Media Influence on Social Norms

Every individual on this planet has been subject to existing social norms of his or her community. Social norms are ideas or actions that are appropriate in the view of society; they establish a certain order. But where do these “social norms” originate and how do they sink into society so quickly? The general media that societies have, specifically in the United States of America, is a key player in the creation and distribution of social norms. This concept of media can be used in many ways; for example, television, newspapers, songs and radio, books, movies, magazines, and advertisements. These outlets are used strategically and are used to reflect the interests of the public at the time (Slater 2007).

Aggression and sexual conflict seem to be the primary themes of many songs, television programs, and advertisements. Many songs on the radio in fact describe sexual desire, aggression, and the degradation of an entire group, mostly women, in their lyrics. For instance, the song “Good For You” by Selena Gomez states, “Let me show you how proud I am to be yours, leave this dress a mess on the floor” (Gomez 2015). Many other artists today such as Nikki Minaj, Adam Levine, and David Guetta have also produced songs that describe sexual interest and desire in ways that contradict the idea that sex is an intimate activity. People from every age listen to these songs and are witness to these television programs and advertisements, which also support the idea that aggression and sexual intimacy are public and normal.

According to Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Experiment in 1961, people, specifically children, learn from watching others. (Bandura, Ross, & Ross). Being exposed to aggressive and violence, along with sexual agendas on television and all over the radio, viewers become desensitized to what these acts really come down to. When people are desensitized to acts of aggression and sexual assault, a feeling of normalcy comes into play; these eventually are not emergencies anymore and no longer require extreme emotional responses or actions. Media influence has the power to control the public as well as teach it so much; learning more about how this process is carried out could help solve many social issues the world has today. Themes of respect and equality are almost obsolete in today’s media scope and turning this around could lead to positive actions towards others, healthier states of mind, and countless more.

If individuals and families were to learn how many kind of media they are exposed to, and how much of it, they might be more inclined to choose what kind of media he or she wants to witness, more consciously. Paying more attention to these kinds of subliminal messaging can educate individuals on what they are actually shown and what his or her family is being exposed to. Learning and understanding how the media works and what is trending now can put more power in the people’s hands, even enough to control what kinds of messages that the media will show. Emphasizing topics like equality, empathy, loyalty, etc. in the media would mirror what society emphasizes, and vice versa; therefore, the population has more power in the media than it is lead on to believe.

References

Bandura, A., Ross, D. & Ross, S.A. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology

Gomez, S. (2015). Good For You [Audio File]. Good For You

Slater, M.D. (2007) Reinforcing Spirals: The Mutual Influence of Media Selectivity and Media Effects on Their Impact on Individual Behavior and Social Identity. Communication Theory. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2007.00296.x/full 

PSYowa is privileged to have Samantha Ege as a guest contributor. Read a little more about her below. We are sure this is just a start to the great things that she will do in the field of Psychology! 

Hi! I’m Samantha Ege, and I am currently a sophomore at Iowa State University. I am originally from Carol Stream Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and attended my local high school, where I was first introduced to Psychology. Majoring in Psychology and
being a research assistant this semester has opened me up to research and how I can conduct research in my everyday life. Although I am not sure what field of Psychology I was to pursue, I am positive that Psychology is the way to go.