Media Effects Author:W. James Potter "Mass Media Effects" provides students with an in-depth understanding of how the media are constantly influencing individuals and society. W. James Potter guides readers through the extensive body of research on the effects of mass media by organizing the book around two Media Effects Templates - the first examines media influences on individual... more »s and the second looks at media influences on larger social structures and institutions. By foregrounding the different types of effects upon individuals and institutions - influences on behavior, attitudes, and beliefs, for example - Potter helps students to understand what the effects of media are, how they manifest themselves, and the factors that that are likely to bring these effects into being. Throughout the book, Potter encourages students to analyze their own experiences to look for evidence of these effects in their own lives. This title is organized and focused on effects students are interested in - rather than an examination of the (yet unknown) history, theories, and methods of effects research. The Media Effects Templates serve as maps of the full range of media influenced effects, from those affecting individuals to those affecting larger social structures, such as public and society and institutions (e.g., politics; economics; education; and, religion). This title includes full chapters on three topics that are very important to media effects but that are buried or ignored in other texts: belief effects; physiological effects; and, combination effects. Throughout the text, boxed extended examples - both real case studies as well as constructed anecdotes - illuminate and reinforce the main points covered in the text. Exercises at the end chapters encourage students to practice applying the information they learn in the chapter to everyday life. This title includes end-of-chapter key terms glossary.« less