Media Effects and Society

Media Effects and Society provides an in-depth look at media effects and offers a theoretical foundation for understanding mass media's impact on individuals and society. Working from the assumption that media effects are common and are often underestimated, the text focuses on dominant areas of media effects, providing a synthesis of those key areas of research.

With an emphasis on the theoretical explanations for media effects, the text provides readers with explanations of how media effects occur, so they can understand how to mitigate harmful effects and enhance positive ones. The range of media effects addressed herein includes news diffusion, learning from the mass media, socialization of children and adolescents, influences on public opinion and voting, and violent and sexually explicit media content. It also presents a variety of theoretical approaches to understanding media effects, including psychological and content-based theories. Additionally, it demonstrates how theories can guide future research into the effects of newer mass communication technologies.

New for the second edition are a new chapter on effects of entertainment, text boxes with examples in each chapter, discussion of new technology effects integrated throughout the chapters, expanded pedagogy, a glossary of key terms, and updates to theory and research throughout. Written for those who study and conduct research in media effects, Media Effects and Society presents a thorough and accessible discussion of media effects theory.