Evaluation Activity - Extended Task - Representations - Stereotype Theory

   Representation is best defined as the way in which people, ideas and events are presented to us in the form of media text. In our case, this is the way in which our Trailer, Magazine Front Cover and poster is used to present these certain types of people and events.

   Our main character; Aran is represented in a number of ways throughout our trailer. First of all, a huge part of the trailer can be seen as him training which connotes hard working and motivated. This is something that may not be associated with the working class but is a successful topic that surrounds the working class when looking at media and I found this out in our audience profiling through the rocky movies which shares similar connotations and was highly popular amongst the working middle class audience.
  
    Tessa Perkins (1979) produced a stereotype theory consisting of 10 criteria regarding stereotypes. these are:-
 

1. Stereotypes are always erroneous (incorrect) in content

2. They are pejorative concepts (express disapproval)
3. They are about groups with whom we have little or no social contact; by implication, therefore, they are not held about one's own group
4. They are about minority (or oppressed) groups
5. They are simple
6. They are rigid and do not change
7. They are not structurally reinforced
8. The existence of contradictory stereotypes is evidence that they are erroneous, but of nothing else
9. People either 'hold' stereotypes (believe them to be true) or do not
10. Because someone holds a stereotype of a group, his or her behaviour towards the group can be predicted

   Stereotypes have been seen to be unethical and wrong to put people in different stereotype groups but is understood that putting humans in categories is a fundamental process for humans to make sense of the world. It provides structure to these ideas of representation of people, experiences and people.

   Our trailer does fill some of the criteria posed by Tessa Perkins such as having very simple stereotypes of Aran being hard-working and motivated. Furthermore, our trailer sub-verts from some of the criteria as Aran is seen as an individual and can be identified towards individuals. Despite this, he is also seen as a minority as he is an individual and this adds to the storyline that he is facing struggles.

   Another representational theory is George Gerbners Mean world syndrome.This is where the audience watches and views so much media that the believe the stereotypes portrayed by these forms of media. Combined with Tessa Perkins theory of stereotypes being erroneous, Gerbener suggested that media is hugely influential and offers false information which misleads audiences.
   Our trailer would have a positive representation of George gerbners theory in regards of the main character being hard working and motivated. However, there are negative stereotypes that can be identified as Aran being aggressive as boxing is surrounded by aggression and this puts the label of the working class being aggressive which is a common stereotype associated with them which is somthing that I found out during my research stage.

   A final theory that can be assocaited with our trailer is Claude Steele's Cultivation theory. This suggests that social groups conform to the stereotypes that the media show. I believe that our trailer shows very positive representations of characters within it. Thus the cultivation theory is shown as more of a positive light in regards to our trailer. For example, if the working middle class were to see our trailer, Claude Steele suggests that they should conform to the stereotypes that we offer.