LISA JOHNSON & SEAN PRENTISS MORALITY & MEDIA! LISA JOHNSON & SEAN PRENTISS

Moral Development Jean Piaget “All development emerges from action.” Constructed through experience. “Rules” or right and wrong determined on game play. Dependent on punishment as whether to distinguish right from wrong. Eventually move to area of development less concerned with egocentrism. “Autonomous” stage is where shared interpersonal relationships help to distinguish right from wrong based not only on personal experience but also mutual respect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_FcNR-uHw

Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg Level 1 (Pre-conventional) -Obedience and punishment orientation -Self-interest (what’s in it for me?) Level 2 (Conventional) -Interpersonal conformity (social norms, good boy/girl attitude) -Authority and social order Level 3 (Post-conventional) -Social contract -Judgment on each individual situation Dismisses absolute moral principles because of biases that differ from culture to culture. Viewed as a growing process instead of focusing to determine ultimate rights and wrongs of society.

The Archetypes Television is the dominant medium in the last 60 years and the easiest way of entertainment Variety of programming targeted toward specific demographics Children’s programming boomed post World War II after the success of children’s radio programs Success of children’s programming is based on scheduling around a child’s everyday life Researcher Joan Cooney was given a $6 million grant by the Carnegie Institute to research how media could be used as a tool for learning for young children

Education with Entertainment

Media Exposure & Controversial Topics Study performed by American Family Physician found that more than 2.5 hours of TV viewing affected school and social performance. Is this a moral issue for parents as a responsibility on themselves and to society to do their part to make sure their children are not only getting the right education, but to make sure what they are being exposed to has relevance to their lives? http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/marketresearch/flash/html/chart756.shtml

Sexuality/Media/Children Sexually explicit material on television has gone up since 400% since 1976 during primetime viewing hours LA Times reported that 62% of adolescents believe sex on TV influences their peers (third person mentality) Even though children’s content may be free of sex, children are NOT only watching children’s programming!

“It’s Elementary” Teaching aid/documentary that exposes children to alternative lifestyles, specifically homosexual lifestyles Encourages group conversation Is this the job of teachers or parents? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY0hW-cadpU

Violence http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oceyNYLoUCc Does violent television affect morals? “Justified” vs. “unjustified” violence A study by Barbara J. Wilson found thatheavy viewers deemed “justified” violence appropriate Realistic violence vs. fantasy violence

Socialization Through TV Values are achieved through socialization in which an individual develops his or her beliefs according to contributing factors such as parents, teachers, siblings, and the media. Television has become more involved in individual’s everyday lives, so much so that viewers feel empathetic toward their favorite characters Para-social interaction: character connections become so complex that viewers react to what they see as if the characters were real and apart of their lives, also encourages a viewer to adopt similar personalities or viewpoints based on a character they may admire. A study by Barbara J. Wilson found that both male and females agreed that they would handle hypothetical situations in the same way their favorite television character would

Critique of Socialization Programs are perceived differently by different people Researchers target specific programs and do not take into account personal experiences from study participants that may have influenced morals Does TV have greater influence on those who lack attention in other ways?

Moral Obligation Whose responsibility is it? The media or parents? Media as businesses: not necessarily trying to create moral, wholesome programming