Q.1 Which sociologist is known for studying the role of mass media in shaping public opinion?
Karl Marx
Max Weber
Marshall McLuhan
Émile Durkheim
Explanation - Marshall McLuhan emphasized how media technologies influence human perception and society, coining the famous phrase 'the medium is the message.'
Correct answer is: Marshall McLuhan
Q.2 What is 'popular culture' primarily concerned with?
Elite literature and art
Mass-produced cultural products
Religious rituals
Political ideologies
Explanation - Popular culture consists of widely accessible cultural products, such as TV shows, music, movies, and internet content.
Correct answer is: Mass-produced cultural products
Q.3 Which term describes the process by which media content spreads across different countries and cultures?
Cultural imperialism
Globalization
Localization
Socialization
Explanation - Globalization in media refers to the worldwide circulation of cultural products, ideas, and practices, influencing multiple societies.
Correct answer is: Globalization
Q.4 What is the main idea behind the 'hypodermic needle theory' in media studies?
Audiences actively interpret media
Media has a direct and powerful influence on passive audiences
Media content is created democratically
Media influence is negligible
Explanation - The hypodermic needle theory, also called the 'magic bullet theory,' suggests that media messages are injected directly into the minds of passive audiences, shaping their thoughts and behaviors.
Correct answer is: Media has a direct and powerful influence on passive audiences
Q.5 Which concept explains how media prioritizes certain issues, influencing what people perceive as important?
Agenda-setting
Framing
Cultivation
Encoding/Decoding
Explanation - Agenda-setting theory argues that the media may not tell people what to think, but it strongly influences what they think about by highlighting certain issues.
Correct answer is: Agenda-setting
Q.6 Who developed the concept of 'cultural imperialism'?
Theodor Adorno
John Tomlinson
Antonio Gramsci
Stuart Hall
Explanation - John Tomlinson used 'cultural imperialism' to describe the global dominance of Western media and cultural products, which can influence local cultures.
Correct answer is: John Tomlinson
Q.7 Which of the following is an example of a 'fandom culture' in popular media?
A TV network's corporate policy
Fans creating fan fiction or fan art for a series
Government regulation of media content
Advertising campaigns
Explanation - Fandom culture refers to active audience engagement with media, often through creative practices like fan fiction, fan art, or online discussions.
Correct answer is: Fans creating fan fiction or fan art for a series
Q.8 Which media theory emphasizes that audiences actively interpret media messages rather than just absorbing them?
Uses and gratifications
Hypodermic needle theory
Cultivation theory
Spiral of silence
Explanation - Uses and gratifications theory focuses on how audiences actively select media to fulfill various needs, such as entertainment, information, or social interaction.
Correct answer is: Uses and gratifications
Q.9 What does the term 'media convergence' refer to?
The merging of different media platforms and technologies
Government control over media content
The decline of newspapers
Audience fragmentation
Explanation - Media convergence refers to the integration of traditional and digital media, allowing content to flow across multiple platforms like TV, internet, and mobile devices.
Correct answer is: The merging of different media platforms and technologies
Q.10 Which concept explains long-term exposure to television shaping viewers’ perception of reality?
Cultivation theory
Framing
Agenda-setting
Reception theory
Explanation - Cultivation theory, developed by George Gerbner, argues that prolonged exposure to TV content can shape audiences' beliefs and perceptions about the world.
Correct answer is: Cultivation theory
Q.11 In media studies, what is 'framing'?
Determining which issues are discussed
Presenting information in a particular way to shape perception
Creating media content for youth
Audience resistance to media
Explanation - Framing refers to how media presents information, influencing how audiences interpret events and issues.
Correct answer is: Presenting information in a particular way to shape perception
Q.12 Which sociologist emphasized the idea of 'encoding/decoding' in media communication?
Stuart Hall
Marshall McLuhan
Noam Chomsky
Herbert Marcuse
Explanation - Stuart Hall proposed the encoding/decoding model, which suggests that media producers encode messages, but audiences may decode them differently based on cultural context.
Correct answer is: Stuart Hall
Q.13 Which term describes media content created by ordinary users rather than professional producers?
User-generated content
Broadcast media
Print media
Framing
Explanation - User-generated content (UGC) is material created and shared by regular users, common on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Correct answer is: User-generated content
Q.14 Which of the following is an example of 'media globalization'?
Local newspapers covering local news only
Hollywood movies released worldwide
Community radio in a village
Private family albums
Explanation - Media globalization refers to the international dissemination of media content, like movies, TV shows, or music, across national boundaries.
Correct answer is: Hollywood movies released worldwide
Q.15 Which media theory suggests people may remain silent if their opinions differ from the majority portrayed in the media?
Spiral of silence
Uses and gratifications
Cultivation theory
Agenda-setting
Explanation - The spiral of silence theory argues that individuals may avoid expressing minority opinions to prevent social isolation, influenced by media portrayals of majority views.
Correct answer is: Spiral of silence
Q.16 What does 'subculture' mean in the context of media and popular culture?
A group with distinct values and norms within a larger culture
Mass media products for general audiences
Government-controlled content
Ancient cultural traditions
Explanation - Subcultures form around shared interests, identities, or practices, often reflected and sustained through specific media, fashion, or music.
Correct answer is: A group with distinct values and norms within a larger culture
Q.17 Which of the following best exemplifies 'celebrity culture' in media?
Documentaries on historical events
Social media coverage of influencers and stars
Scientific journals
Public service announcements
Explanation - Celebrity culture refers to society’s fascination with famous people, often amplified through media platforms highlighting their lives and lifestyles.
Correct answer is: Social media coverage of influencers and stars
Q.18 Which concept describes the merging of online and offline cultural experiences in media consumption?
Convergence culture
Mass culture
Cultural lag
Encoding/decoding
Explanation - Henry Jenkins' concept of convergence culture explains how media, technology, and audiences intersect, blending online and offline cultural experiences.
Correct answer is: Convergence culture
Q.19 Which of the following is a key characteristic of 'mass media'?
Directed at a large, heterogeneous audience
Exclusive to elite intellectuals
Based on face-to-face communication
Personal diary writing
Explanation - Mass media is designed to reach large audiences across different social, economic, and cultural groups.
Correct answer is: Directed at a large, heterogeneous audience
Q.20 Which type of popular culture is often associated with youth resistance and subversive identity?
Counterculture
High culture
Folk culture
Broadcast culture
Explanation - Countercultures reject dominant societal norms, often expressing resistance through fashion, music, or media practices.
Correct answer is: Counterculture
Q.21 Which sociologist analyzed the role of the Frankfurt School in critiquing mass culture?
Herbert Marcuse
Émile Durkheim
Max Weber
Karl Marx
Explanation - Marcuse, part of the Frankfurt School, critiqued mass culture as a tool that pacifies the public and maintains social control.
Correct answer is: Herbert Marcuse
Q.22 Which of the following is an effect of 'media stereotyping'?
Shaping social perceptions and reinforcing biases
Encouraging audience creativity
Improving critical thinking
Promoting scientific knowledge
Explanation - Media stereotypes influence how groups are perceived, often reinforcing existing social prejudices and cultural biases.
Correct answer is: Shaping social perceptions and reinforcing biases
Q.23 Which theory focuses on why audiences choose specific media to satisfy their needs?
Uses and gratifications theory
Hypodermic needle theory
Cultural imperialism
Spiral of silence
Explanation - Uses and gratifications theory emphasizes active audience behavior, explaining media selection based on individual needs like entertainment, information, or social interaction.
Correct answer is: Uses and gratifications theory
Q.24 Which of the following is a major critique of popular culture from a critical theory perspective?
It manipulates audiences and maintains social hierarchies
It encourages critical thinking
It reflects only elite tastes
It ignores technological changes
Explanation - Critical theorists argue that mass-produced popular culture serves to distract, manipulate, and reinforce dominant ideologies and power structures.
Correct answer is: It manipulates audiences and maintains social hierarchies