Functionalist, Conflict, and Interaction Perspectives on...

Functionalist, Conflict, and Interaction Perspectives on Mass Media Sammie Sims SOC101: Introduction to Sociology Instructor: Michael Emmart 09/22/2014 It is hard to imagine that just one theoretical view can make clear the many ways that individuals relate with media and technology. Technology covers a wide range from simplistic to complicate. Media is everywhere we look and on every gadget we own. This paper will take a look at mass media from the functionalist, conflict, and interaction perspectives. You can look at a variety of theories and you will find studies and scholars that agree and those who disagree. A sociological approach in functionalism is the reflection of the relationship among the functions of†¦show more content†¦According to the conflict perspective a main emphasis is the variance of avenues to media and technology exemplified in the digital world. Conflict theorist concentrate on who reigns the media, and how the media endorses the norms of the upper-middle-class white Americans while lessening the existence of the lower class especially minorities. Some conflict theorist’s propose that the way media is created causes an uneven political arena. Candidates with the most monies available can buy the most media exposure, trash talk their competition, and take full advantage of their visual existence. Now days cameras capture our activities and viewers can find people over their cell phones. Social scientists take the idea of the surveillance society so seriously that there is an entire journal devoted to its study, Surveillance and Society (library.queensu.ca). Influential individuals and social organizations carry much of the say so about what technology is out, when and where it is released and what kind of media is accessible for intake. This is a form of gate keeping. Deciding what story will make the headlines of the front page. Deciding which movie is playing on the screens at the local movie theater. Deciding what movies and pictures will be released and which ones will not. All of these decisions are usually made by people of high standings. No one in the lower class es has any say so in these types ofShow MoreRelatedMass Media And Its Impact On Society1719 Words   |  7 PagesIn today’s world society believes that mass media plays a key role in shaping and communicating our culture. Mass Media is defined as a technological advancement of communication. People receive information about the world through mass media and it helps shape people’s beliefs, values, perception, and behavior. Mass media is a controversial topic among sociologists, many of them have differentiating opinions of how mass media is influencing people daily lives today. Through this research analysisRead MoreSoc/100 - Applying Sociological Perspectives1063 Words   |  5 Pages Applying Sociological Perspectives Stephanie Ann Tombline SOC/100 May 30, 2016 Jennifer Hudgins Applying Sociological Perspectives Social networking sites - such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and, Pinterest, just to name a few - provide individuals with an online web of global networking that allows maintaining social ties with one another. Sociologists often ponder, How do these social websites impact society? Above all, this is the question that is the central focus shared byRead MoreThe Merchant Of Cool By Barak Goodman And Rachel Dretzin808 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The merchant of cool† is 2001’s special documentary of PBS frontline on culture and mass media, which was produced by â€Å"Barak Goodman and Rachel Dretzin†. This documentary explores the heavily dependence of youth on the mass media. This documentary is about the selling and buying of cool. In America mostly consumers of cool are teenagers. In a certain year, hundred billion dollars of their own money spend by the teen agers. While teens influence their parents and fifty billion dollars were additionalRead MoreDiscuss Marxism and Functuionalism and Compare1133 Words   |  5 PagesCompare Marxist and Functionalist Perspectives Compare and Contrast Functionalist and Marxist Perspectives Sociology is a systematic way of studying the social world. It seeks to discover the causes and affects of intercommunication and interaction that arise in social relations. The science of society was developed as a discipline in the 19th Century by Auguste Compte, a French philosopher. For him, common sense and the obvious would not suffice; he wanted to build scientific theories basedRead MoreThe Theory Of Human Actions, Decisions, Behavior, And Other External Elements Essay967 Words   |  4 PagesHerbert Meade, Charles Horton Cooley, Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx-- established the framework of symbolic interactionism, functionalism, and conflict theory. Each played key roles in establishing the levels and focuses of analysis that are used in applying the three theoretical perspectives to the study of human actions, decisions, behavior, and other external elements, which can be explained not only by analyzing the individual scenario, but also by a nalyzing theRead MoreThe Theory Of Human Actions, Decisions, Behavior, And External Elements875 Words   |  4 Pagessociology’s three foundational theories, --George Herbert Meade, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx-- established the framework of symbolic interactionism, functionalism, and conflict theory. Each played key roles in establishing the levels and focuses on analysis that are used in applying the three theoretical perspectives to the study of human actions, decisions, behavior, and other external elements, which can be explained not only by analyzing the individual scenario, but also by analyzing theRead MoreSOC 101 Essay1851 Words   |  8 Pagesexploring these topics, three main theoretical perspectives were used. I will briefly illustrate each of the main theoretical perspectives of functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic Interactionism. During this semester I have watched two films, Food Incorporated and The Vernon Johns Story. I will describe ho w a theoretical perspective is used in each of these examples. Then I will provide my own two examples where concepts and theoretical perspectives can be illustrated. My First example is theRead MoreThe Biological And Physiological Characteristics Between Men And Women1236 Words   |  5 Pagesthe world, but differences in gender do. One is able to see such differences throughout various elements of society such as through mass media and objects. To explain these sex and gender differences one must understand the three main sociological perspectives, which include, structural functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interactionism. Structural functionalist belief that society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibriumRead MoreSociology and Socialization Essay891 Words   |  4 Pagescontinues throughout their life. Socialization is classified as one of the most important process in the family. Of all the major sociological perspectives, symbolic interactionism has probably developed the most detailed theory of socialization, Haralambos, Holborn. Sociology - Themes and Perspectives.[2008]. In the socialization process, there are several factors which may affect a childs behavior. In relation to the term socializationRead MorePolice Brutality Is Very Today s Society866 Words   |  4 Pagesviolence has affected a mass of people; therefore, police brutality is a social problem that has to be addressed. To further analyze police brutality, sociological perspectives can be used to help find a social policy or â€Å"solution† to this issue. According Michael Palmiotto and Pramha Unnithan, â€Å"The functionalist would argue that such behavior exists because there is a gap between what we as a society say is right and what we do in actual circumstances.† Functionalist also argue that police officers