Question 1

Whorf and Sapir explore the multiple ways in which language shapes:

Accepted Answer

Whorf and Sapir's linguistic relativity hypothesis suggests that language influences our understanding and perception of the world.

Question 2

What term is used to refer to language and the frameworks within which meaning can be constructed, as emphasized in the works of Michel Foucault and Dorothy Smith?

Accepted Answer

Discourse refers to the language and frameworks within which meaning can be constructed, as emphasized in the works of Michel Foucault and Dorothy Smith.

Question 3

The historical use of the term "man" or "he" to refer to all people, regardless of sex, an example of this.

Accepted Answer

The use of "man" or "he" to refer to all people is an example of linguistic sexism, where language reflects and perpetuates gender biases.

Question 4

Serious effort has been made in the last _________ to challenge the pervasive use of gender exclusive language in everyday, scholarly and legal usage.

Accepted Answer

Serious effort has been made in the last 30 years to challenge the pervasive use of gender exclusive language in everyday, scholarly and legal usage.

Question 5

___________________ refers to the ways in which language conventions highlight one group of people (such as males) while diminishing or concealing another group (such as females).

Accepted Answer

Invisibility refers to the linguistic practice where one group is diminished or concealed, often seen in language that defaults to male terms, rendering females less visible.

Question 6

While describing her new neighbor Morgan says the following, "Clarice is a female astronaut". By filling in "female", Morgan is engaging in what kind of language convention?

Accepted Answer

Spotlighting is a language convention where unnecessary emphasis is placed on a person's gender, race, or other characteristic, often implying that it is unusual or noteworthy. In this case, specifying "female" astronaut suggests that being a female astronaut is unusual.

Question 7

In what Canadian province do women retain their birth surname throughout their lives, whether or not they formally marry?

Accepted Answer

In Quebec, women do not change their surname upon marriage due to a law passed in 1981 that requires individuals to retain their birth name for life.

Question 8

The term "policeman" is a masculine form. The term "police officer" is, by contrast, a ___________ form.

Accepted Answer

"Police officer" is a generic form as it is gender-neutral and can refer to any person in the police force, regardless of gender.

Question 9

Over time, some words come to have negative connotations that may be very sexist, as in the examples of mistress vs. master, spinster vs. bachelor and witch vs. wizard. These differences in connotation illustrate the element of sexist language known as _____________.

Accepted Answer

Semantic derogation refers to the process by which words associated with women acquire negative connotations over time, while their male counterparts do not. This is evident in the examples provided, where words like "mistress" and "spinster" have negative connotations compared to "master" and "bachelor."

Question 10

Deprecating language in which non-standard (or informal) words are used, in ways that may be belittling to certain categories of people (as in the case of honey, chick, stud, and hunk), are examples of __________________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Deprecating language in which non-standard (or informal)...

Question 11

Mohammed applies for a server job at a local restaurant and is asked to wait for the manager at the "waitress station". This exemplifies the use of _____________ as one element of linguistic sexism.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Mohammed applies for a server job at...

Question 12

Dr. Zeera, who argues that the media mirrors the values of the mainstream culture, as opposed to shaping them, is arguing on behalf of the following approach:

Accepted Answer

The reflection hypothesis suggests that the media simply reflects the values of the mainstream culture, rather than shaping them.

Question 13

The theory which focuses upon the relationship between our exposure to media and its influence upon us is known as _________________.

Accepted Answer

Cultivation theory examines how prolonged exposure to media content can shape an individual's perceptions of reality, suggesting that media can influence and cultivate viewers' attitudes and beliefs over time.

Question 14

What does empirical research suggest about cultivation theory?

Accepted Answer

Empirical research suggests that cultivation theory has some validity, as it has been supported by studies showing that long-term exposure to media content can shape perceptions of reality.

Question 15

According to the media theorist Stuart Hall, which of the following is NOT one of the basic ways in which we interpret mediated messages?

Accepted Answer

Stuart Hall's model of encoding and decoding includes dominant, oppositional, and negotiated readings, but not passive acquiescence.

Question 16

The method by which media messages are evaluated through analysis of encoded symbols is known as __________ analysis.

Accepted Answer

Content analysis is the method used to evaluate media messages through the analysis of encoded symbols.

Question 17

Kerry is undertaking an analysis her favorite television show by attending to the roles undertaken by various characters, the positions of dominance/submission in gendered interaction and the physical appearance of the characters. She is conducting the following type of analysis:

Accepted Answer

Content analysis involves examining the presence of certain words, themes, or concepts within qualitative data, such as television shows, to understand the roles, interactions, and appearances of characters.

Question 18

The degree to which we accept cultural ideals is referred to as ____________________.

Accepted Answer

Internalization refers to the process by which individuals accept and integrate cultural ideals and norms into their own belief systems.

Question 19

Most research reveals that gender-polarizing messages are ____________in the mass media today.

Accepted Answer

Gender-polarizing messages are still prevalent in the mass media today, as many studies and analyses continue to highlight the ongoing presence and impact of gender stereotypes and biases in media content.

Question 20

Research exploring the gendered nature of video games has found that women are ____________________ in popular video games.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that women are largely absent or underrepresented in popular video games, often appearing less frequently than male characters.

Quiz 4: Shaping the Socio-Cultural Landscape: Language and Media