Chapter 3
Mass Communication Effects

I Believe there are stereotypes in all of the different types of communication. In television the programs and advertisements all use stereotypes to target audiences. There is a TV advertisement for Axe Body Spray which targets men by playing off of the stereotype that women fall for chocolate.



Along with stereotypes in advertisements there are also stereotypes in television programs. The Simpson's is just one of many examples of stereotypes in television. The Simpson's have used several American stereotypes over the years. For examples, Homer is the fat lazy American who can never do anything right. Bart takes after Homer. He is the trouble-making vulgar teenager. Lisa on the other hand is the nerdy, smart band geek. The Simpson's also use recent political and religious stereotypes to make a point. In this example, the simpsons show the gender stereotypes by showing Lisa is shown as a perfectionist and bart is shown as the trouble maker.




Finally magazines use the stereotypical images of both men and women to their advantages inorder to sell products. This gym add shows the stereotype of what a man "should" look like. Many ads show what the body image "should" be for both men and women.

People have already become so involved with mass media to the point where they no longer live in reality. Images have become so idealized that the real world in no longer acceptable to them. Many young people watch TV shows on celebrities and believe that life is really like that for everyone and that they are entitled. In the media body images and lifestyles are distorted.