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Political Socialization & The Role of the Media

Political Socialization & The Role of the Media. The media reinforces values instilled by other socialization agents. The media opposes those value systems. Current Youth Participation. Voter turnout for Americans ages 18-24 averages 17 percent less than that of other Americans.

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Political Socialization & The Role of the Media

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  1. Political Socialization &The Role of the Media • The media reinforces values instilled by other socialization agents. • The media opposes those value systems.

  2. Current Youth Participation • Voter turnout for Americans ages 18-24 averages 17 percent less than that of other Americans. • The future of the democratic process is at stake.

  3. McLeod’s Theory • OLD ASSUMPTION: Political Ideas (from parents, school, media) to passive recipients (youth). • NEW ASSUMPTION: Children are active agents of their own political development.

  4. Political Socialization Agents* Civic Curriculum in School* Parental Influence*Mass Media*Youth

  5. MYTH #1 “Children acquire civic orientations through modeling and direct attitude inculcation.” Faults: Assumes children will always adopt their parents’ political opinions and fails to account for significant media influence.

  6. MYTH #2 “Political influence flows downward only – from societal institutions to children.” Faults: Also assumes children will always adopt their parents’ political opinions and puts sole responsibility for political socialization on family.

  7. MYTH #3 “Adults may be agents in political socialization but themselves are unlikely to change.” Faults: Assumes that exchanges between children and other agents are one-sided and do not result in changes in family dynamic.

  8. MYTH #4 “Socialization to politics should be conceptualized and measured as individual behavior.” Fault: Fails to recognize political socialization as a series of socialization events precipitated by a number of agents.

  9. The Media Chain • Youth exposure to mass media leads to political discussions. • Political discussions lead to increased media consumption by parents. • Increased media consumption leads to political knowledge.

  10. SOCIO-ORIENTED Goal: Harmonious Family Tendencies: Children refrain from challenging adults and do not develop own political opinions. CONCEPT-ORIENTED Goal: Family Participation Tendencies: Children are encouraged to challenge ideas and develop own political opinions. Meadowcroft’s Family Communication Patterns

  11. The Educator’s Role • Civic curriculum leads to interest in political process. • Interest leads to increased news consumption. • Political knowledge leads to participation in democracy.

  12. News Consumption by Politically-Aware Parents & Children • Newspapers • Television • Internet (The Future)

  13. Youth Bring Politics Home Parents get a “second chance at citizenship.” McDevitt & Chaffee

  14. Kaiser Family Foundation Children’s Media Use Study • One in four children 8 & older spends five hours a day viewing TV. • These children spend an average 40 hours per week viewing TV. • Sixty-five percent have a TV in their rooms.

  15. The Prairie Village Project“American Government for Children” • “American Citizenship” • “The History of American Gov’t” • “Federal, State & Local Gov’t” • “The History of the Presidency” • “The Three Branches of Gov’t” • “What is Government?” • What does citizenship mean? • What rights do citizens have? • What responsibilities do citizens have?

  16. The Future of Political Information • “Children’s Express” – Britian • “SchoolNet Global” – International News • “Kids Post” – The Washington Post Many other websites provide news aimed at children and youth.

  17. The Research Gap • Interest in children’s programming • Policy & production issues VS. • Research on media effects • Media effects & developmental processes

  18. Potential Benefits • Effective Media • Informed Youth • Informed Adults • Increased Participation • A Stronger Democracy

  19. Thank You for Your Attention Political socialization is not the most exciting segment of media study… but all of our futures – and that of our political system – may well depend on it.

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