ZURb1104 Mass communication theory

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2019
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Lukas Blinka, PhD. (lecturer)
Mgr. Johana Kotišová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Mgr. Anna Ševčíková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Anna Luštická (assistant)
Mgr. Helga Martinková (assistant)
Mgr. et Mgr. Martin Vérteši (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. et Mgr. Marína Urbániková, Ph.D.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Supplier department: Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 16:00–17:40 P51 Posluchárna V. Čermáka
Prerequisites (in Czech)
! ZUR110 Mass communication theory &&!NOW( ZUR110 Mass communication theory )&&( ZURb1102 Media and communication studies || ZUR104 Communication studies - intro )
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The main goal is to introduce basic concepts, methods and theories that help to understand the effects media use can have on feelings, behaviours, and attitudes. The course provides an introduction into media effects research and theories. Particularly, the perspective of media studies, social psychology, and sociology will be used. The course is divided into three thematic blocks. The first one introduces media effects as a specific branch of media studies that has its own development, terminology, and methodological specifics. The second block focuses on theories that describe and explain when, why, how and what effects may happen under the influence of media use. The third block applies methodological and theoretical knowledge on traditional media studies topics like media violence, media and sex, stereotypes formation, political communication.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
- be familiar with media effect theories and their development;
- understand the research methods, both their usefulness and limits, that are used to study media effects;
- to apply such knowledge;
- critically approach media effect topics, especially in the form of various moral panics;
Syllabus
  • The course is divided into three thematic segments: (a) introduction to terminology, methods and historical development (b) theories (c) application of methods and theories on traditional topics of media effects studies 1. Information about course organization; 2. Basic information about media effects studies and terminology; 3. Media effects methods and the historical development of the field; 4. Why and for what purpose do we use media?; 5. Media and persuasion; 6. Media and agenda setting; 7. New theories of media effects; 8. Excessive media use; 9. Media violence and aggression due to media violence; 10. Sex and media; 11. Media and stereotypes; 12. Effects of political communication;
Literature
    required literature
  • SPARKS, Glenn Grayson. Media effects research : a basic overivew. Fifth edition. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2016, xx, 348. ISBN 9781305077478. info
  • The Oxford handbook of media psychology. Edited by Karen E. Dill. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013, xviii, 558. ISBN 9780199394821. info
  • GILES, David. Psychologie médií. Translated by Helena Šolcová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Grada, 2012, 185 s. ISBN 9788024739212. info
  • Media effects : advances in theory and research. Edited by Jennings Bryant - Mary Beth Oliver. 3rd ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009, xv, 640. ISBN 9780805864502. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, readings
Assessment methods
Written final test (75%) and written in-semester test (25%).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2020, Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2019/ZURb1104