INQ-260CO | Media Effects

Full Title: Media Effects

Topic Description:

How does media use affect people? Aside from working and sleeping, individuals in the US spend more time consuming media than any other single activity. By the time the average person reaches 65, he or she will have spent over six full years of life watching television – not to mention the additional time spent on the Internet, mobile communication devices, and playing video games. The importance of media in people’s lives makes it crucial for us to comprehend and critically examine our perception of media messages and their influences. This course will introduce students to the study of the effects of media on individuals and society. By introducing media theories through several key research areas, this course will explore such inquiries as “does exposure to media violence increase aggression?,” “does consuming sexual content lead to callousness against members of the opposite sex?,” and “does media stereotyping breed out-group intolerance?

Counts as Global? No

Topic Approved: April 2014