In 2024, media is almost as omnipresent as the air we breathe.
According to Statista, the average U.S. adult in 2023 spent over 7.5 hours interacting with digital media and over 4.6 hours interacting with traditional media daily (eMarketer, 2023). With second-screen usage averaging 35% in the U.S. (YouGov, 2019), Americans spent an average of 1.6 hours each day dual-wielding – scrolling through their digital media content within the active backdrop of a television.
Backed by decades of research, Social Cognitive Theory illustrates how humans are often observation learners; this means we are all impressionable to some degree, consciously or unconsciously, to model and emulate the behavior of others we witness in real life or in the media we consume.
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Grasping Social Cognitive Theory
Grasping Social Cognitive Theory enhances our insight into how media visibility, or the lack thereof, shapes our perceptions. When media narratives consistently marginalize or omit certain groups, they not only diminish their societal presence but also subtly instruct others that these groups are less valuable or influential; this absence, termed 'symbolic annihilation,' profoundly impacts public perception, reinforcing stereotypes and widening societal divides. This underscores the importance of diverse media representation and the need for us to engage with the media we consume critically.
Even when media producers position their works as a solution to this problem or a rebuttal to the status quo, their portrayal of characters often undermines this goal by inadvertently reinforcing traditional norms and ideologies.
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A great example of this is 'Long Shot,' a 2019 romantic comedy produced by and starring Charlize Theron. Theron's character, Charlotte Field, the film's protagonist, is positioned as a powerful woman in U.S. politics. However, her effectiveness and likability are ultimately anchored by aspects of traditional femininity-her appearance and emotional responses-rather than her capabilities or achievements. This film, on the surface, aims to address the symbolic annihilation of women in U.S. politics. Still, as media scholar Kyra Heatly, Ph.D, argues, it reinforces traditional gender norms by showing Charlotte adapting to, rather than overturning, the existing standards (Lind, 2023, p. 196); this suggests that adherence to these traditional norms is essential for a woman's success in politics.
As a nation that consumes 12+ hours of media content daily
As a nation that consumes 12+ hours of media content daily, Heatly's argument underscores the critical need for media content that not only features symbolically annihilated groups in protagonist roles but also challenges, rather than perpetuates, traditional norms. Ensuring this can foster a more inclusive and reflective media landscape destined to empower rather than marginalize.
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References:
eMarketer. (July 12, 2023). Time spent per day with digital versus traditional media in the United States from 2011 to 2025 (in minutes) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/565628/time-spent-digital-traditional-media-usal
Lind, R. A. (2023). Race/gender/class/media: Considering diversity across audiences, content, and producers. Routledge.
YouGov. (January 17, 2019). How often, if ever, do you use your smartphone while you are simultaneously watching television on a separate device? [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved April 23, 2024, from https://www-statista-
com.libproxy.library.unt.edu/statistics/202982/frequency-of-smartphone-usage-while-
watching-tv-usal
