Mean World Syndrome

Run time: 02:51 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xjyfvUVFsE   Posted on YouTube: October 04, 2006 By YouTube Member: aleproductions Views on YouTube: 2753   Posted on DU: March 01, 2007 By DU Member: Devon77 Views on DU: 1063

 
Mean World Syndrome is described as the distinguishing characteristic of Media Induced Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (MIPTSD). Media Induced Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is a manifestation of some PTSD Post-traumatic stress disorder type symptoms specifically due to exposure to entertainment media that focuses excessively on violence. Two significant differences between this disorder and PTSD are that exposure to real trauma is not necessary and that symptoms include an overwhelming desire to seek out violent images (PTSD victims avoid trauma exposure). Symptoms similar to PTSD include a numbing of general responsiveness (detachment, decreased interest in significant activities) and ongoing increased arousal (problems sleeping and concentrating, irritability, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response).



They emphasize the effects of television viewing on the attitudes rather than the behaviour of viewers. Heavy watching of television is seen as ‘cultivating’ attitudes which are more consistent with the world of television programmes than with the everyday world. Watching television may tend to induce a general mindset about violence in the world, quite apart from any effects it might have in inducing violent behaviour. Cultivation theorists distinguish between ‘first order’ effects (general beliefs about the everyday world, such as about the prevalence of violence) and ‘second order’ effects (specific attitudes, such as to law and order or to personal safety).

Gerbner argues that the mass media cultivate attitudes and values which are already present in a culture: the media maintain and propagate these values amongst members of a culture, thus binding it together. He has argued that television tends to cultivate middle-of-the- road political perspectives. And Gross considered that 'television is a cultural arm of the established industrial order and as such serves primarily to maintain, stabilize and reinforce rather than to alter, threaten or weaken conventional beliefs and behaviours' (1977, in Boyd- Barrett & Braham 1987, p. 100). Such a function is conservative, but heavy viewers tend to regard themselves as 'moderate'.

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/cultiv.html

Looked like the TV was hollow though. Anyway, I really liked it. Thanks.

:thumbsup: