Julie B. Wiest
- Courses5
- Reviews32
- School: West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Campus:
- Department: Sociology
- Email address: Join to see
- Phone: Join to see
-
Location:
700 S High St
West Chester, PA - 19383 - Dates at West Chester University of Pennsylvania: December 2014 - June 2020
- Office Hours: Join to see
N/A
Would take again: Yes
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Awesome
Wiest taught Sociology Prof. Wiest is my favorite professor. She could be very relatable and she makes sure to explain concepts if you don't get it. She shows videos and statistics to back up what she is teaching. Her tests cover what she covers in class. Attendance is helpful; she grades by using "exit tickets."
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Mandatory
Poor
Prof. Wiest is very caring, but she's a tough grader. We didn't have assignments and extra credit work. Her exams are taken online and you won't have class on those days. They were open notes but still difficult. She has in-class activities and you'll have to attend class to get those grades. Wouldn't recommend her classes.
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Mandatory
Awful
Professor Wiest is terrible. Her classes are not taught in a way that makes no sense at all. I did put all my effort into their assignments and still received 60% on almost all the assignments. She hasn't been helpful during this pandemic and hasn't even considered the amount of stress on her students. Please do yourself a favor and choose another professor.
N/A
Would take again: No
For Credit: Yes
0
0
Not Mandatory
Awful
Professor Wiest exhibits a lack of concern for her students. Despite my severe flu this year, when I informed her of my illness and my inability to attend, she still assigned me a zero for a significant project. Additionally, her exam format is unbalanced, with major exams comprising 40 questions in a mere 45 minutes, while quizzes, consisting of only 5 questions, are allotted a full hour. Throughout the pandemic, she has failed to provide any meaningful support. Overall, her behavior reflects a disregard for her students' well-being and academic experience.
Biography
West Chester University of Pennsylvania - Sociology
Sociologist & Media Scholar
Higher Education
Julie B.
Wiest
West Chester, Pennsylvania
As a sociologist of culture and media, I apply mainly symbolic interactionist and social constructivist perspectives to studies in three primary areas: (1) the relationship between new media technologies and social change, (2) mass media effects, and (3) the sociocultural context of violent behavior.
Experience
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Associate Professor of Sociology
Courses I regularly teach:
SOC 200: Introduction to Sociology
SOC 225: Digital Social Research
SOC 333: Self & Society
SOC 346: Sociology of Gender
SOC 360: Sociology of Culture
SOC 383: The Digital SelfWest Chester University of Pennsylvania
Assistant Professor of Sociology
Julie worked at West Chester University of Pennsylvania as a Assistant Professor of Sociology
The Mountain Press
Assistant Managing Editor
Julie worked at The Mountain Press as a Assistant Managing Editor
University of Tennessee
Graduate Teaching Associate
Julie worked at University of Tennessee as a Graduate Teaching Associate
High Point University
Assistant Professor of Communication and Sociology
Taught courses in sociology, strategic communication, and journalism
Knoxville News Sentinel
Copy Editor - News
Julie worked at Knoxville News Sentinel as a Copy Editor - News
Education
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
BS
communications
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
PhD
sociology
The University of Georgia
MA
journalism and mass communication
University of Tennessee
Graduate Teaching Associate
Publications
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Mediatization in the Arab World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of New Media Use
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
New media (including online and cellular technologies) are being embraced around the world, and younger people have led the way in their adoption. These technologies have spread particularly quickly in the Middle East as a result of innovations in satellite, cellular, and Internet technology. In addition, the Arab Spring was a major milestone for new media adoption in the Middle East and helped define appropriate uses for these technologies. Although they have been used for activism and expression, evidence suggests that these are not (or perhaps are no longer) the primary uses of these technologies among young Arabs. Drawing on the concept of mediatization in an analysis of surveys of American and Arab young people, this study explores cultural influences in recent online and cellular technology use in the Arab world, as well as cultural consequences of the increasing adoption of these technologies. In particular, it identifies and explores similarities and differences among the two groups regarding ownership of devices, online and cellular activities, and frequency of these activities. Findings reiterate the prominence of new media in the Arab world and suggest a continuing influence of traditional values, as well as an increasing influence of Western culture.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Mediatization in the Arab World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of New Media Use
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
New media (including online and cellular technologies) are being embraced around the world, and younger people have led the way in their adoption. These technologies have spread particularly quickly in the Middle East as a result of innovations in satellite, cellular, and Internet technology. In addition, the Arab Spring was a major milestone for new media adoption in the Middle East and helped define appropriate uses for these technologies. Although they have been used for activism and expression, evidence suggests that these are not (or perhaps are no longer) the primary uses of these technologies among young Arabs. Drawing on the concept of mediatization in an analysis of surveys of American and Arab young people, this study explores cultural influences in recent online and cellular technology use in the Arab world, as well as cultural consequences of the increasing adoption of these technologies. In particular, it identifies and explores similarities and differences among the two groups regarding ownership of devices, online and cellular activities, and frequency of these activities. Findings reiterate the prominence of new media in the Arab world and suggest a continuing influence of traditional values, as well as an increasing influence of Western culture.
The Allure of Premeditated Murder: Why Some People Plan to Kill
Rowman & Littlefield
Any murder causes pain and suffering that ripple through families and communities—of both the victims and the perpetrators—but premeditated murders cause the worst kind of damage. The Allure of Premeditated Murder is about the worst kinds of premeditated homicide in which the perpetrator plans an attack over a period of days, weeks, or months, leaving behind massive carnage and unspeakable suffering. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with murderers, sociologists Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest help readers understand why such vicious murders occur and what we can do to minimize their incidence. Throughout the book, they examine why people engage in acts of premeditated murder—planning and implementing terrible violence against others—from the perpetrator’s viewpoint. By juxtaposing the motivations for these hideous homicides against everyday social circumstances, these often-baffling crimes are explained in an easy-to-understand manner that paves the way for promising solutions. In the process of examining the characteristics of premeditated murder, the book also addresses those questions that are commonly asked about this kind of violent crime but usually unanswered. How could a killer have enjoyed his murderous rampage when he committed suicide right afterward? Why do sadistic killers sometimes regard their murders as great accomplishments? What can be done to effectively reduce the likelihood of this kind of homicide? As violence remains such a prominent and troubling topic nationwide, The Allure of Premeditated Murder successfully explores the reasons behind the worst violence as well as the most promising solutions.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Mediatization in the Arab World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of New Media Use
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
New media (including online and cellular technologies) are being embraced around the world, and younger people have led the way in their adoption. These technologies have spread particularly quickly in the Middle East as a result of innovations in satellite, cellular, and Internet technology. In addition, the Arab Spring was a major milestone for new media adoption in the Middle East and helped define appropriate uses for these technologies. Although they have been used for activism and expression, evidence suggests that these are not (or perhaps are no longer) the primary uses of these technologies among young Arabs. Drawing on the concept of mediatization in an analysis of surveys of American and Arab young people, this study explores cultural influences in recent online and cellular technology use in the Arab world, as well as cultural consequences of the increasing adoption of these technologies. In particular, it identifies and explores similarities and differences among the two groups regarding ownership of devices, online and cellular activities, and frequency of these activities. Findings reiterate the prominence of new media in the Arab world and suggest a continuing influence of traditional values, as well as an increasing influence of Western culture.
The Allure of Premeditated Murder: Why Some People Plan to Kill
Rowman & Littlefield
Any murder causes pain and suffering that ripple through families and communities—of both the victims and the perpetrators—but premeditated murders cause the worst kind of damage. The Allure of Premeditated Murder is about the worst kinds of premeditated homicide in which the perpetrator plans an attack over a period of days, weeks, or months, leaving behind massive carnage and unspeakable suffering. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with murderers, sociologists Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest help readers understand why such vicious murders occur and what we can do to minimize their incidence. Throughout the book, they examine why people engage in acts of premeditated murder—planning and implementing terrible violence against others—from the perpetrator’s viewpoint. By juxtaposing the motivations for these hideous homicides against everyday social circumstances, these often-baffling crimes are explained in an easy-to-understand manner that paves the way for promising solutions. In the process of examining the characteristics of premeditated murder, the book also addresses those questions that are commonly asked about this kind of violent crime but usually unanswered. How could a killer have enjoyed his murderous rampage when he committed suicide right afterward? Why do sadistic killers sometimes regard their murders as great accomplishments? What can be done to effectively reduce the likelihood of this kind of homicide? As violence remains such a prominent and troubling topic nationwide, The Allure of Premeditated Murder successfully explores the reasons behind the worst violence as well as the most promising solutions.
Social Interaction via Terminals May Mean Termination of the Self
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book The Terminal Self: Everyday Life in Hypermodern Times, by Simon Gottschalk
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Mediatization in the Arab World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of New Media Use
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
New media (including online and cellular technologies) are being embraced around the world, and younger people have led the way in their adoption. These technologies have spread particularly quickly in the Middle East as a result of innovations in satellite, cellular, and Internet technology. In addition, the Arab Spring was a major milestone for new media adoption in the Middle East and helped define appropriate uses for these technologies. Although they have been used for activism and expression, evidence suggests that these are not (or perhaps are no longer) the primary uses of these technologies among young Arabs. Drawing on the concept of mediatization in an analysis of surveys of American and Arab young people, this study explores cultural influences in recent online and cellular technology use in the Arab world, as well as cultural consequences of the increasing adoption of these technologies. In particular, it identifies and explores similarities and differences among the two groups regarding ownership of devices, online and cellular activities, and frequency of these activities. Findings reiterate the prominence of new media in the Arab world and suggest a continuing influence of traditional values, as well as an increasing influence of Western culture.
The Allure of Premeditated Murder: Why Some People Plan to Kill
Rowman & Littlefield
Any murder causes pain and suffering that ripple through families and communities—of both the victims and the perpetrators—but premeditated murders cause the worst kind of damage. The Allure of Premeditated Murder is about the worst kinds of premeditated homicide in which the perpetrator plans an attack over a period of days, weeks, or months, leaving behind massive carnage and unspeakable suffering. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with murderers, sociologists Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest help readers understand why such vicious murders occur and what we can do to minimize their incidence. Throughout the book, they examine why people engage in acts of premeditated murder—planning and implementing terrible violence against others—from the perpetrator’s viewpoint. By juxtaposing the motivations for these hideous homicides against everyday social circumstances, these often-baffling crimes are explained in an easy-to-understand manner that paves the way for promising solutions. In the process of examining the characteristics of premeditated murder, the book also addresses those questions that are commonly asked about this kind of violent crime but usually unanswered. How could a killer have enjoyed his murderous rampage when he committed suicide right afterward? Why do sadistic killers sometimes regard their murders as great accomplishments? What can be done to effectively reduce the likelihood of this kind of homicide? As violence remains such a prominent and troubling topic nationwide, The Allure of Premeditated Murder successfully explores the reasons behind the worst violence as well as the most promising solutions.
Social Interaction via Terminals May Mean Termination of the Self
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book The Terminal Self: Everyday Life in Hypermodern Times, by Simon Gottschalk
Casting Cultural Monsters: Representations of Serial Killers in U.S. and U.K. News Media
Howard Journal of Communications
Serial murder is deeply embedded in Western cultures, and serial killers are the subject of widespread coverage in news and entertainment media. Scholars suggest that mass media portrayals of these cases tend to present two images: the serial killer as monster and the serial killer as celebrity. Media representations reveal much about a culture, and the use of extreme images like monsters and celebrities speaks especially loudly. Yet, few researchers have explored cultural meanings embedded in representations of serial killers. Informed by theoretical arguments within cultural sociology and drawing on a qualitative content analysis of news articles published in the United Sates and the United Kingdom, this study explores news media representations of serial killers and uncovers links to broader cultural meanings. Although there are several similarities in the ways U.S. and U.K. news sources represent serial murder, important differences are evident. In particular, U.K. articles include more monster imagery and U.S. articles include more celebrity imagery. Implications and meanings behind these representations are discussed, especially as they reveal cultural values and beliefs.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest
American Behavioral Scientist
Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the killer’s biography and modus operandi, possibly neglecting aspects of an incident that could provide consumers with practical knowledge for preventing a massacre and, at the same time, would not inspire future killers looking for fame and celebrity. For this study, we manipulated the news focus of a story about a high school rampage—putting it on the killer, the first victim, or a heroic figure who ended the violence—in an experiment conducted via Qualtrics survey software with a sample of 212 U.S. adults. Additional independent variables in the analysis included respondents’ gender, age, and degree of fear. The dependent variable consisted of a measure of respondents’ interest in reading a news story about the school shooting. Results from a four-way analysis of variance indicated that subjects were significantly more interested in the school shooting when the focus of attention was on a courageous bystander who stopped the onslaught than when the focus was on either a victim or the killer. Moreover, fearful subjects were significantly more likely than their fearless counterparts to express interest in a news story about mass murder. Age also made a significant difference, with respondents in their early 40s (who may be particularly likely to have children in school) indicating more interest in mass murder news stories than those in their mid-30s. No significant interactions were obtained.
Social Media and Media Logics Shape Policing in the Digital Age
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book Policing and Social Media: Social Control in an Era of New Media, by Christopher J. Schneider
Entertaining Genius: U.S. Media Representations of Exceptional Intelligence
MediaTropes
We learn how to assign meanings to things, experiences, behaviours, and even ourselves through the socialization process, and mass media as an agency of socialization are particularly influential. Despite decades of studies in media representation, with scholars examining portrayals of a wide array of social groups and phenomena and those portrayals’ effects on public perceptions, studies of what constitutes exceptional intelligence have been extremely light. Most people can identify real and fictional people that are considered highly intelligent, but less clear are the reasons and processes by which meanings about exceptional intelligence are established and shared. This study helps to fill that gap by: (1) uncovering patterned characteristics of highly intelligent characters as represented in U.S. entertainment media, and (2) identifying links between those patterns of representation and larger social structures.
Effects of Gender and Age on U.S. Adults' Interest in Cinematic Serial Murder
Violence and Gender
Abstract: Serial murder and other acts of extreme violence are popular themes in U.S. news and entertainment media, yet few empirical studies have attempted to explain what draws consumers to these themes. Drawing on literature in mass media and violence studies, we developed an experiment to examine characteristics of serial murder media (i.e., victims' gender and number killed) and characteristics of would-be viewers (i.e., gender and age group) that may contribute to higher levels of public interest in this type of media. We developed four versions of a film synopsis purporting to be a biographical account of a notorious serial killer, manipulating only the number and gender of the purported victims. Nearly 700 U.S. adults participated in the experiment, for which each was asked to read one of the four randomly assigned versions of the film synopsis and then answer three items designed to measure subjects' level of interest in the film. Results indicate two significant main effects for subject gender and subject age, as well as two significant interaction effects that reveal links between all four independent variables. Findings overall are not only consistent with previous literature but also offer unique insights related to gender role socialization, gendered and age-related patterns in violent crime victimization, and the distinction between exposure to and enjoyment of media violence.
My Wartime Self: Meaning Construction in Narratives of World War II
Narrative Works
We are all storytellers. We tell stories in a variety of settings, to a variety of audiences, and for a variety of reasons. We tell structured stories about personal experiences — narratives — as a means of understanding the past, constructing identities, and communicating ourselves to others. Drawing on social psychological literature on narratives, identities, and autobiographical memories, this study examines the construction, recitation, and evaluation of 28 World War II veterans’ narratives. Findings indicate cultural influences in the ways these veterans constructed their war stories, the ways they constructed meanings about their war experiences, and the ways they constructed their identities in relation to those experiences.
Mediatization in the Arab World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of New Media Use
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies
New media (including online and cellular technologies) are being embraced around the world, and younger people have led the way in their adoption. These technologies have spread particularly quickly in the Middle East as a result of innovations in satellite, cellular, and Internet technology. In addition, the Arab Spring was a major milestone for new media adoption in the Middle East and helped define appropriate uses for these technologies. Although they have been used for activism and expression, evidence suggests that these are not (or perhaps are no longer) the primary uses of these technologies among young Arabs. Drawing on the concept of mediatization in an analysis of surveys of American and Arab young people, this study explores cultural influences in recent online and cellular technology use in the Arab world, as well as cultural consequences of the increasing adoption of these technologies. In particular, it identifies and explores similarities and differences among the two groups regarding ownership of devices, online and cellular activities, and frequency of these activities. Findings reiterate the prominence of new media in the Arab world and suggest a continuing influence of traditional values, as well as an increasing influence of Western culture.
The Allure of Premeditated Murder: Why Some People Plan to Kill
Rowman & Littlefield
Any murder causes pain and suffering that ripple through families and communities—of both the victims and the perpetrators—but premeditated murders cause the worst kind of damage. The Allure of Premeditated Murder is about the worst kinds of premeditated homicide in which the perpetrator plans an attack over a period of days, weeks, or months, leaving behind massive carnage and unspeakable suffering. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with murderers, sociologists Jack Levin and Julie B. Wiest help readers understand why such vicious murders occur and what we can do to minimize their incidence. Throughout the book, they examine why people engage in acts of premeditated murder—planning and implementing terrible violence against others—from the perpetrator’s viewpoint. By juxtaposing the motivations for these hideous homicides against everyday social circumstances, these often-baffling crimes are explained in an easy-to-understand manner that paves the way for promising solutions. In the process of examining the characteristics of premeditated murder, the book also addresses those questions that are commonly asked about this kind of violent crime but usually unanswered. How could a killer have enjoyed his murderous rampage when he committed suicide right afterward? Why do sadistic killers sometimes regard their murders as great accomplishments? What can be done to effectively reduce the likelihood of this kind of homicide? As violence remains such a prominent and troubling topic nationwide, The Allure of Premeditated Murder successfully explores the reasons behind the worst violence as well as the most promising solutions.
Social Interaction via Terminals May Mean Termination of the Self
Symbolic Interaction
Review of book The Terminal Self: Everyday Life in Hypermodern Times, by Simon Gottschalk
Casting Cultural Monsters: Representations of Serial Killers in U.S. and U.K. News Media
Howard Journal of Communications
Serial murder is deeply embedded in Western cultures, and serial killers are the subject of widespread coverage in news and entertainment media. Scholars suggest that mass media portrayals of these cases tend to present two images: the serial killer as monster and the serial killer as celebrity. Media representations reveal much about a culture, and the use of extreme images like monsters and celebrities speaks especially loudly. Yet, few researchers have explored cultural meanings embedded in representations of serial killers. Informed by theoretical arguments within cultural sociology and drawing on a qualitative content analysis of news articles published in the United Sates and the United Kingdom, this study explores news media representations of serial killers and uncovers links to broader cultural meanings. Although there are several similarities in the ways U.S. and U.K. news sources represent serial murder, important differences are evident. In particular, U.K. articles include more monster imagery and U.S. articles include more celebrity imagery. Implications and meanings behind these representations are discussed, especially as they reveal cultural values and beliefs.
The Role of Mass Media in the Transmission of Culture
Communication and Information Technologies Annual (Studies in Media and Communications, Volume 11)
Purpose The study seeks to introduce a new media model that (1) clearly illustrates the role of mass media in the transmission of cultural messages, and (2) helps to explain variations in the reception and employment of cultural messages by members of the same culture. Methodology/approach Drawing on decades of theorizing in cultural sociology and communication studies, as well as data from two qualitative content analyses, a new model was developed, explained, and then applied to a specific cultural phenomenon. Findings Mass media are significant transmitters of cultural messages and play an influential role in shaping culture, yet the process is complex. There is great variety in what messages are accepted by different consumers, how they are interpreted, and how they ultimately are employed (or not). Further, cultures that include contradictory messages are more likely to inadvertently promote deviant paths to culturally valued goals. Research limitations/implications First, the model only addresses one dimension of the relationship between mass media and culture; it does not explain cultural influences on mass media. Second, the model does not specifically address recent changes in the media landscape, though an accommodation is suggested. Finally, the model needs additional testing before its utility can be reasonably determined. Originality/value First, a new model is introduced that clearly illustrates the complex process by which cultural messages are transmitted to receivers via mass media. Second, the model introduces the concept of “cultural capacity” to complement existing concepts and advance understanding of the operation of culture.
