Media and Cultures

• culture is learned
• culture is transmissible
• culture is dynamic, through invention and diffusion
• culture is selective
• facets of culture are interrelated
• culture is ethnocentric

quantitative methods, surveys, questionnaires, etc

• •interactive, interviews, field work, etc.

• rhetorical analysis, critical analysis, cultural studies, etc.

•Social science + Generalization, prediction, objective –Risk of low validity, large scale, resource-consuming   •Interpretive + Thick description, depth, interactive –Risk of subjectivity, time-consuming, small scale   •Critical + Historical context, consideration of all aspects –Subjectivity, lack of interaction/currency  

• Degree that people rely on explicit language to interpret meanings
• E.g., Chinese water color painting vs. Western oil painting

• Past vs. present/future
• analogue vs. digital cultures
• npolychronic vs. monochronic culture –Fixed time concept; promptness –Ways of arranging things; one at a time

Three views: –1. Mastery over nature (man is to conquer nature) –2. Harmony with nature (man is to live in harmony with nature) –3. Subjugation to nature (man is dominated by nature)

• Individualistic vs. collectivistic culture (Hofstede)

• Small vs. large power distance (Hofstede)

• Low vs. high uncertainty avoidance (Hofstede)

• Masculine vs. feminine culture (Hofstede)

• Short vs. long-term life orientation (Asian scholars)

• shame vs. guilt orientation

• being vs. doing culture

• Essentializes cultures - does not reflect variations within a culture

• Can cause to ignore changes in culture over time

• Culture includes shared beliefs, attitudes, norms, roles and values found among speakers of particular language who live during the same historical period in a specific geographic region
• Culture - a group of people who share a set of norms over time
• Geertz: there is no such thing as human nature independent of culture

• Value is defined as an enduring belief that one mode of conduct or end-state of existence is preferable to an opposing mode of conduct or end state existence
• values are learned/internalized by age 10 according to developmental psychiatrists
• others believe that we take on our culture's values through basic socialialization process, typically completed by age 18
• values have two aspects: the desirable (words) values and the desired (deeds) values

• total number of values is small
• all people everywhere possesses the same values to different degrees
• the antecendents of human values can be traced to culture, society, and its institutions

1. Symbols - sth. that represents sth. else
2. Heroes - realor imaginary persons who possess characteristics highly prized in a society, thus, serve as role models
3. Rituals - collective activities considered socially essential within a culture
4. Values - are the core of a society

• is a process by which each individual selects, organizes and evaluates stimuli from the external environment tp provide meaningful experiences

• means mentally placing people in categories (often over-simplified categories)
• canbe functional and dysfunctional
• functional stereotypes are tipically more positive, or accurate - aka sociotypes
• dysfunctional stereotypes are typically more negative and inaccurate

• classification
• labeling
• stereotype
• prejudice
• discrimination

• signs, symbols, body landuage, imagery, music, etc. serve as nonverbal communications codes
• language is the verbal communication code

• Focuses on the cross over from interpersonal to electronic communication
• Concepts of culture and communication
• Culture relates to communication styles
• IPC and electronic media styles
• Advertising styles

• sender/encoder -> medium/channel -> receiver/decoder
• Through noise, and with feedback (based on Shannon and Weaver’s mathematic model, 1949)
• All communication is persuasive, especially in advertising

• There’s no human nature independent of culture (Geertz).
• Communication styles vary based on culture.
• Most relevant cultural concepts (in ad.) are high vs. low context, and individualism vs. collectivism:

• Low-context, individualistic cultures value the spoken/written word; appreciate fluency and fast speed in speech;
• high-context, collectivistic cultures value visual images, metaphors; and slow speed in speech.

• Communication includes verbal and nonverbal forms.
• Interpersonal communication verbal styles (based on Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey’s work) –

1. Verbal personal style vs. verbal contextual style

- Verbal personal – individual-centered language; using the “I” style;

- Verbal contextual – role(situation)-centered language; paying attention to the communicator’s role in relation with others.

- E.g., I’m a teacher, vs. I work for SDSU.

2. Elaborate – verbal, expressive

:: Instrumental vs. affective style – focus on message/content/task vs. focus on relationship/emotion/being nice

• Electronic media – mediated communication; how people use the Internet, cell phone, facebook, Twitter, answering machines, through art forms, etc.

• Advertising styles vary across cultures just as communication styles vary.
• Four elements of advertising styles:

Overall effectiveness of an advertisement is by: -            persuasion or/and likeability - Persuasion -  is measured by attitude toward the ad, attitude toward the brand, purchase intention, memory, and market performance.   - Likeability – is indicated by whether it is meaningful, does not rub the wrong way, warm, and pleases the mind.  

* Think effectiveness and appropriateness as in communication competence.

1. The hierarchy effects – ads take you from one mind state to another and have you see something different, hence, change in behavior, e.g., “Imagine yourself in . . .”
2.  High vs. low involvement – active or passive patterns in consumer thought habits (next slide).
3.  Visuals in advertising – preferences in certain styles, including music, color, shot angles, etc., can lead to different feelings.
4.  General appreciation of advertising – ideological issues, like or dislike of ads in general can affect people’s acceptance.

Case of U.S. – highly active 1. how your product is unique.   2. why it’s the best, provide info/evidence/benefits.   3. consumers would have reasons/justifications to want to buy.   4. if satisfied, consumers will like/trust the company, which can lead to future purchases.   Case of Japan – passively receiving   1. befriends with audience first.   2. prove to them that you understand their feelings.   3. show that you’re nice to them.   4. consumers will want to buy because they trust/like/feel with you.   5. often they’ll find out the benefits after they made the purchase.

• Television/film – electronic, visual media; mass comm nature; time viewing; types of programs viewed; etc.

• Radio – mass/public; time of listening; functions of uses

• Press (print) – number of people reading; preference for it; declining trend, as being replaced by electronic media

• Internet – changed human communication in many ways; many functions; still developing. . .

• Mobile phone – popular uses; advantages; etc.

*General principle: Communication is to minimize pain and maximize pleasure.

}In text –

• Information exchange (e.g., news, webpages)
• Entertainment (e.g., entertainment programs, games, readings, etc.)
• Social network (e.g., email, dating sites, facebook, chat groups. . .)

*. . . Plus

• Self expression (e.g., blog, etc.)
• Advertising (e.g., online ads)
• Marketing (e.g., sales, Amazon, etc.)
• Organization (of events, interest groups, etc.)
• Escape (just for fun, surfing the internet. . .)