Media sociology studies how mass media communication affects people’s opinions and interactions. It examines the structure and design of different media, technology’s impact, and how media shapes cultural values. Theories include dominant class, limited effects, and culturalist theories.
Media sociology is the study of how mass media communication affects people’s opinions of each other and their day-to-day interactions. This particular subfield of sociology is often concerned with how mass media relates to the transmission and accessibility of information among different groups of people. Scholars studying media sociology often outline how digital communication differs from face-to-face interaction. They also sometimes attempt to document how different types of media are designed to influence people’s behavior, particularly in areas such as advertising and entertainment. Media sociology actually differs from the sociology of technology because it encompasses a wider range of media such as newspapers, films and television programs in addition to the internet.
The study of media sociology often includes examining how different types of mass media are structured and designed. Certain factors such as regulation affect the content of different forms of media and sociologists sometimes form case studies as to why such regulations are in place. They can also document the perceived objectivity or neutrality of various media such as print, television, the Internet, and radio. Some of these mediums are considered to be more timeless than others, and some studies attempt to provide explanations for these changing trends.
Technology is a frequent topic in media sociology because it is considered a major factor in many of the changes seen in mass media studies. Innovations in communication technology bring growing amounts of information to a much larger and more diverse audience than in the recent past. A related area of interest is how various types of media shape people’s ideas about acceptable behavior within their given culture. The clashes between traditional values and values advertised by the media are also frequent topics of interest in this area of sociology.
Learning sociology usually involves examining and applying existing theories to different situations. Three specific theories in media sociology are known as the dominant class theory, limited effects theory and culturalist theory. The dominant class theory holds that an elite few own and control the mass media along with their content. Proponents of the limited effects theory argue that audiences are generally selective about media in their daily lives based on their existing beliefs. Culturalist theory focuses on the active roles that the public assumes in media viewing and communication habits in terms of evaluating, accepting or rejecting the messages they see and hear.
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