What is going on? How do media affect individuals and society?
In the search for truth, there are three major divisions in completing the understanding of what is true. Each of these comprise classifications of scientific inquiry or study. THREE MAJOR DIVISIONS OF UNDERSTANDING in the Search for Truth: • Ontology: What is it? • Praxiology: How does it work? • Epistemology: Why does it happen? In order to understand an effect, we must answer ALL THREE of those questions!! However, only recently have scientists begun asking the “what” and “how” questions as well as the “why?” questions. One of the key tools we use to ask these questions is the model. Model: (def) a metaphor for the relationships in a process. Scientists use models to help clarify their thinking; some see them as maps of sorts. Frequently the terms “model” and “theory” will be used interchangeably. Another way to classify theories is based on WHO is affected by the media message. This is a very common classification system. CLASSIFICATIONS OF EFFECTS MODELS based on WHO is Affected:
