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Instructors: Dr. Juliane Finger
Event type:
Seminar
Displayed in timetable as:
Hours per week:
2
Language of instruction:
English
Min. | Max. participants:
5 | 18
More information:
This seminar deals with research on media reception and effects. We will look at different types of effects (short-term vs. long-term; on the individual vs. on the societal level) and how these can be measured. We will look at theories that try to explain the effects of media exposure, such as the Third Person Effect (Davison, 1983).
In the second part of the seminar, we will apply the theoretical approaches to the topic of communication about the environment, especially about plastic waste. The amount of plastic waste is a problem of global scale, which recently has gained increased attention in the European Union. The European Commission is issuing new guidelines with the aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste. We will look at theories that are used to explain environmental behavior such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991).
Comments/contents:
This seminar deals with research on media reception and effects. We will look at different types of effects (short-term vs. long-term; on the individual vs. on the societal level) and how these can be measured. We will particularly look at theories that try to explain the effects of media exposure on individual behavior, such as the Third Person Effect (Davison, 1983).
In the second part of the seminar, we will apply the theoretical approaches to the communication about the environment. We will look at research and theories that are used to explain environmental behavior such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991). In “hands-on-exercises”, students will practice the application of theoretical approaches to research projects.
Learning objectives:
After the course, students will
- Have a deepened knowledge of the theories and methods of research on media reception and media effects
- Be able to apply theoretical approaches to conduct own empirical research
- Be able to apply theoretical approaches to practice, e.g. communication campaigns.
The seminar is to support the students in find a topic for their MA thesis.
Didactic concept:
This university seminar requires that you are prepared for each class. It also means that the learning you take away from this course will be determined in large part by the quality of the classroom discussions. “Studying“ is something that has to be done by yourself; it is not something that is done by a teacher “with you”.
Each student develops an idea for a research project, presents it in class, and writes a final report on the idea (like an exposé for the master thesis).
The class combines two parts:
1. the first part of the seminar focuses on theories and methods of research on media reception and media effects. This part of the seminar will consist of required readings of the respective theoretical approaches and a critical discussion of those theories in class.
2. the second part of the seminar focuses on the application of the theories to issues that are related to environmental behavior and/or transcultural communication.
All material will be made available on the CommSy platform. The platform is also intended for the use of the students themselves, to upload presentations and material and to engage in peer discussions
Additional examination information:
Students are required to...
- attend all classes and participate actively (2 absences max., regardless whether they may be caused by illness or other reasons; it is at the discretion of the instructor to accept or not accept extra work from the student in order to make up for missed classes. This is usually the case if a student was prevented to attend classes by circumstances outside her or his control (e.g. illness confirmed by a doctor's certificate)."
- develop a project proposal and
* prepare a short presentation
* prepare 1 exposé – alone (no teamwork, details see below).
The final report will be worked out alone, length: 5-7 pages (without literature and graphs) and has to be finished until end of February 2020
Grading:
- Contribution to active participation/presentation in class (1/3 of the grade)
- and essay/research paper (2/3 of the grade)
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