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audience theory notes

 ‘Hypodermic Needle’ Theory.

 Harold Lasswell, who developed the theoretical tool of ‘content analysis’ and in 1927 wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ Laswell believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1.

To illustrate his hypothesis, in 1948 he developed a linear model of communication one that breaks down the line of communication from point A to point B, in which the SENDER is transferring a MESSAGE, through a MEDIUM (eg Print, radio, TV, etc) that has a direct effect on the RECEIVER. 

Or to be correct: WHO, SAYS WHAT, THROUGH WHAT CHANNEL, TO WHOM, TO WHAT EFFECT.

This approach was later adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISE, ERROR, ENCODING and FEEDBACK.

In other words, there is the suggestion that the process of sending and receiving a message is NOT clear-cut, predictable or reliable and is dependent on a range of other factors that need to be taken into consideration. 

score

Textual analysis– in the ad, the African/safari scene is used as the background yet there are no African people present and they all appear top be be white. although there are more woman, 5 tobe exact, the single male is still the main part of the add and is being supported and almost worshiped by the woman in the ad. There is also the strapline of “get what you’ve always wanted.”

semiotics –there are indexical and symbolic singe present such as the red flag that almost looks like a golf flag above where you score, and the fact the that woman are worshiping the male in the ad. there is also a indexical sign which is a sexual desire based in the clothing of the woman and the seductive looks.

Representation– the woman are represented as below the male and are doing what they think will please the male and doing everything they can to get his attention. the male on the other hand is represented as being above the woman in the hierarchy of the add which was very common for ads from the 1960’s.the advert creates a desire to be surrounded by women and to be worshipped by them.

Audience- the audience of this ad is most likely going to be middle age men who wish to look good and get the attention that the male in the add has.

Narrative- the sexual demeaner of the woman such as their outfits and their seductive looks on their faces shows how sex sells and targets the male audience and essentially communicates to the male that they to can be worshiped by the females if they use the product that is advertised in this instant, “score liquid hair groom”.

 historical, social and cultural contexts– The Score hair cream advert is an historical artefact from 1967, as such it can be examined productively by considering its historical, social and cultural contexts, particularly as it relates to gender roles, sexuality and the historical context of advertising techniques. 1967 can be seen as a period of slow transformation in western cultures with legislation about and changing attitudes to the role of women – and men – in society, something that the advert can be seen to negotiate.

key terms definitions

  1. Male gaze- the perspective of a notionally typical heterosexual man considered as embodied in the audience or intended audience for films and other visual media, characterized by a tendency to objectify or sexualize women.
  2. Voyeurism-the practice of gaining sexual pleasure from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity.
  3. Patriarchy- male dominated society
  4. Positive and negative stereotypes-a positive stereotype refers to a subjectively favourable belief held about a social group.postulated that because negative stereotypes represent negative expectations about the out-group
  5. Counter-types– is a positive stereotype and emphasizes the positive features about a person
  6. Misrepresentation-the action or offence of giving a false or misleading account of the nature of something.
  7. Selective representation-when some groups of people are represented more in government than others.
  8. Dominant ideology-the ideas, attitudes, values, beliefs, and culture of the ruling class in a society; usually also the function of these in validating the status quo.
  9. Constructed reality– That we construct and create our own reality and what we do affects the reality we’ve constructed
  10. Hegemony-leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others
  11. Audience positioning– Audience positioning refers to the techniques used by the creator of a text to try to get the audience to understand the ideology of the text
  1. Fluidity of identity-having the ability to change how you see yourself, the world, and your actions
  2. Constructed identity-process in which humans develop a clear and unique view of themselves and of their identity
  3. Negotiated identity– identity negotiation refers to the processes through which people reach agreements regarding “who is who” in their relationships
  4. Collective identity-the shared definition of a group that derives from its members’ common interests, experiences, and solidarities then place them within certain social categories such as ethnicity, nationality, or gender

8 quotes

“It sets a dangerous precedent when game developers don’t do their research.”

“a link between violent video games and real-world violence.” 

“”young, white, straight male”

” they can be accepted anywhere- in both the gaming world- and that gaming.”

“displayed for the gaze and enjoyment of men”

“sexual satisfaction can come from watching in an active controlling sense”

“only solutions to kill the damsel to protect her”

” make them exude sexuality for the entertainment of the presumed straight male player.” 

Essay prep

I produced a game based off the maze runner series and I created a female character as the dominant signifier as it is not stereotypical for a female character to be in such a game and be seen in a strong and independent matter.

Further to this I have exaggerated the feminine attributes of my character with her slightly shorter and thinner build. I also included clothing which completely covers her as a way of skipping the stereotypical idea that women in video games have to wear revealing clothes. In the words of Laura Mulvey, “displayed for the gaze and enjoyment of men” this is how in the video games industry many female characters are made to look at. however my character does not fit the male gaze as she is completely covered.

however in society it is woman for women to be used as a reason for the main character to progress in the game, but the female is the main character inh my game. So in this sense my product is a radical representation of females in video games.

however I believe that this is a positive representation of femininity as the dominant signifier outlines a more realistic idea of females and is not oversexualising them in any way. as such this is showing a more positive outline of femininity and gender representation. the character also gives a more realistic role model to look up to as it is a more ‘normal’ image of a female character who hasn’t been oversexualised or victimised.

representation

The Male Gaze

the male gaze is the perspective of a heterosexual man and how it is used to create the feeling of empowerment in men and the objectification and sexualisation of women in video games, films and other media.

Laura Mulvey

is a creator who works on explaining and exposing why the male gaze is so overused in games and how it is used. for example she talks about how the camera angles are used differently for male and female characters. for example male characters have a more over the shoulder camera angle in 3rd person games where as woman’s camera angles focus of getting the woman’s entire body in the shot. she also talks about how little clothing the female characters wear and how the heals they where bare inappropriate for fighting and are only used for the sexualisation of the character.

John Berger

“Men act and women appear. Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves. The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed is female. Thus she turns herself into an object of vision: a sight.”

this shows how he too agrees that women are over sexualised and how the male gaze effectively objectifies the woman and how they are treated by men as something to look at and sexualise. aso woman start to feel as though they are just an object as the male gaze is such a prominent thing in current media such as video games.

Pithy quotes.

“It sets a dangerous precedent when game developers don’t do their research.”

“a link between violent video games and real-world violence.” 

“”young, white, straight male”

” they can be accepted anywhere- in both the gaming world- and that gaming.”

“displayed for the gaze and enjoyment of men”