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HOW DOES THE MASS MEDIA INFLUENCE PERCEPTIONS OF GENDER?
Explain the significance of a suitable question, which you have formulated, for social scientific analysis.
Questions concerning gender have plagued society throughout history.   Through generations, people are taught their gender roles and what society expects of them socially as related to their gender. Today, access to media such as to text messaging, email and print media has provided other sources for gender roles to be played out. Because young people use these forms of media quite frequently, these forms of media play a large role in influencing what they believe their gender roles are in society.   In asking the question “How does the mass media influence perception of gender?” I will seek to quantify the actual effect that mass media has on characterizing one’s perception of gender roles.
Analyze three research problems (i.e., subordinate question) that will help answer the social scientific question that you have formulated.
How are male and female genders portrayed in the media?
Does the media represent gender bias?
What does the media teach to people regarding their gender roles in society?
Explain the social scientific analysis required for each of the three research problems.
How are male and female genders portrayed in the media?
I will conduct a qualitative design study for this question including an analysis of media text messages and emails to evaluate the actual gender messages they are conveying throughout their messages. I will also conduct secondary research on past methods of advertising (i.e. magazine & newspaper ads) to see what gender messages were shown. Also other current advertisements and messages portrayed on t.v. and through other forms of media will be reviewed and analyzed for gender role perceptions. (Firebaugh, 2008)
Does the media represent gender bias?
Similar to the analysis of the above-mentioned question, this question will also utilize secondary...