1. Which theory argues that media does not have a direct impact on audiences but instead reinforces pre-existing beliefs and opinions?
a) Limited Effects Theory
b) Uses and Gratifications Theory
c) Cultivation Theory
d) Hypodermic Needle Theory
Correct Answer: a) Limited Effects Theory
Explanation: Limited Effects Theory posits that media has a minimal effect on audiences because individuals filter and interpret media messages through their existing beliefs, values, and social networks.
2. What is “agenda-setting” in the context of media influence?
a) The process by which media dictates what issues are important
b) The selection of content for news broadcasts
c) The role of media in shaping public policy
d) The creation of media content schedules
Correct Answer: a) The process by which media dictates what issues are important
Explanation: Agenda-setting is the theory that media may not tell people what to think, but it does tell them what to think about by emphasizing certain issues and ignoring others, influencing public priorities.
3. What does “media ecology” focus on in communication studies?
a) The impact of media content on environmental issues
b) The study of media as environments that shape human perception, understanding, and behavior
c) The relationship between media corporations and government regulations
d) The preservation of media archives
Correct Answer: b) The study of media as environments that shape human perception, understanding, and behavior
Explanation: Media ecology examines how different media environments influence human thought, culture, and society, understanding media as extensions of human faculties that reshape how we experience the world.
4. Which term describes the effect of media coverage that leads to an increased perception of the importance of certain issues, often resulting in public pressure for political action?
a) Hypodermic Needle Effect
b) Issue Salience
c) Media Consolidation
d) Resonance
Correct Answer: b) Issue Salience
Explanation: Issue salience refers to the heightened importance of issues in the public’s mind due to extensive media coverage, which can drive public discourse and political action.
5. In the study of media effects, what does “mean world syndrome” refer to?
a) The tendency of news media to focus on negative stories
b) The belief that the world is more dangerous and violent than it actually is, due to prolonged exposure to violent media
c) The impact of global conflicts on media coverage
d) The influence of dystopian films on audience perceptions
Correct Answer: b) The belief that the world is more dangerous and violent than it actually is, due to prolonged exposure to violent media
Explanation: Mean World Syndrome is a concept from Cultivation Theory, suggesting that heavy viewers of violent media may perceive the world as more dangerous and threatening than it truly is.
6. What is “hypodermic needle theory” in mass communication?
a) A theory that suggests media messages are injected directly into the passive audience’s mind
b) A theory focused on the indirect influence of media through opinion leaders
c) A model that highlights selective exposure to media content
d) A framework for understanding media’s role in agenda-setting
Correct Answer: a) A theory that suggests media messages are injected directly into the passive audience’s mind
Explanation: The Hypodermic Needle Theory, also known as the Magic Bullet Theory, suggests that media messages are directly and uniformly received by a passive audience, influencing them in a powerful and immediate way.
7. Which term refers to the practice of tailoring media content to specific geographic regions or local cultures?
a) Localization
b) Globalization
c) Syndication
d) Convergence
Correct Answer: a) Localization
Explanation: Localization involves adapting media content to fit the cultural, linguistic, and social preferences of specific regions or localities, making it more relevant and accessible to those audiences.
8. Which communication theory explores how audiences actively engage with media content to fulfill personal needs and desires?
a) Agenda-Setting Theory
b) Uses and Gratifications Theory
c) Framing Theory
d) Media Dependency Theory
Correct Answer: b) Uses and Gratifications Theory
Explanation: Uses and Gratifications Theory focuses on how individuals actively select and use media to satisfy specific needs, such as entertainment, information, social interaction, or personal identity.
9. What does the term “gatekeeping” refer to in mass communication?
a) The process by which media outlets select, filter, and prioritize news stories
b) The regulation of media content by government authorities
c) The distribution of media content to international audiences
d) The role of advertisers in influencing media production
Correct Answer: a) The process by which media outlets select, filter, and prioritize news stories
Explanation: Gatekeeping is the process by which editors, producers, and other media professionals decide which news stories to cover and how to present them, effectively controlling the flow of information to the public.
10. Which of the following best describes “global village” as coined by Marshall McLuhan?
a) The dominance of Western media in global communication
b) The concept that the world is interconnected through electronic media, creating a shared global experience
c) The isolation of cultures due to media fragmentation
d) The rise of local media networks in response to globalization
Correct Answer: b) The concept that the world is interconnected through electronic media, creating a shared global experience
Explanation: Marshall McLuhan’s “global village” refers to the idea that electronic media, particularly television and the internet, have reduced the world to a smaller, interconnected community where events in one part of the world are immediately known and experienced globally.
