Science and the Mass Media

1. Science and the Mass Media Preview Section 1: Science as a Social Institution Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution Chapter Wrap-Up

2. Read to Discover What factors have contributed to the institutionalization of science? How do the norms of scientific research differ from the realities of scientific research? Section 1: Science as a Social Institution

3. Science emerged as a recognizable system of study in Greece during the 300s B.C. and was reborn in Europe in the 1300s as a result of the following factors: The Renaissancebegan in Italy in the 1300s The Printing Pressfacilitated the spread of scientific knowledge The Age of Exploration encouraged advances in math and astronomy, and sparked curiosity with biological samples brought back from distant lands The Protestant Reformation lessened resistance to scientific inquiry Section 1: Science as a Social Institution The Institution of Science

4. The Scientific Revolutionemerged in the 1500s, redefining the nature of the universe, the methods of scientific research, and the functions of science The Enlightenment supported reason over religious beliefs, using the scientific method and scientific facts Industrializationled to the emergence of modern science in the late 1800s and early 1900s; the central ideal was progress, and most people saw science as a tool of progress Section 1: Science as a Social Institution The Institution of Science

5. Section 1: Science as a Social Institution Question How do the norms of scientific research differ from the realities?

6. Realities of Scientific Research Norms of Scientific Research Although many scientists try to or would like to follow Merton’s norms, reality often falls short of this ideal  Fraud  Competition  Matthew Effect  ConflictingViews of Reality  Universalism  Organized Skepticism  Communalism  Disinterestedness  Counter-norms Section 1: Science as a Social Institution

7. NORMS: Universalism—Scientific research should be judged solely on the basis of quality Organized Skepticism—No scientific finding or theory is exempt from questioning Communalism—All scientific knowledge should be made available to everyone in the scientific community Disinterestedness—Scientists seek truth, not personal gain Counter-norms—Opposite of the four norms above, adopted by scientists when the issues of their research are not clearly defined Section 1: Science as a Social Institution

8. REALITIES: Fraud—Falsification or misrepresentation of scientific data Competition—Scientific achievement is measured in terms of peer recognition and can lead to financial rewards and job security; competition can result in refusal to share data, a rush to publish causing possible inaccuracy, and even publishing data with intentional inaccuracies The Matthew Effect—Honors and recognition tend to go to those who have already achieved recognition Conflicting Views of Reality—People define reality in a certain way and act accordingly; the scientific community’s perception of reality at any point in time determines appropriate topics for research, methods which should be used, and even acceptable interpretations of data Section 1: Science as a Social Institution

9. Read to Discover What are the major developments in the history of mass media, and what are the types of mass media in the United States? How do the sociological perspectives of mass media differ? What are some contemporary mass-media issues? Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution

10. Writing and Paper—a written language was needed to record business and other transactions; paper was developed some time between 3100 and 2500 B.C. Printing Press—during the 1450s Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution History of Mass Media

11. The Industrial Age—with rising standards of education and increasing requirements for factory work and life in the city, more people learned to read and write The Computer and the Information Society—the digital computer completely transformed the way people store and access information Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution History of Mass Media

12. Print Media—include newspapers, magazines, and books Audio Media—sound recordings and radio Visual Media—movies, television, DVDs, and videocassettes Online Media—Internet Convergence—integration of different media Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution Types of Mass Media

13. The Functionalist Perspective—focuses on the ways in which mass media help to preserve social stability The Conflict Perspective—focuses on how mass media serve to maintain the existing social order Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution Sociological Perspectives of Mass Media

14. Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution Question What are some contemporary mass media issues?

15. Contemporary Mass-Media Issues Section 2: Mass Media as a Social Institution  Children watching too much television  Violence on television  Ratings systems and parental controls  Advertising targeting children  Disengagement from direct social contact  Decline in social capital  Internet causing decline in face-to-face relationships  The power of the media; agenda-setting

16. Chapter Wrap-Up Understanding Main Ideas • What four factors contributed to the rebirth of science in Europe? • How did world exploration influence societal behavior and the growth of scientific learning? • What forces combined to encourage the development of the urban newspaper? • How do age, education, and income affect media consumption? How have new technologies affected this trend? • What functions do the media serve? • According to conflict sociologists, how does the knowledge gap help maintain social inequality? • According to Robert Putnam, how has television led to a decline in the country’s social capital?