Qualitative and quantitative research methods are two different outlets to conduct research and collect data. Qualitative research is developed upon “ideas and evidence drawn from personal observations, interviews, or texts augmented by the researchers’ own ideas or logic” and quantitative research includes “hypotheses yielding numerically stated values of observed data” (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2017). Both outlets provide researchers with an amazing opportunity to prove their theories and potentially provide new ways to understand mass communications.
An example of qualitative research that has contributed to the mass communication world is a study on the development of health messages for under-deserved populations…
Have you ever heard of Marshall McLuhan or his theory on technological determinism? Technological determinism is a reductionist theory that aims to provide a causative link between technology and a society’s nature. It tries to explain as to whom or what could have a controlling power in human affairs. The theory questions the degree to which human thought or action is influenced by technological factors. Marshall McLuhan is the philosopher and media theorists who coined the thought behind the theory that “the medium is the message.” …
The elaboration likelihood model theory states that depending on how the active audience member processes messages or information, it can often lead to attitudes or behaviors being changed. Generally, this is done in two specific ways: The central route, which means the information is actively processed and the individual evaluated in a rational manner. …
In mass communication theory, the two-step flow model believes that the diffusion of information goes through opinion leaders to reach an audience (Mr. Sinn, 2020). According to Britannica, opinion leaders pick up information from the media, and this information then gets passed on to less-active members of the public. This implies that most people receive information from opinion leaders through interpersonal communication rather than directly from mass media (Postelnicu, 2016). …
Have you ever heard of the Hypodermic Needle Theory? Or maybe the “Magic Bullet” theory? Well, if you’ve never heard of it, you’ve probably seen it in action. The Hypodermic Needle Theory is a linear model of communication and talks about media’s power on audience. The message, in this theory, is said to be like a magic bullet which enters the minds of audience and injects a particular message. The theory explains how media controls what the audience views and listens to and the effects, which can be immediate or later in future. …
On May 28, 2021, Disney’s Cruella is being released to the public where viewers can buy tickets in theatres or subscribe and stream from the Disney+ platform. The comedy/crime film is a spin-off of Disney’s 101 Dalmatians that exploits the villain of the film, Cruella de Vil. The overall social strategy for the film includes promotional efforts and engaging content that will be distributed throughout three phases over a span of about 90 days: a Pre-Event, Main Event, and Post-Event. The strategy is for viewers to be enticed through an aesthetically pleasing social presence which will encourage them to watch…
The social media and public relations departments of any industry have the power to maximize engagement between brands and their target audiences, but the same departments have a responsibility to be socially aware and follow a code of ethics for every piece of content they post to social media platforms. These code of ethics should serve as guidelines of what to do, and what to avoid. These guidelines should also serve as an outline of how to respond to a crisis or problem situation that derived from a brand’s social media presence or post.
Throughout my undergraduate career, I was…
TikTok. We all know what this social media platform is but we (or, at least I) didn’t start hearing about it until peak of quarantine in the beginning of 2020. It’s a relatively new social media platform but has become increasingly popular in the past year. To be more specific, it was the number one downloaded app in all of 2020. The latest TikTok statistics show that as of April 2020, the popular video app has been downloaded more than two billion times worldwide on both the Apple App Store and Google Play (Sensor Tower, 2020). TikTok is clearly a…
The Social Dilemma blends documentary investigation and narrative drama to disrupt the disrupters, unveiling the hidden machinations behind everyone’s favorite social media and search platforms. In my eyes, it has become one of the most relevant, yet terrifying movies on Netflix. It’s terror stems from the fact that it’s created out of truth, and shows the demons of social networking. Like the movie said, social media has done so much good for bringing people together and for finding solutions to so many predicaments, but the negatives of the “tool” are outweighing the positives…by a lot.
Have you ever heard of the drink, Poppi? It’s my new favorite brand and I’ve been telling everyone about it. To know what Poppi is, you need to read its story:
alexandragagliano
Graduate student at the University of Florida
