Abstract This paper studies the correlation between media exposure and resulting body image disturbance/eating disorder symptoms in the light of a recent research. It examines the impact and presents some latest developments in research findings in this area especially the concept of internationalization, which was largely ignored in earlier studies on the subject.
From the Paper "In a media-saturated culture like the one we have in the United States, the influence of media-promoted images on our perception of what is good, healthy, beautiful and desirable has often been discussed and in most cases vehemently criticized. Research indicates that female adolescents are increasingly being subjected to unhealthy body images in print and electronic media resulting in the rise of eating disorders cases. With media presenting us with images of super-thin women who are projected as symbols of success, eating disorders are unarguably on the rise among young women. This is the result of distorted body image or body image disturbance that occurs when people, both men and women, overestimate their body size and harbor chronic thoughts about dieting, weight loss and consumption of fat. Body image distortion leads to unhealthy dietary habits where people start consuming less food with lower nutritional value and as the result suffer from eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia nervosa."
Abstract In recent years, legislation, such as the passage of the V-chip law, has made an attempt to address the problem of violence, sex, and overly obscene programs on television. This paper educates the reader in regards to the effects of television and commercial advertising. The paper allows the reader to decide on just how controversial advertising really is.
From the Paper "A controversial issue is often raised towards the alcohol advertiser's intent or style of approach in regards to the target market that they are trying to reach. The biggest problem thatthe Alcohol Industry needs to address is the fact that many of the ads are linked to sex, power and success fantasies. This is where the going gets rough and where the censorship factors are showing their value. Alcohol use has never really put anybody high up on any success ladder. Do you yourself know of anybody that really made it to the top by drinking? Obviously it becomes a controversial issue."
Tags: high, jerry, life, litigation, miller, scandals, springer, television
An exploration of the differences between the way men and women communicate, the roots of this communication and ways to communicate effectively together.
2,485 words (approx. 9.9 pages), 3 sources, 2001, $ 75.95
Abstract This paper explores the differences in verbal and nonverbal communication between men and women. It explains the roots of these differences and how to alleviate the gender communication crisis.
From the Paper "Do you ever wonder if men and women inhabit different planets? Can men and women be categorized into separate semantic types? Almost everyone would acknowledge that men and women have differences in the way they communicate. The question is: how different are they? Are they so different that the two groups are necessarily polarized to extreme ends of the communication spectrum? This question continues to baffle psychologists, relationship experts and the general public. Some would say that the differences are so minute that the issue is not worth debating. On the other side of the fence, the belief is that these differences are too great that men and women can indeed be confined to opposite poles. John Gray, author of the best-selling book, Men are from Mars, Women are From Venus certainly believes in the latter. According to Gray, men and women are so different in the way they communicate that it is only logical to believe that they originate from entirely different planets (Gray 5)."
Abstract This is a persuasive paper that analyzes the proponents of censorship. In recent years, the American entertainment industry has undergone vast changes in aspects such as music, television and Internet, and what began as innocent entertainment is no longer. Censorship is emerging into the limelight once again, as children are immensely affected by what they see, and their intentions of repeating what they see makes censorship ever more important today. The amount of violence in all forms of entertainment must somehow be regulated or censored in some way to protect the innocent youth of today.
From the Paper "Please note the following: ?Where Them Ho's At;? ?Tits;? and ?Simple Instructions for Assembling a Bomb with Household Materials.? The title of a song, a word used in a TV drama, and something easily accessible from the Internet. What might these three things have in common? They are all salient factors in the corruption of today's youth. These are not the types of programs and songs our country's future leaders should have access to. "Entertainment" such as this has been proven to cause aggression in young children, causing them to be more prone to use violence to settle disputes. It also exposes children to adult situations they are not yet suited to understand, which in turn confuses them. More stringent laws must be passed for the sake of our nation's impressionable, innocent young children."
Abstract This paper gives a history on photography and shows the affects of photography and journalism on American society during the Civil War. It provides an in-depth analysis of photographers such as Mathew Brady and his team, and their role in the Civil War. The paper also discusses the newspapers that published these horrific civil war images, and discusses the distribution of these papers to the masses. The paper gives society's reactions by quoting primary and secondary sources on the atrocities that the general public was exposed to.
From the Paper "Prior to photography, war was interpreted through words, or the eyes of an artist. The Civil War was the first war to be documented with real pictures. For the first time in American history, people could witness the carnage of war, by simply seeing a picture. In addition to this, newspapers began giving readers personal accounts of battles and this increased circulation. With the start of war photography and increase in journalism, the Civil War became a horrific reality to society, and the most publicized and recorded war that America had ever seen."
Abstract A look at the technological changes in the past century and the positive and negative effects of such advancement. The author looks at the benefits of advanced communication and information and contrasts this to the disadvantages that this may bring on the morals, beliefs and values of society.
From the Paper "When I was a little girl, I read in a popular magazine in Europe that by year 2000 we would be able to just pick up the phone and directly dial any country in the world. I remember hardly believing it, since at the time I couldn't even call my aunt in a neighboring town without the operator's assistance. When my sister went off to college, mom had to send her a telegram with a date and time for her to go to the central post office to receive our long-distance phone call.Less than twenty years later, that lifestyle is outdated. We have gone far beyond just being able to direct dial any country in the world. Going a day without cellular phones, fax machines, computers, and satellites would pose a great challenge. With the Internet, we have instant access to information, and that commodity is becoming a necessity as well. From research data to recipes, from movie schedules to news, from fiction to shopping, the Internet is moving in."
Abstract This paper explores television violence and its effects on children. It addresses how TV manipulates the minds of children, causing them to act in more aggressive and violent manners. The author argues that TV violence distorts children's minds into believing that violence is a healthy and acceptable way of dealing with problems.
From the Paper "There are many different supports for both sides of this issue. Those who believe that TV does have a major affect on children support their belief with the notions thusly: television violence and aggression lead to violent and aggressive behavior in children, witnessing violence on TV shapes and desensitizes the child’s view of the world, and television manipulates the mind of the child (Wood, 1999, p. 317). Those who conclude that TV violence plays no part in the aggressiveness of children base their assumptions on the theory stating that violence and aggression in youth is a result of an improper upbringing (Associated Press, 1999, p. 6A). They believe that children adapt their behavior from those that they are in human contact with most often. Another poignant support for television is that it is an extremely effective educational medium. They feel that the positive aspects of television far outweigh the negative ones (Kalin, 1999, p. 2). Lastly, there’s the “catharsis theory” which thoroughly supports the use of television violence in all programs. It claims that TV violence reduces the viewer’s aggressive behavior when dealing with real life situations (Comstock, 1978, p. 188). Statistics can back up both sides of the issue, and so can emotions. The issue of the affects of television violence on our nation’s youth is a very heavy and controversial topic with many possible conclusions."
Tags: aggression, crime, fighting, graphic, kids, mean, tv, world
This paper analyzes Aristotle's "The Rhetoric" and summarizes what rhetorical theory is and applies those conditions to persuasive writing, specifically marketing and advertising.
1,400 words (approx. 5.6 pages), 5 sources, 2000, $ 46.95
Abstract This paper discusses rhetorical arguments as set forth by Aristotle. Also discussed is the writing of Toulmin as it applies to Aristotelian logic. The author presents various criteria necessary in rhetorical argument.
From the Paper "Advertising and public relations are part of everyday life. Commonly, the messages these trades convey intend to persuade and influence human behavior. This intent does not happen by accident. Public relations and advertising rely on words and meaningful symbols to communicate with various publics. In order to assure success in arguing for causes, products, or even persons, it becomes imperative for the speaker to understand theoretical foundations of persuasion and form arguments with human responses and attitudes in mind. By paying close attention to rhetorical theory, principles of human behavior, and language manipulation, relating to the public becomes an easily managed process. When presented correctly, rhetorical arguments can elicit certain reactions and behaviors by the public."
Abstract This paper focuses on the treatment of African-Americans in television programs spanning decades. Specific shows are discussed (e.g. - "All In The Family", "Sanford & Son"). Conclusions are drawn by the author based on his/her research regarding trends of treatment of African-Americans in mass media.
From the Paper "There is no question that media is a very powerful force in all of our lives. Whether we realize it or not the media is an important factor in molding some of our first opinions as children. That is why it is very important for television to be representing all minorities. Television has not historically done a good job of this. However, it has improved drastically from how things were in the 1950?s. It is also very important that other races are portrayed accurately. If they are portrayed in stereotypical ways, that will be the view that children have before they are old enough to make their own decisions. We need to teach our children about other races in order to live in a world that respects all races."
Abstract This paper looks at privacy concerns as they relate to the Internet. The author takes a neutral position stating concerns from both sides and taking the position that more time is needed to figure out just what should be regulated, if anything, and how the government should go about doing this. Some previous court cases are sighted along with actual quotes from the Judge's decision. The author further looks at censorship issues in general and how those surrounding the internet would differ from those regarding other forms of media.
From the Paper "Ever since the United States Constitution was established, there has been a long-standing debate over the interpretation of the First Amendment. Now, with the emergence of more advanced technologies within the past few years, this debate has been extended into a new realm."
Abstract This paper discusses Adolf Hitler's life, ideologies, effective speeches and mass communication usage and applies basic theories of communication practices and their relevance throughout history.
From the paper:
"In reading the speech given by Adolf Hitler on his intentions for conquering and evacuating the Czech Sudetenland for the German people, it became quite apparent to me just how important communication was to this leader's success and to the involvement of other countries that would later enter into WW2. It has been said that, "that Hitler came into existence at all is directly owing to radio and public-address systems". That's a bold statement, but a respectable one. It reminds us how important mass communication was then and is now in reaching out to make one's self heard."
Tags: communication, hitler, speech, propaganda, mass
Abstract The following paper discusses the importance of leadership, various styles of leadership, and the difference between leadership and management. The writer concludes from the research that leadership is a difficult art to be mastered, but those who do have even partial mastery of leadership skills can literally transform the group in which they function.
From the Paper On rare occasions a leader may only be leading a single individual, but in most real life situations a leader would be acting as a leader of a group. So a group, whether formal or informal, is the environment in which a leader operates. Group leadership can, therefore, be defined as the process of influencing a group of people to achieve a specified goal or a task. The goal may or may not have specified by the leader himself, as the leader may be acting on behalf of an organization with pre-defined objectives, although establishing direction is also part of leadership. It is generally accepted that without some kind of leadership in an organization or society there would be chaos and anarchy. Hence the over-riding importance of group leadership and the constant endeavor of social scientists, psychologists and management experts in trying to unravel the mysteries of the complex subject;
Abstract This paper looks at the issue of increased violent tendencies found in increasingly younger children in today's society. The author reviews several different studies that have been conducted on the subject and substantiate the thesis that violence on television has a profound impact on younger children. Television has become more violent and children are, watching more of it, which in this author's opinion, has contributed to the increase in violent behavior in children. Several studies and their results are presented in order to help the reader understand the possible roots of the problem, to present possible solutions to present and future problems that plague society because of the increasing influence of television in our lives.
From the Paper "Children are much smarter these days than children of the previous generation. Children are bombarded with images on TV, the Internet, etc. and parents have less time these days to filter out any negative or adverse images and experiences. And with the exponentially-advancing technological age, in many cases children derive their education, not just from school or their family but through nameless, faceless CEOs who want to sell a product, service or form of entertainment any which way they can. Children are expected to digest and analyse a lot of information thrown at them everyday. In that sense, children today are more streetwise and discerning than the children in previous generations. Therefore, it stands to reason that effects of media violence on younger children would be more pronounced than for children who are in their pre- or post-adolescent years."
Abstract The paper shows that when we think about communication, we think about the spoken word and that our thoughts are always about the words people use and their fluency of speech. Yet, at the same time, we are also taking in information from nonlinguistic sources. The author notes that people's mannerisms, clothing, and appearance are also important, as well as their tone of voice. Researches have estimated that, in face-to-face communication, as much as 90 percent of the social meaning may be carried in the nonverbal message and that facial appearance and response may contribute more to our meaning of their message than all their words. The paper explores the importance of both types of communication and how they are put across.
From the Paper "As popularly used, language refers to a system of words. This development is not surprising, since words distinguish human communication from that of lower animals. Words, as symbols, usually convey information in a quite deliberate, no instinctive way. For this reason, language is sometimes treated as a set of verbal symbols."
Abstract The writer looks at overt and covert advertising in order to give the reader a solid understanding of the basic theories that are used to sell products. The writer talks about the different places that new forms of advertising have been tested and show how these are used successfully to entice people to buy a specific product. According to this paper, sex is used in almost every type of advertising and its effect on today's youth is immense. The use of sex in advertising is not new, but the overt nature of it is, something, that this writer feels has now take on a life of its own and is having a negative affect on many people's self-image. The role of sex in today's society and as a result its influence on today's younger generation, is the message that this writer is trying to communicate.
From the Paper "Advertisers will embed the word, ?sex,? in a magazine picture that is not perceived by the human eye or will superimpose pictures of sexual objects on objects like ice cubes and it is not noticed until this is pointed out to people, they will not perceive this either. (Key 9 ? 12)
Whether or not subliminal advertising works is still a matter of debate.
Should sex be used in advertising? No! CNBC had run an ad that showed scantily dressed women, an ad for a topless club."
