How does the media help produce or support stereotypes?

this is my topic for a social studies fair.


and any ideas would really help.


thank you.

How does the media help produce or support stereotypes?
they create them
Reply:The mass media creates stereotypes by conveying normative "ideals" of a culture, race, gender, etc.. The media constructs a standard ideal which determines whether individuals "belong" to the ingroup or outgroup, and to what degree they "fit" into these categorized groups. The images portrayed by the media assist in "identity" construction; (what is expected of individuals belonging to a group) which is often transmitted to behavioral patterns, and mediates our sense of self.
Reply:the media only shows you what they deem important. therefore they create the interest, and the stereotype. all you ever see is bad stuff, right?
Reply:god i love you this is an awesome topic.





ok sitcoms create stereotypes for every kind of person. like mexicans are hardworking but used to getting screwed over.





even for sexual orintations for example most people are uncomfortable around gay guys because the the way they are shown in sitcoms is flirting with every guy they see. so the common viewer with no experience of knowing someone who is homosexual is likily to be uncomfortable around one because they think just because hes gay hes attracted to every guy he meets. television also reinforces the spoiled california behavior most teenagers and skin cancered girls follow.





ok and another thing many people overlook. the NEWS.





on the news your more likily to see crimes about black guys who attacked/murdered white guys. is this because racial crime is common? NO. in fact most white murders are done by white guys! the news just knows it can get more viewers if it has people of two colors. and suggests racial reasons for the attack. even if they dont exsist.





all the different news channels have a set way of thinking. this way you get constant viewers to stay with your station because your comforted in your one-way thinking being enforced.





ok and finally. gay people in the news. they only show gay pride parades with pictures of the "gayest" people they can find. this promotes the belief that all gay people want to have rainbows exploding from their pants. which is completely untrue





and lesbians. according to the media theres only two types. butchy hairy nasty lesbians who dont shave. and women who act just like "straight" women being all delicate and danty but are really really hot.





stereotypes screw people over. im sure theres boys growing up who dont want to play with trucks or punch their brothers in the face and because the media says if your a boy you either play with trucks or your gay. turn out being confused because they think they like girls...but they dont like trucks. so they messed up and feel like they are a bad person and their feelings are wrong.





i am immune to your white person ways because of my native american blood. =)
Reply:The media helps to create, by setting a standard %26amp; fuelling the general public's desire to be a part/be like an 'in' crowd or 'elite group' to which we are all supposed to aspire to. By making the 'in' crowds lives/possessions etc. appear more exciting than the ordinary joe blows down the road. Using celebrities to advertise products is one way the media does this.


But alas, most of what is purported in this fashion through the media is illusion.
Reply:Remember that when you say "media" you actually mean mass media. Any medium directed at a mass audience needs to know that it will be understood. So the first rule is: keep it simple. The mass media recognize that their audience will only give so much of its attention to any one message so that message cannot be too long. So the message is built on a base of information widely accepted and added to with small bits of easily digestible information. So the second rule is: repeat what has worked in the past.


Now if you have ever been stereotyped in one way or another, you may remember feeling angry or indignant and you wanted to do something about it. The media wants you to come back for more and then for more again. So the third rule is: use the words that create a little agitation or flair for the piece so that people will talk about it, maybe write letters to the editor, that kind of thing. In the United States we like to think of ourselves as individuals, but we also know that we are part of certain groups, of our choosing of course. The mass media is not above raising or lowering the esteem with which they regard and report on certain groups, as time goes by. The world is full of people who look around and categorize others as being "us" or "them" and that is a fertile source of stereotypes that media can use.


Does this help?
Reply:Great response, sirguy. I'd rate if if I was a higher level. The media produces and supports stereotypes and I appreciate how sirguy helped break it down.





Some examples I'll throw out there are television shows as touched on. I think Family Guy is somewhat funny, but I don't really watch it too much these days just because of the topic this question touches on--the stereotypes they have in the show are so overt that they practically come out of the screen and slap any offended parties in the face.





As far as how they produce stereotypes is concerned. I think I'd need to do more research on that and I'm not sure how deep you are digging for this fair. I think simply what sirguy was touching on--reporting information repeatedly that is generally accepted in effect initially produces stereotypes and then supports and reinforces them.