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AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

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AS media, 3 approaches, representation, Stuart Hall.
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Learning Objective To understand theories associated with the representation by the media
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Page 1: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Learning Objective

• To understand theories associated

with the representation by the media

Page 2: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Last lesson…

• We looked at mediation, and discussed what mediation is, and why it is an important thing to consider when studying media.

Page 3: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theories

• Now we are going to look more in-depth at how Representations are formed, and what theorists are important in the study and understanding of representation in Media. Referring to theorists will get you higher marks in exams and essays.

Page 4: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theorists

• Stuart Hall• Laura Mulvey• Richard Dyer• Tessa Perkins• Jean Baudrillard

Page 5: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theorist

• Stuart Hall• His name will crop up

reasonably frequently in Media Studies (it has already done so).

• A Cultural Theorist and Sociologist

• Prominent figure in media studies theory

Page 6: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theorists

• His theories focused on Representation and the media (1997)

Page 7: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theorists

• Important figure, but not the most exciting.

• Key points:• Hall emphasises the importance of

visual representation – the image seems to be the prevalent sign of late modern culture.

• Representation is that which stands in for something else.

• Representation is the way in which meaning is given to the things which are depicted in the media

Page 8: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Representation Theorists• In 'Representation and the Media', Hall

described 3 main approaches to Representation:

• Reflective• Intentional• Constructionist

Page 9: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Reflective approach

The reflective approach suggests that what we see and hear through the media is a reflection of real life. In other words, the representation is created from what exists in reality. This approach would have us believe that the producers are taking something's true meaning and recreating it in the mind of the audience.

Page 10: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Reflective approach

Can you think of an example of a type of media that we perceive as being reflective?

Page 11: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Reflective approach

News (programmes and papers) are usually perceived as being reflective media - they take what exists in reality and claim to then re-present it to us as accurately as possible.

Page 12: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Reflective approach

Reality TV also claims to reflect real-life, as it tends to show real people in real situations. How 'real' it is a subject of some debate, and this debate essentially boils down to the type of representation used.

Page 13: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Intentional Approach• The intentional approach to representation

suggests that all representations are loaded with the intent of the producers who created it. Unlike the reflective approach the most important details are not what is shown, but who is showing it. They are presenting their own view and the words and images used mean what they want them to mean..

Page 14: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Intentional Approach• Can you think of an example of media which most

clearly demonstrates an intentional approach?• If we take the intentional approach, all media

content represents the intention of the producer. This would mean that the producer would have to have some intent, such as to persuade us something. Propaganda is a good example of this.

Page 15: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionist Approach

• The Constructionist approach is a mixture of reflective and intentional. It is seen as a response to the weaknesses in those other two approaches, as some would argue that they are too simplistic. This approach suggests that the meaning of a representation is constructed in the mind of the audience.

Page 16: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionist Approach

• The Constructionist approach is a mixture of reflective and intentional. It is seen as a response to the weaknesses in those other two approaches, as some would argue that they are too simplistic. This approach suggests that the meaning of a representation is constructed in the mind of the audience.

Page 17: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionists believe:

• Representation is a mixture of:– The actual thing being represented– The values/attitudes and lifestyle (VALs) of the

people/institutions constructing the representation

– The reaction of the individual member of the audience (and their VALs)

– The context of the society in which the representation is taking place

Page 18: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionists believe:

• Constructionists would say that a representation can never be the absolute truth, nor can it only be the media producer's version of the truth. These approaches ignore the one thing that you as audiences all have in common - the ability to make up your own minds, in addition to the external influences on you that the text has no control over (society)

Page 19: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionists believe:

• So, the representation is CONSTRUCTED from a mixture of:

• The thing itself (image, text or sound)The opinions of the people doing the representation

• The reaction of the individual to the representation

• The context of the society in which the representation is taking place

Page 20: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionists believe:

• A reflectionist would say that this is how British people really are - they have been reflected accurately

• An intentionalist would say that the producers are intending to make us believe that this is how British people are, or that the producers are intending to genuinely offend British people by mocking them.

Page 21: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Constructionists believe:

• A constructionist would say that this representation is constructed from the following elements:

• There are British people that maybe the producers have seen or met that are like this. They formed an opinion of them based upon this and they used this as a basis for their exaggerated representation

• As an individual, you can choose whether to believe that this is accurate or not, and choose whether or not you are offended by this.

• You were probably influenced by the fact that you live in Britain and are (probably) British. An American might come to a different conclusion, and a Russian might come to another.

Page 22: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

TASK

• Write down what you think a reflectionist, an intentionalist, and a constructionist would say about the representation of events that occur in the Big Brother House.

Page 23: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Summary

• So, that's Stuart Hall.• The key thing to remember• Reflective - Reflects real life• Intentional - Intends to persuade you• Constructional - Is constructed by a

combination of the producer, the audience and the society

Page 24: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Ideology

• Media texts convey ideological messages:

• Ideology is a system of ideas, values and beliefs promoted by dominant groups to reinforce their power (e.g: governments, state institutions, corporations).

Page 25: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Theorist - Karl Marx

• Developed the concept of ideology in 1900s.• Analysed the way those in power protected

their interests by representing their privileged position as being natural.

• Consider how dominant ideologies are reinforced/challenged by media texts.

Page 26: AS Lesson 10 - 3 approaches

Homework

• Research the following two theorists.• Summarise their theories – what do the

concepts mean? Apply these theories to contemporary media texts

Theorist Year ConceptsKarl Marx 1848 Marxism (1 page)Antonio Gramsci

1971 Cultural hegemony (half a page)

Charles RAcland

1995 Ideology of protection; deviant youth and reproduction of social order (half a page)


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