SOC 105 Consumption and Mass Media Worksheet

Consumption and Mass Media Worksheet

1. Respond
to all questions with academic paragraphs of at least 50 words. State your
point of view and explain it thoroughly.

·
What is conspicuous consumption? How does
conspicuous consumption influence purchasing decisions? Think about a
high-priced item that you have bought or would like to buy. To what extent does
conspicuous consumption affect your decision?

·
What is conspicuous leisure? Examples of
conspicuous leisure are abundant on television. In what ways are leisure
activities informed by social and economic class? Provide an example of a
popular leisure activity. What assumptions can you make about the participants
of the activity?
·
Define the term globalization. What effect does globalization have on popular
culture? Provide an example of how American popular culture has influenced
other countries, or how the United States has imported popular culture from
other countries.

2. Choose
an advertisement. Analyze the ad for its media message. Answer the following
questions based on that ad.

·
Who created the media message? Why?
·
Who is the intended audience? What do you know
about the intended audience—age, race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic
background, hobbies, profession?
·
What type of lifestyle is presented? Is it
realistic? Why or why not?
·
What is the text, written or in another form, of
the message? What do you see and hear: written or spoken words, photos,
drawings, logos, design, music, sounds, and so on?
·
What is the hidden text? What is unstated or
implied in the message?
·
What values are expressed?
·
What groups of people are empowered in this
message? What groups are disempowered? How so?
·
What part of the story is not being told? How
and where could you get more information about the untold stories?
·
Can these messages affect how you think and
feel? Why or why not? Provide examples.
·
Can these messages affect your behavior? Why or
why not? Provide examples.
·
Can the messages affect the cultural values in
society in general? Why or why not? Provide examples.