Deck 7: Setting and Building the Agenda

Question 1

Write an essay explaining the concept and processes of agenda-setting that could lead to influences on voter attitudes and behavior.

Answer 1

Agenda-setting is a concept in political communication and media studies that refers to the ability of the media to influence the public's perception of which issues are important. This concept suggests that the media has the power to shape the public agenda by determining which topics receive the most attention and coverage. The agenda-setting process can have a significant impact on voter attitudes and behavior, as it can influence the issues that voters prioritize and the information they use to make decisions.

The agenda-setting process involves several key steps. First, the media selects which issues to cover and how much attention to give them. This can be influenced by a variety of factors, including news values, editorial decisions, and the interests of media owners and advertisers. Once certain issues are highlighted in the media, they are more likely to be perceived as important by the public. This is known as the "first-level" agenda-setting, where the media's coverage of an issue influences the public's perception of its importance.

The second level of agenda-setting involves the media's ability to shape the public's understanding of specific issues. This can occur through framing, which refers to the way in which the media presents and interprets information. By framing issues in particular ways, the media can influence how the public perceives and evaluates them. For example, the media may frame a particular policy proposal as either beneficial or harmful, which can shape public opinion on the issue.

The agenda-setting process can have a significant impact on voter attitudes and behavior. When the media consistently covers certain issues and frames them in particular ways, it can influence the issues that voters prioritize when making decisions. Additionally, the media's coverage of political candidates and campaigns can shape public perceptions of these individuals, which can in turn influence voter attitudes and behavior.

For example, if the media consistently covers a particular policy issue, such as healthcare or immigration, it is more likely to be perceived as important by the public. This can influence voters' attitudes towards candidates who have different positions on these issues, and may ultimately impact their voting behavior. Similarly, the way in which the media covers political candidates and campaigns can shape public perceptions of these individuals, which can influence voter attitudes and behavior.

In conclusion, the concept and processes of agenda-setting have the potential to significantly influence voter attitudes and behavior. By shaping the public agenda and framing issues in particular ways, the media can impact the issues that voters prioritize and the information they use to make decisions. This highlights the important role that the media plays in shaping public opinion and ultimately influencing the democratic process.

Question 2

Write an essay describing how the rise of social media complicates the traditional concept of agenda-setting.

Answer 2

The rise of social media has significantly complicated the traditional concept of agenda-setting in several ways. Agenda-setting theory, which was first introduced by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972, posits that the media has the power to influence the public agenda by determining which issues are considered important and which are not. However, with the advent of social media, this traditional concept has become more complex.

Firstly, social media has democratized the process of agenda-setting. In the past, agenda-setting was largely controlled by traditional media outlets such as newspapers, television, and radio. These outlets had the power to decide which stories to cover and how to frame them. However, with the rise of social media, anyone with an internet connection can now contribute to the public agenda. This means that a wider range of voices and perspectives are now able to shape the public discourse, making it more difficult for traditional media to maintain their monopoly on agenda-setting.

Secondly, social media has also increased the speed and volume of information that is shared with the public. Traditional media outlets operated on a relatively fixed schedule, with news being disseminated at specific times throughout the day. In contrast, social media operates in real-time, with information being shared instantaneously and continuously. This means that the public agenda is now constantly in flux, with new issues and perspectives emerging at a rapid pace. As a result, traditional media outlets are finding it increasingly challenging to control the narrative and set the agenda in the same way they once did.

Furthermore, social media has also made it easier for individuals to filter and personalize the information they consume. With the rise of algorithms and personalized news feeds, people are now able to curate their own media diet, choosing to engage only with content that aligns with their existing beliefs and preferences. This has the potential to create echo chambers and filter bubbles, where individuals are only exposed to a narrow range of perspectives, further complicating the traditional concept of agenda-setting.

In conclusion, the rise of social media has significantly complicated the traditional concept of agenda-setting. With the democratization of agenda-setting, the speed and volume of information, and the ability to personalize content, traditional media outlets are finding it increasingly challenging to control the public agenda. As a result, the landscape of agenda-setting is now more complex and dynamic than ever before.

Question 3

________ is a process through which the mass media communicate the relative importance of various issues and events to the public.

A) Priming
B) Intermedia agenda-setting
C) Agenda-setting
D) Agenda-building
E) Moderating

Answer 3

Agenda-setting

Question 4

Which of the following best defines obtrusiveness?

A) When media effects depend on other factors, these factors are obtrusive
B) The extent of direct experience people have with an issue
C) The impact of the media agenda on the criteria voters employ to evaluate political candidates
D) The characteristic of agenda-setting that it acts on everyone, everywhere, at all times.
E) The way a prior stimulus influences reactions to a subsequent message.

Question 5

In Iyengar and Kinder's priming study, which of the following best describes their results?

A) Participants in the "unemployment" group did not exhibit as much change as other groups, as the issue was already obtrusive for them.
B) Participants in the "arms control" group exhibited more change than the other groups, because the issue had not been seen as personally relevant prior to the experiment.
C) Participants in the "civil rights" group assigned the most weight to the president's performance on their issue relative to the other groups, but it was indeterminate whether priming from the experiment was responsible due to the influence of moderator variables.
D) Participants in each group gave more weight to the president's performance on the targeted issue of the news in their experimental condition.
E) Participants in each group gave less weight to the president's performance on the targeted issue of the news in their experimental condition.