An overview of media effects research:

1
An overview of media effects research History,
epistemology, ontology, methodology
2
Paris
Dude eating Snickers
3
History

• A positivist tradition.
• A social scientific approach.
• Observe and explain social behaviours.

4
Do male teenagers aged 11-14 who eat one Snickers
bar a day tend to think Paris Hilton is hot?
5
Epistemology
Def. - the relationship between the researcher
(i.e., you) and knowledge

• You are independent of the knowledge.
• You are objective.
• Your values and opinions do not influence the
  outcome of the results.

6
Epistemology
Whether you think Snickers is tasty or not, Paris
is hot or not, your values do not influence the
research outcome.
7
Ontology
Def. What is knowledge?

• Knowledge exists in reality, it is to be found.
• Knowledge can be expressed as facts or laws.

8
Ontology
Def. What is knowledge?
The fact male teenagers aged 11-14 who eat one
Snickers bar a day tend to think Paris Hilton is
hot exists in reality your task is to prove or
disprove it.
9
Methodology
Def. How to find out the knowledge?

• Empirical research (i.e., gather sufficient data
  to support/reject the hypothesis).
• Method 1 experimental
• Method 2 survey

10
Methodology

• Experimental
• For example, ask 50 male teenagers aged 11-14 to
  eat one Snickers bar per day, another 50 to eat
  one Kit Kat per day, another 50 to eat an apple
  per day, and another 50 to eat nothing specific
  for six months, then ask them to rate the hotness
  of Paris Hilton and other female celebrities.

• Empirical research (i.e., gather sufficient data
  to support/reject the hypothesis).
• Method 1 experimental
• Method 2 survey

11
Methodology
2. Survey Poll a representative, randomly
selected population consists of male teenagers
aged 11-14 and ask them about their snack
consumption habit and how they evaluate the
hotness of Paris and other female celebrities.

• Empirical research (i.e., gather sufficient data
  to support/reject the hypothesis).
• Method 1 experimental
• Method 2 survey