in our modern global society in no small measure is formed by mass media, and by television in particular. Mass media image of a modern woman Western society was patriarchic for a very long time. Before the feministic moods arising in past century the role of a woman was second after the man. Though a lot of laws and rights women have received comparing to their grannies, there’s still a second role for women in mass media. “Television does highlight gender stereotypes” (Sharma). For example, television shows may not portray female images less frequently than male ones, but usually the central role is for male characters. Females tend to be depending on males despite that image of careeristic woman is not rare. Women are less employed than men, and if they are employed they tend to be subordinated by male characters. “Woman predominates the service role” (Ceulemans and Fauconnier 20). Also women tend to be more concerned about domestic responsibilities and more likely to have a child, or to be married. The sphere of female concerns usually is less selfish then the male one, and women are more likely to negotiate personal needs and interests. There’s a strict definition on “bad” and “good” in mass culture, so “good” females in mass media are those who look attractive and can be characterized as loving and loyal persons who are able of compassion and etc. Arpita Sharma sees two negative modern tendencies in females’ mass media image. “Violent and degrading, or pornographic media production affects negatively woman social image” (Sharma). Because of the second role which women play, they are more likely to be portrayed as victims and weaker persons, and also as sexual objects. And therefore women are considered to play these social roles. Another reason to be concerned is an existing association of woman with a consumer. We live in consumer society, and women are more likely to be seen as buyers. In its turn, advertisement exploits female images, in particular women’s attraction and beauty in order to maximize profits from sales. Conclusion In our society mass media serves to satisfy mass cultural request, so modern cultural issues and social norms and roles in no small measure are determined by the way they are presented in mass media. It means, mass media images determine mass’ expectations from a real modern woman much. Therefore television is a type of mass media which causes the greatest influence on its audience, TV female images affects the way women are seen in society. Researching on a subject I’ve come across more information about how mass media affects modern society and changes social behavior, than information about how modern social roles are reflected in mass media. But the mutuality of relationships between mass media and mass society should be considered. Mass media is commercial, and especially when it’s about entertaining audience’s interests are consulted. I think those reasons why modern society is willing to see a woman as a victim, sexual object and in the context of consumerism should be discussed more widely. Works Cited Ceulemans, M. and G. Fauconnier. “Mass Media: The Image, Role, and Social Conditions of Women: A Collection and analysis of research materials”. UNESCO database. Workshop of UNESCO, 1979. Galician, M.-L. Sex, Love and Romance in the Mass Media: Analysis and Criticism of Unrealistic Portrayals and Their Influence. Routledge, 2013. McQuail, D. “The Influence and Effects of Mass Media”. Mass Communication and Society. Eds. Curran, J., Gurevitch, M. and J. Woollacott. Sage, 1979. Perse, E. M. Media Effects and Society. Routledge, 2001. Sharma, A. “Portrayal of Women in Mass Media”. Media Watch. Retrieved from http://www.mediawatchglobal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ Shils, E. “Mass Society and Its Culture”. Mass Media in Modern Society. Ed. Jacobs, N. Transaction Publishers, 1992. Read More