Influence Of Media On The Public Behavior Sociology Essay

Influence Of Media On The Public Behavior Sociology EssayThis research paper analyses the impact of Bollywood movies and gene countd ideas of move and whop sum at bottom middle and upper-middle course of action urban Pakistani marriages. It especially focuses on the influence of this on the acceptability of retire marriages. It looks at selected samples of modernsters spilling in the age convocation 17-29 and p argonnts. Exceptions looked at are those falling pop outside the age convocation who had love marriages. The mistakableity of Indian and Pakistani mindset is scrutinized with respect to love marriages. It explores the issue of unacceptability of love marriages in Pakistan and the gradual changing trend. The live role played by fantasy within Indian marriages is explored and the focal point is commercial Hindi films watched by the middle class of Karachi which fall within the genre of melodrama. bonk marriages in bollywood are looked in depth. Finally the paper aims at exploring the factors responsible for the deepen in attitudes towards marriage and abridgment of whether Bollywood movies influence is unriva lead of those factors which has considerably influenced the mindsets towards acceptance of love marriages in Pakistan. interrogation QuestionHave Bollywood movies influenced the increased acceptance of love marriages amongst the middle class of Karachi? look for HypothesisBased on a re popular opinion of literature as noted later in this proposal, there is atomic routine 53 major hypothesis area that go away guide the analysis of data i.e. Bollywood movies beget influenced the increased acceptance of love marriages amongst the middle class of Karachi.Secondary ResearchInfluence of Media on the public behaviorHow Does the Media Influence the Way People Behave? The influence of media on public behavior is becoming to a greater extent(prenominal) and more signifi natest as term is passing. With the development and advancement of new technology, it is possible to distri hardlye media content pervasively with minimal costs. Because of a high demand and go forth of media content, producers engage in competitive behavior and come up with new ways to catch attention of consumers. The type of content free media shows is solely dependent on the demand for media content. However, numerous research studies on the topic have revealed that media content coffin nail specify our thoughts and alter our behavior in a consequence of ways. The doing part of the literature review will focus on the effects of media on the behavior and perception of the general state. Furthermore, a critical analysis of the impact of media on the conception of love marriages will be discussed with reference to research studies.Watching media content takes us into a different world or more specifically, a different level of consciousness. Media content not only arouses our cognitive neurons, but in addition changes our behavior if expose d frequently. The effect of media is not stop even later on exposure to media content is removed instead it causes a lingering effect by initiating a gradual thought process that cannister lead to behavioral changes in many an(prenominal) cases.A good example of behavioral manipulation caused by media content is the impact of action films on children. Research on television shows, movies, music and video games which contain violent behavior shows unequivocal connection surrounded by media violence and violent behavior in well-nigh(prenominal) short and long term (Anderson, et al., 2003). Empirical evidence shows children emulate violent behavior portrayed by the heroes in the movies opinion that they would be able to action their desired outcome though violent behavior just like hero tends to be victorious in the end of the movie. Children tend to strike some behavioral aspects from media content over a long period of time. Moreover, some behavioral changes competency chan ge throughout the whole population as children adopt those behaviors as adults, practice those behaviors over others and leave a mark on the future tense generations. This is the reason why media is able to change some social norms that existed antecedently and why some nations are afraid of cultural imperialism through media invasion.Media consumers, whether they know it or not, are affected by what they watch and what they see over a long period of time will still shape what they perceive as normal, thanks to oft-repeated themes and images in the land of movie love (Hefner, 2011). And while movies are not intended or expected to be entirely realistic, scholars of communication theorize that exposure to media like romantic comedies, especially for young community, can shape expectations about two womanise and marriage, shifting adolescent perceptions about what love is like, and how to show it (McLanahan, 2008).Researchers followed 329 subjects over 15 years. They found that th ose who as children were exposed to violent TV shows were more more likely to later be convicted of crime. Researchers said that, Media violence can affect any child from any family, regardless of social class or parenting (Dispenza, 2011). All our actions are ground on what we learn and what we know, and we as human macrocosms learn by seeing and imitating. Following this trend of thought we can infer that as we see from movies, we tend to act accordingly, by the means of learning and practicing. conglutinationsWhen Frank Sinatra sang about love and marriage going unneurotic like a horse and carriage, he did not consider that to a great extent the cart is put in advance the ox. Marriages are arranged by parents in China, India and Indonesia three countries with 40% of the worlds population plus others that practice Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism. Pakistan is one such country where arranged marriages are practiced and dating is not permissible. Couples might get a 15-minute mee ting followed in a few months by a wedding.But sparks are flying, and love marriages are breaking out in India, the worlds largest democracy, with 1.1 billion masses.CEO Raju Reddy of Sierra Atlantic in India, himself in an arranged marriage to childhood friend Neeraja, was surprised to learn at the Sierra Atlantic holiday party in December that about a dozen love marriages have germinated in recent years at the 13-year-old ships company. The Indian disposal does not differentiate in its marriage statistics. But young Indians interviewed say their observations suggest that 10% to 20% of their friends are having love marriages, and expert Poonam Barua, director of the group discussion Boards India Operations, says that is probably true in most of Indias cities. Bollywood movies such asSalaam Namasteare based on the old formula of boy meeting misfire and eventually fall in love.It will be decades, if ever, ahead love marriages dominate worldwide. In India, the trend is specific t o the middle class of 350 million, not to the 70% of the country that remains rural. But the trend is undeniable, says Barua, whose niece began a love marriage on Feb. 2 with an Indian working for Citibank.Chambravalli and Mishra say if they have children, they also will be allowed to search for true love. In the meantime, Mom and Dad will be on the lookout.Plan A and Plan B, Mishra says.It seems like the neighbouring country Pakistan has been much influenced with this breakout of love marriages too.Similarity of Indian and Pakistani MindsetThis section of the literature review focuses on how the Pakistani society and its mindset is similar to that of India which has led us to use most of our secondary research with regard to the Indian population.The fact that India and Pakistan have shared the very(prenominal) history equalised with the reality that twain nations stand next to apiece other in the topographical location of the world map alone can point out how similar the pres upposeing of these nations can be at one point in time and this section specifically focuses on the aspects through which the mindsets of the populations of these two nations can be accord similar.Originally, Pakistan and India have been a part of the akin Indus civilization which has led them to having similar experiences and influences across decades. Before separation, Pakistan and India shared the same goal of freedom against the colonial command and they were united in their fight against the British. Because of the division, a multitude of issues occurred regarding the distribution of power and dominance over the new nations and these resulted in frustration which turned the countries bitter towards for each one other. (India and Pakistan historic conflict and future outlooks, 2003).India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, all comprised the sub-continent at that time and the people residing in Hindustan lived together except the religious and cultural differences that had led to e xtremely barbaric reactions and vast bloodshed at times, but this is only one side of the story the other side sticks to the fact that before the arrival of east India company in 1600 a mental asylum was created which reflects the sense of hospitability among the population there to take care of the mentally ill people as well as their society (S Sharma, 10/1984 ). This sense of love and affection is still defend in both Pakistani and Indian community when residents of both countries visit the one otheri. Furthermore, the established fact that the people of Pakistan came from the subcontinent situates it likely that the mind set of both the nations is parallel.Politically, both the countries have more or less a similar government structure consisting of the head of the country as the President, followed by the head of the government kn confess as the prime minister and elected ministers who are soluble to the prime ministers. Despite the coups and political violations in both t he countries, they manage to hold democratic elections. Due to all the similarities in their political framework, working alongside each other would be a lot less of a hassle as there are no starkly alien political establishments to bonk with.The frugal structures of both the countries also hold a lot of similarities. The rates of unemployment and inflation are around 6% in both the countries. Indias 63% of work force is concentrated mainly in the production primary goods and is self sufficient in food grains and it also produces cotton, tea, sugarcane, tobacco for export. Similarly, Pakistan also has more than 50% of its population involved in agriculture and the rates of labor involved in secondary and tertiary activities in both the countries are also similar which refer high success rates of free trade agreements if both the countries agree for it.1As per the similarities among their cities, the two extreme ends of poverty and wealth in the city of Bombay accommodate a stra nge resemblance to that of the two extremes of living standards in Karachi. Bombay, like Karachi, is an industrial port city, plagued by over population, with colonial architecture dominating sure parts of t protest, and only the distance of 500 miles separating the two cities. The affinity mingled with the two cities is not confined to the infrastructure and the living habitat, but even the afternoon breeze racing in from the sea at the verandah of the Bombay Gymkhana, is a de ja vu of the experience at the Karachi Gymkhana. Focusing on the differences surrounded by Bombay and Karachi, the most attention sketch aspect is the absence of statues in Karachi. We have monuments of fountains and swords and mountaintops in the middle of a landslide depicting Pakistans first-class honours degree successful nuclear test in 1998 but unlike Bombay, we have no statues of people. And then there is the city of Madras, which is a city that belongs clearly to the same region as Karachi and t hat is where their similarities end. The realization of being present in Southern India when in Madras is inevitable at all times, as Pakistanis, our association is stronger with the Northern India. For the students (of Stella Maris College), when asked which South Asian country they most strongly associated with, responded nemine contradicente as Pakistan in complete contradiction to anyones expectations. When enquired as to why the students correlate with Pakistan, they replied that Pakistan had been a part of India. And when asked if they felt the same affinity towards Bangladesh, they declined profusely. (India and Pakistan historic conflict and future outlooks, 2003)To conclude, the mindset of both the nations can be attributed to be similar because of the sole reason that their forefathers have spent years together which has made their traditions, political systems, economic stances as being similar. It is the matter of self interest which has made the two countries apart li ke Kashmir issue is one where a conflict of interest between both the nations is seen. Apart from that religion has always been a major source of division and this is one subject where definitely no consensus can be reached as everybody has a right to religion.Models of MarriageMarriages can be put in four categories in Pakistan. There are part Arranged MarriagesPartially Love MarriagesTotally Arranged MarriagesTotally Love MarriagesTotally arranged marriages and totally love marriages are two extreme forms of marriages and between these two extremes are Partially arranged and partially love marriages in which parents may take their infusion and give their children the option to accept or reject their choice. Broadly these can fall under the two types of marriages (in India and Pakistan) Arranged and Love, as developed by Kavita Ramdya in her book Bollywood Weddings. These models are diametrically opposed. Love marriage will often involve a whimsical and incidental meeting followe d by months and often years of dating. The arranged marriage excludes dating altogether and rarely allows for more than one meeting before the wedding day. When the boy and girl, words used to describe prospective marriage candidates despite their age, profession, or education, meet for the rst time, it is usually in a highly-regulated environment where both sets of parents sit in the same room accompanied by supportive widen family members. A wedding follows shortly thereafter, making it the second time the pair off is allowed to see each other and after which the husband and wife embark on years of dating or getting to know one another without the nagging possibility of rejection.In the middle class, often family members stay on a lookout finding a suitable match, or a number of suitable matches. Then, the families meet to see if things work out. Long before this happens, though, the young men and women are carefully vetted for likes and dislikes, traits in common, complementary characteristics, and any other nurture that can be discovered and deemed relevant. Often, the process is much more informal, with the families in the community already knowing much about each other, and having already obdurate what could be emfly good pairings, and which may well be disastrous.The two opposed models of marriage are negotiated by the present generation as ascertained by Kavita Ramdya. Her examination led her to discover a middle path, which she called arranged meetings.Arranged meetings is an already negotiated and well-established third model for tieing. The second generation uses this method to lter out prospective marital candidates who do not have the right ethnic, religious, linguistic, and regional traits desired by their parents. In this way, neither arranged nor love marriage are excluded and the call fors and desires of both generations are respected. The rst generation is still involved in nding a suitable partner for their child, whether through intr oductions by family and friends, or placing an ad on-line or in a newspaper. Additionally, candidates who do not come from the same religious sect, speak the desired dialect are cast away before a set of eligible prospects are considered. (Ramdya)Prevalence of Arranged MarriagesFamily forms the building block of a society. Human beings in turn follow the standards and norms set by the society to lead a perfect life. But everything is prone to change and so are the values and standards set by a society. In the same way, the ways of getting marry are changing at a noticeable but slow pace. eastside is known for its traditions. umpteen countries in the East have been practicing arranged marriages since long.It is a known fact that love marriages are more common in the west than in the eastern countries. In Pakistan, marriages are most of the time arranged by family members. The reason is that the Pakistani society preserves family continuity through arranged marriages. collectivist societies like Pakistan prefer group decision over an individual one so marriages are a family affair rather than an individual one, and children are brought up to expect arranged marriages. It is seen that children can have veto power in few families but normally it is expected that the parents and other family members should commence and settle on the matter. In this society, marriage is not merely based on love relationships but family economics and social needs play a great role.Changing Trend of MarriagesA couple of decades ago arranged marriage was the only known way to get married. But today it is not so. We see many Pakistani girlsand guys marrying by their own choice instead of that of their family. Love marriages are becoming more and more acceptable.Most of the marriages are arranged in Pakistan but some of the marriages are also based on love. Love marriages have been taking place in Pakistan in the last few years with the influx of western cultures and invasion of elect ronic media. Due to family obligations the trends of compromising and striving to sustain relationships have become the hallmark of eastern culture. However, this fact could not be denied that these trends are eroding day by day. People realize that the traditional system of totally arranged marriages needs to be adjusted. Partially arranged and partially love marriages are supported by the state religion. Today the exposure to various stimuli through the media has increased awareness.The improved education system could also be held responsible for this change. As compared to the previous years, the literacy rate among the Pakistani Women has increased by leaps and leaps over the past couple of decades. Education gives exposure and a sense of enlightenment. Women have become opinionated and smart. Many young women are given the right to exercise their choice in choosing a partner and the family members accept and support their decision.Dating agencies are emerging and proclaiming t hat although matched partners inclined to marriage cant be picked off a supermarket shelf, they can be found on a website. Most work on the imitative assertion that a good profile and an insignificantfinancial investmentis the only obstacle standing between you and the love of your life. If they are to be conceptualized, a couple of cheesy emails can determine your compatibility. In a typical electronic dating set-up, the average person role plays in a do-or-die(a) bid to make an impression.It seems that love marriages are trending but we cannot deny the fact that the practice of an arranged marriage still heavily prevails in our society. Many times, the young individuals prefer not to take the decision themselves and they rely upon the family to find the best match for them.Gender InteractionThe gender interactions part focuses on the evolving nature of interactions between male and womanly students and the resultant effect of this change on their marriage choices. statute tit le Student Attitude toward Mate selection in a Muslim Society PakistanAuthor Henry KorsonJournal (Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 31, No. 1 (Feb., 1969), pp. 153-165)The study was conducted on 765 participants in two universities of Pakistan (University of Karachi and University of Punjab) and provides a treasure trove of vital insights into how marriage was viewed by students in urban Pakistan 40 years ago.The study results showed that atleast a one-fourth of respondents believed that the choice of life-partner should be left to them, while another quarter wanted their parents to consult them before making the nett decision. This showed that over 50% of the respondents in that era wanted to have a say in the final decision of their life-partner.Another question that was asked was if the respondents would make a completely independent choice when it comes to marriage to which only 3.8% respondents replied positively. 17.1% female respondents from Karachi and 16.7% female resp ondents from Lahore also believed that their parents would arrange their marriage without consulting them. This is in contrast to the 45% female respondents from Karachi and 52% female respondents from Lahore who said their families will accept their opinions on the life-partner. Keeping in mind that these are grade students from the 1960s when education for women was still at a nascent stage in Pakistan, they can only be classified as a minority. The women belonged to wealthy, forward-thinking families who were amongst the first to educate their daughters and thus had a progressive mindset. They were open to the idea of their daughters having a say in their own marriage decision but were not withal willing to accept their daughters to have complete control over the decision. This is reflected by the fact that only 9.8% of female students from Karachi and 6.3% of female students from Lahore believed that their families would accept their decision of marriage if it was their own per sonal initiative.One of the most interesting statistic provided by this study revealed that upto 30% of the sample believed that meeting ones collaborator before marriage was unnecessary. Females from Karachi (44%) and Lahore (47%) showed a great lust to this option thus showing confidence in their parents ability to choose the right spouse for them. This mindset is unthinkable amongst most contemporary university students of Karachi and Lahore who are more independent compared to their counterparts of yesteryears. The combination of higher education, globalization and media local, Bollywood and western has resulted in a mindset where the choice of life partner is no more the sole region of the individuals parents. Moreover, the need to meet the prospective spouse whether alone, with mutual friends or with family has become paramount before the final decision is made. Students today believe that couples should have accord and this can only be gauged if there is some level of interaction before the marriage.The above mentioned statistic was further reinforced when the students were asked about the optimum length of time for knowing ones future spouse before marriage. Although a quarter of the respondents did say that knowing ones future spouse for about 6 months is necessary, the majority of these respondents were male. 34.5% of female respondents from Karachi and 27.1% of female respondents from Lahore were of the view that there was no need to know ones spouse before marriage again indicating confidence in their parents ability to choose a spouse who was appropriate for them.The conclusions that Korson derives are insightful and can be used to explain todays phenomena of how traditional arranged marriages are wearing away. Korson says that because most families live in extended households, the presence of senior members of the family prevent any young student from initiating any change which runs counter to the belief systems held by the senior member s. Uncles, aunts, grand-parents ensure that the parents conservative view is supported and reinforced within the family. This is primarily because of the belief that if one person is given leeway in deciding their marriage decision, others in the family will follow suit, thus creating disorder and depriving the senior members of their authority.Korson further states that male respondents showed greater self-assurance and liberality in their responses whereas majority of females favoured conservative options. This is probably because of both males and females already judgement their own personal situations. He believed their answers on what they believed will happen with them with respect to marriage were based on the experience of someone close (sibling, cousin, friend) who had already been married and the respondents belief that their marriage will be conducted in the same manner because they belonged to the same caste, class or family.The last and most notable finding that Korson reveals is that the Pakistani university system is based on Western education and that in the race to achieving higher education (and resultant higher social standing), people are bound to be in touch with Western values and principles and to be influenced by them. The mindset of collectivism that is the root of traditional arranged marriages where it is popularly said that families marry each other will gradually and eventually be trumped by the Western ideal of individualism students will begin to make their marriage decisions based on their own personal liking instead of following age-old conservative customs entrenched in their baradaries . Today this mindset of individualism has interpreted hold in the mindset of urban educated youth who are striving to ensure that their decision be respected and upheld when it comes to marriage. The Western education system in combination with media (primarily progressive and romantic Bollywood films of the last decade and a half) have led t he youth to question the conservative practices that were previously held with much respect.Title Attitudes of University Students from India Toward Marriage and Family LifeAuthors Vicki T. Davis and Raghu N. SinghJournal International Journal of Sociology of the Family 1989, Vol. 19 (Autum) 43-57In this research, 83 Indian students in Texas Universities were asked about their opinions on marriage and family life. The report says that many social institutions in India have faced constant and gradual change. In India, the family is a very sacred institution and ranks second in importance after religion (Rao Rao, 1975). Many researches have been conducted to explore the impact of higher education on family patterns. When people go abroad to study, they experience greater freedom to make their own decisions and are no more bound by the controls of their families, and develop individuality, which may affect all family patterns of dwelling (Ross, 1961).In Rao Raos study (1976), 65% co llege students favorite(a) nuclear families as compared to 35% supporting joint families. A study by Sharma and Shriram (1979) surveyed 25 newly married Indian couples about their opinions on the selection of marriage partners. The importance of interaction with their future partners was stressed by 80% of the respondents. These couples believed it was necessary to meet, socialize with, and have the opportunity to truly get to know the potential marriage partner. The majority of the couples also thought that the main choice in the selection of the marital partner should be made by the individuals, with consent of the parents. When the same kind of questions were asked of graduate students in Pakistan in 1969, 65% believed it was important to meet and know ones potential spouse before marriage. 30% of the respondents believed that there was no need to meet the future spouse, thus indicating their confidence in their parents ability to find them a suitable match (Korson, 1969)Author Lord, Keelin (2007)Title Romantic Love vs. Marriage A Psychoanalytic Approach,Journal ESSAI Vol. 5, Article 30.The research by Keelin Lord questions and critcizes Western countries for promoting the concept of love marriage and explains the reasons behind the failure of love marriages and the hike number of divorces in America. Although there are many reasons why Pakistanis oppose the concept of love marriage including difference in social status between families, loss of parental authority and conservative mindset, the fact that love marriages lose their charm soon after the wedding is also an important factor.The writer says that the vehicle for promoting romance in American culture is its cinema industry. Romantic love has been portrayed in visual arts of western culture for centuries, such as operas, plays, dramas, paintings and films. Although these arts directly influence culture, most view art as an illusion as well as an escape from reality. Yet Americans still believe tha t romantic love is tangible and serves as a solid base for marriage. The writer further goes on to say that instead of taking romantic love as granted, it should be questioned and its mistakes should be learned from otherwise it will continue to be the cause of failed marriages.The writer conducted scientific tests on a number of participants to explain how the concept of love holds in an individuals mind. The tests revealed that romantic love is associated with higher levels of dopamine being released to the brain resulting in increased energy, higher motivation to acquite rewards and feelings of ecstasy things that people relate to romantic love. However, with time the feelings of romance fade away because of increased levels of the hormone oxytocin. Keeping these findings in mind, when romance is a base for marriage and attachment, the romance fades shortly after vows and the craving for a new romantic relationship evolves. In realizing this, one would begin to question why peop les now look for romance to provide them with a happy marriage.Primary ResearchMethodologyFocus GroupInterviewSurveyThe survey sample was 66, with the age group being 17-26 years. 31 males were part of the survey and 35 females. This is the data that was obtained for whether the sample people thought there has been an increased acceptance of love marriages in our society.Do you think there has been an acceptance of love marriages in our society?FrequencyPercent cumulative PercentYes5583.383.3No1116.7100.0Total66100.083.3% of the people (55 people) felt that there has been an increased acceptance of love marriages in our society and 16.6% (11 people) did not feel so. Of the 55 people who felt there was an increased acceptance, 28 were females and 27 males. And there was no correlation between gender and their opinion regarding acceptance of love marriages though, as analyzed by the Pearson correlation.When asked about whether Bollywood has played a role in the increasing number of lo ve marriages amongst youth in Pakistan, 71.2% of people felt that it has had a role to play (47 people). Of these 47 people, 22 were males and 25 were females.Do you believe Bollywood movies have a role to play in the increasing number of love marriages amongst youth in Pakistan?FrequencyPercentCumulative PercentValidYes4771.271.2No1928.828.8100.0Total66100.0One person said As far as I have seen, Bollywood movies have created this fantasy-like image of love marriages in the minds of youth and lead to our youth to aspi