Critical/Cultural Studies of Communication/Media

Critical and cultural studies offer invaluable insight as to how communication affects media and vice-versa. While there are currently hundreds of studies taking place that attempt to establish basic premises about new media, nationwide advertising campaigns and interpersonal communicative development, critical analysis is needed to develop raw data into usable information. In the blogs in this category, we will discuss new studies from leading media and communication experts and offer our own take on the latest research and critical theory. We will explore the findings of some of the top researchers in media/communication fields and try to develop a better understanding of the ways that we interact and how our Internet, television and print media can affect our interactions.

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Will the distracting nature of media multitasking change advertising?

May 5, 2011 coms 0

In today’s world of television, cell phones, computers, and other media, multitaskers typically praise their skill as an effective way to navigate this hundred mile an hour culture. Turns out, their confidence may be mistaken. According to a new study on media multitasking by Boston College researchers, multitasking is only driving people to distraction. So, what does that mean for advertisers? Which medium is best?

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Women are silenced and sexualized in film

April 29, 2011 coms 0

A new study by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California (USC) found that when it comes to movies, women are seen rather than heard.

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Attractive women are less likely to be hired if employer is female

April 28, 2011 coms 0

A new study found that attractive women are less likely to be hired if their new employer is female. The research found that when applications contained a picture of an attractive female these women received only 25% of the responses that an application containing a plain picture or no picture acquired.

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TV Writers’ Strike Led to Distress and More Media Use

April 19, 2011 coms 0

We tend to think television viewers would spend more time exercising or hanging out with friends if their TV was just turned off — but according to a new study by assistant professor of communication Emily Moyer-Gusé and former grad student Julie Lather of Ohio State University, that may not be the case.

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Most Commonly Used Words In Children’s Toy Ads Reinforce Gender Stereotypes [Infographic]

April 16, 2011 coms 0

New research by Crystal at The Achilles Effect looked at vocabulary used in television commercials for children’s toys. She found that the most commonly used words reinforced gender stereotypes. After analyzing 658 words from 27 commercials for boy’s toys and 432 words from 32 commercials for girl’s toys, Crystal was able to create a word cloud showing the most commonly used words in these TV adverts.

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How materialistic advertising messages negatively shape the female body image

April 13, 2011 coms 0

Psychological research has consistently shown that women feel unhappy with their body after looking at images of thin, idealized models, which are typically represented in the media. However, today’s consumer culture and media promote not only the ideal of perfect beauty, but also that of the material affluent lifestyle, both of which are commonly depicted together, and highlight the benefits of beauty and of owning material goods to one’s personal success and fame.

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Films Promote Superwoman Expectation for Women

April 11, 2011 coms 0

Exposure to attractive, aggressive, female leads in films affects how men and women think about who women ought to be in the real world. Women in particular have high standards for other women, and expect them to be both stereotypically feminine and masculine i.e. beautiful and aggressive rather than beautiful and passive.