Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MIMIc (Malleability in mediated ideals: A paradigm to understand effects of contemporary media in adolescents’ well-being)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-07-01 al 2022-12-31
MIMIc will develop and establish a new theoretical perspective that will fundamentally redirect the current research on idealised representations of life in mass and social media and their effects on (adolescent) audiences. MIMIc combines insights from cultural sociology, media theory, and developmental psychology to define the effects of ‘malleable ideals’ in media. Malleable ideals are idealised representations of different achievements and are characterised by the malleability that surrounds these achievements; they approach ideals from a utilitarian, individualistic discourse that links personal responsibility and dedication with both the failure and success of achievements. By focusing on malleable ideals and thus applying a sociocultural analysis to media ideals, a crucial perspective will be added to our understanding of the development of adolescents and, more precisely, the pressures they experience. These pressures are viewed as an important factor in the relatively high prevalence of both internalising and externalising problems in adolescence. Content analytical, diary, and longitudinal studies in three different cultural contexts will be triangulated to develop a theoretical model: MIME. Content analyses map the extent to which media abound with aesthetic, sexual, professional, romantic, and social ideals as well as the importance of malleability in these representations. Longitudinal and diary research examine the internalisation of these ideals as a key explanatory process for the effects they may have both on outcomes regarding personal and societal problems and among different groups of adolescents. The multimethod approach further allows the theorisation and testing of the role of varying time intervals associated with understanding the effects of mediated ideals. For this research, the applicant who is experienced in multimethod research on media effects among adolescents will compose and lead a cross-national team of researchers.
OBJECTIVE 1
Conceptually-driven content analytical research to typify and categorise the malleable nature of ideals in different media outlets across Europe was organised in the past period (O1 was scheduled to address in Year 1 – Year 2 – Year 3).
Tasks that have been performed in view of O1:
• Conceptualisation of core concepts through relevant literature and the collection of relevant codebook instruments related to core concepts (WP1)
• Sampling of media for qualitative content analytical exploratory research, data collection, and data analyses that allow the construction of the final standardised codebook (WP1)
• Sampling of media for content analytical exploratory research: adolescent social media profiles (informing schools, obtaining active parental consent, obtaining active consent from adolescents across countries). Note that the adolescents for whom the profiles are being coded were also included in the longitudinal study. Practicalities regarding their (parental) consent for the content analytical/longitudinal research were bundled (WP2).
• Sampling of media for content analytical exploratory research: TV shows, movies, and celebrity social media profiles (WP2)
• Data collection and coding of relevant media (WP2)
Currently, the following tasks are still being conducted for some media:
• Data analysis (WP2)
• Reporting of results in targeted dissemination outlets (WP2)
Main results:
Different scripts to identify malleable ideals were identified across different media. For instance, as compared to audio-visual media, audio media appeared to cover even more differential manifestations of malleable ideal scripts. A total of 5 scripts to promote malleable ideals were identified in audio media (i.e. (1) Rags-to-Riches, (2) Deservingness-Reward, and (3) Deservingness-Punishment frames, (4) No-Pain-No-Gain and (5) Control-the-Ship). In social media content of celebrities, influencers and athletes, we identified a novel malleable mediated ideal type of script in which social media celebrities promote individuals to take individual responsibility in societal discussions. These types of messages relate to so-called lifestyle politics.
OBJECTIVES 2-4
The research for documentation and explanation of relationships between exposure to malleability in media content and adolescents’ attribution of responsibility for social inequities and their lower well-being (O2), as well as the identification of variations in these relationships according to different audience groups (O3) and time intervals (O4) has started (O2-O4 were scheduled to address in Y2-Y5).
Tasks that have been performed in view of O2-4:
• Conceptualisation of core concepts through relevant literature (WP1)
• Preparation of topic lists for online interviews, development of surveys for (pilot) diary-, and cross-sectional research and sampling of adolescents for pilot research (i.e. interviews, and cross-sectional research) (informing schools, asking active parental and adolescent consent) (WP1)
• Data collection of interviews in France/Slovenia/Belgium → analysing interview data → adopting measures based on interview data → requesting feedback from experts and adopting measures according to feedback → translating the newly developed measurement tools by TRAPD methodology and implementing adaptation according to feedback from native speakers → collecting data for pilot cross-sectional study among adolescents in three different countries (WP1)
• Data analysis of pilot studies (psychometric analyses) and adaption of measures, if necessary; reporting to key experts to finalise the development of measures (WP1)
• Dissemination of pilot research results and newly developed tools (WP1, partly completed)
• Summer school regarding diversity in arts, culture and media studies for PhD student Luca Carbone (Rotterdam, WP1)
• Summer school regarding quantitative text analysis for PhD student Luca Carbone (Essex, WP2)
• Summer school regarding diary data analyses for PhD student Gaëlle Vanhoffelen (Leuven, WP3)
• Research stay of PhD students Gaëlle Vanhoffelen and Anaëlle Gonzalez in France with French collaborator Prof. Giraudeau (WP3)
• Contacting of part of the adolescents and their parents from the longitudinal study sample to inform them about the additional study and request active consent from both parties to participate in a diary study. This phase coincided with the first online longitudinal data collection wave so that practicalities could be bundle (WP3)
• Contacting of the sample of adolescents and their parents to inform them about the longitudinal study and request active consent from both adolescents and parents to participate in a longitudinal research (WP4)
• Summer school regarding longitudinal data analyses for PhD students Jasmina Rosič, Anaëlle Gonzalez, and Gaëlle Vanhoffelen (Utrecht, WP4)
• Collecting longitudinal data for each wave online and asking adolescents to complete an online survey → ensuring the tracking of dropouts is accounted for after each data collection period
Main results:
The in-depth interviews in all countries gave some first indications about how individuals recognise and internalise narratives on malleable media ideals, and subsequently use these narratives to structure their world views (e.g. you need to work hard) (O2). Interestingly, malleable ideals were suggested to not be internalised by everyone (e.g. your success also depends on luck) (O3) and to also evoke positive effects in youth. Through inspiration and self-determination drivers, they were suggested to positively respond to malleable ideals on some days but not on other days (O4). The pilot survey research further preliminary supported some suggested correlations between exposure to malleable media ideals, and attribution of responsibility (individual vs. societal) for social inequities (O2). Overall the pattern did suggest, as was expected, that the links seem to depend on susceptibility variables (O3).
Several new measurement instruments were developed (i.e. exposure to televised malleable ideal characters, exposure to malleable ideal music artists, toxic performance interactions in gaming, internalization of the superstar ideal, internalization of meritocratic beliefs, the digital flourishing scale for adolescents, the perceived digital balance in adolescence scale, and the competent co-present smartphone use in adolescence scale).
Conceptually-driven content analytical research to typify and categorise the malleable nature of ideals in different media outlets across Europe was organised in the past period (O1 was scheduled to address in Year 1 – Year 2 – Year 3).
Tasks that have been performed in view of O1:
• Conceptualisation of core concepts through relevant literature and the collection of relevant codebook instruments related to core concepts (WP1)
• Sampling of media for qualitative content analytical exploratory research, data collection, and data analyses that allow the construction of the final standardised codebook (WP1)
• Sampling of media for content analytical exploratory research: adolescent social media profiles (informing schools, obtaining active parental consent, obtaining active consent from adolescents across countries). Note that the adolescents for whom the profiles are being coded were also included in the longitudinal study. Practicalities regarding their (parental) consent for the content analytical/longitudinal research were bundled (WP2).
• Sampling of media for content analytical exploratory research: TV shows, movies, and celebrity social media profiles (WP2)
• Data collection and coding of relevant media (WP2)
Currently, the following tasks are still being conducted for some media:
• Data analysis (WP2)
• Reporting of results in targeted dissemination outlets (WP2)
Main results:
Different scripts to identify malleable ideals were identified across different media. For instance, as compared to audio-visual media, audio media appeared to cover even more differential manifestations of malleable ideal scripts. A total of 5 scripts to promote malleable ideals were identified in audio media (i.e. (1) Rags-to-Riches, (2) Deservingness-Reward, and (3) Deservingness-Punishment frames, (4) No-Pain-No-Gain and (5) Control-the-Ship). In social media content of celebrities, influencers and athletes, we identified a novel malleable mediated ideal type of script in which social media celebrities promote individuals to take individual responsibility in societal discussions. These types of messages relate to so-called lifestyle politics.
OBJECTIVES 2-4
The research for documentation and explanation of relationships between exposure to malleability in media content and adolescents’ attribution of responsibility for social inequities and their lower well-being (O2), as well as the identification of variations in these relationships according to different audience groups (O3) and time intervals (O4) has started (O2-O4 were scheduled to address in Y2-Y5).
Tasks that have been performed in view of O2-4:
• Conceptualisation of core concepts through relevant literature (WP1)
• Preparation of topic lists for online interviews, development of surveys for (pilot) diary-, and cross-sectional research and sampling of adolescents for pilot research (i.e. interviews, and cross-sectional research) (informing schools, asking active parental and adolescent consent) (WP1)
• Data collection of interviews in France/Slovenia/Belgium → analysing interview data → adopting measures based on interview data → requesting feedback from experts and adopting measures according to feedback → translating the newly developed measurement tools by TRAPD methodology and implementing adaptation according to feedback from native speakers → collecting data for pilot cross-sectional study among adolescents in three different countries (WP1)
• Data analysis of pilot studies (psychometric analyses) and adaption of measures, if necessary; reporting to key experts to finalise the development of measures (WP1)
• Dissemination of pilot research results and newly developed tools (WP1, partly completed)
• Summer school regarding diversity in arts, culture and media studies for PhD student Luca Carbone (Rotterdam, WP1)
• Summer school regarding quantitative text analysis for PhD student Luca Carbone (Essex, WP2)
• Summer school regarding diary data analyses for PhD student Gaëlle Vanhoffelen (Leuven, WP3)
• Research stay of PhD students Gaëlle Vanhoffelen and Anaëlle Gonzalez in France with French collaborator Prof. Giraudeau (WP3)
• Contacting of part of the adolescents and their parents from the longitudinal study sample to inform them about the additional study and request active consent from both parties to participate in a diary study. This phase coincided with the first online longitudinal data collection wave so that practicalities could be bundle (WP3)
• Contacting of the sample of adolescents and their parents to inform them about the longitudinal study and request active consent from both adolescents and parents to participate in a longitudinal research (WP4)
• Summer school regarding longitudinal data analyses for PhD students Jasmina Rosič, Anaëlle Gonzalez, and Gaëlle Vanhoffelen (Utrecht, WP4)
• Collecting longitudinal data for each wave online and asking adolescents to complete an online survey → ensuring the tracking of dropouts is accounted for after each data collection period
Main results:
The in-depth interviews in all countries gave some first indications about how individuals recognise and internalise narratives on malleable media ideals, and subsequently use these narratives to structure their world views (e.g. you need to work hard) (O2). Interestingly, malleable ideals were suggested to not be internalised by everyone (e.g. your success also depends on luck) (O3) and to also evoke positive effects in youth. Through inspiration and self-determination drivers, they were suggested to positively respond to malleable ideals on some days but not on other days (O4). The pilot survey research further preliminary supported some suggested correlations between exposure to malleable media ideals, and attribution of responsibility (individual vs. societal) for social inequities (O2). Overall the pattern did suggest, as was expected, that the links seem to depend on susceptibility variables (O3).
Several new measurement instruments were developed (i.e. exposure to televised malleable ideal characters, exposure to malleable ideal music artists, toxic performance interactions in gaming, internalization of the superstar ideal, internalization of meritocratic beliefs, the digital flourishing scale for adolescents, the perceived digital balance in adolescence scale, and the competent co-present smartphone use in adolescence scale).
The MIMIc project is the first to unravel the nature and prevalence of malleable ideal scripts in media contents popular with adolescents (O1). The project adds a new bias that has to be considered when discussing the effects of popular media. New codebooks were developed to further identify these scripts in popular media.
To address the effects of these scripts on adolescent developments, a procedure for social media data donation and linkage study (O1-O4), and new measurement instruments (O2-O4) were developed. Moreover, a three wave panel study in three European countries was conducted of which the results are expected in 2023. Next a series of diary studies will further inform on the daily effects of malleable mediated ideals on adolescents.
To address the effects of these scripts on adolescent developments, a procedure for social media data donation and linkage study (O1-O4), and new measurement instruments (O2-O4) were developed. Moreover, a three wave panel study in three European countries was conducted of which the results are expected in 2023. Next a series of diary studies will further inform on the daily effects of malleable mediated ideals on adolescents.