PSY427H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Joseph Pulitzer, Sensationalism, Inculturation
Document Summary
Psy427 chapter 8: journalism - from information to participation. In addition to mobilizing the public, news is integral to three of the four main functions of mass communication: surveillance, correlation, and cultural transmission. Surveillance: primarily the journalism function of mass communication, which provides information about processes, issues, events, and other developments in society. Correlation: media interpretation ascribing meaning to issues and events that helps individuals understand their roles within the larger society and culture. Cultural transmission: process of passing on culturally relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values from person to person or group to group. Issues that arise when examining the nature of news. First is the frequent complaint that news dwells too much on the negative. Negative pieces may send a distorted image that things are worse than they actually are. A focus on events rather than trends amplifies this problem.
