To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Research Paper Example

To what extent do the mass media influence their audience Paper It is generally believed that daily newspapers, television, radio, films, the Internet, or any form of message communication that is targeted at a large audience has an influence on behaviour, (Moore 1996) but to what extent? How much influence do the mass media really have on society and the individuals within a society that have now become a media loyal audience? (Moore 1996) and how do people gauge the extent of this influence? The aim of this essay is to look at the theories of the mass media effects. Such effect theories as the hypodermic-syringe model, the cultural effects theory, the two-step flow model, and the uses and gratification theory, and then determine from these theories the true extent of the mass media influence upon society. The Hypodermic-syringe model, that is also referred to as the silver bullet model (Schramm Porter 1982) is the idea that the mass media are so powerful that they can inject their messages into the audience. Or that, like a magic bullet, they can be precisely targeted at an audience, who irresistibly fall down when hit by the bullet. In brief, it is the idea that the makers of media messages can get people to do whatever they want them to do. (Schramm Porter 1982) Whilst it could be argued that no media analyst holds such a view today, it remains popular amongst the public and the media moralists. For instance, in the aftermath of the murder of a young child, Jamie Bulger, in the United Kingdom in 1993 by two young boys, the video of childs play 3, in which a similar kind of murder was to be seen, was evoked as a cause of the murder. Macionis Plummer 1998 p593) Whilst it is possible to say that the film may have played a part, along with other factors, it cannot be said to have simply caused the two boys to murder the young child. (Macionis Plummer 1998) We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent do the mass media influence their audience specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent do the mass media influence their audience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent do the mass media influence their audience specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Another factor was that the senior police officers that interviewed the two young boys at the time agreed that there was no evidence that either child had even seen the video of childs play 3. (J. Petley 1994) Many theorists believe that it is really more of a folk belief than a model. Chapman 2000) It could be argued that methodologically, the model is very weak because it ignores the fact that social characteristics of audiences differ in terms of class, age, gender and ethnicity. (Chapman 2000) But still the theory that people are passively injected with media messages crops up repeatedly in the popular media whenever there is an unusual or grotesque crime, which they can somehow link to supposedly excessive media violence or sex and which is then typically taken up by politicians who call for greater control of media output. If it applies at all, then probably only in the rare circumstances where all competing messages are rigorously excluded, such as in a totalitarian state. Nazi Germany being a prime example, where Dr Joseph Goebbels centrally controlled the mass media, and in doing so, he influenced a country into believing that Adolf Hitler was the saviour of Germany. (Wistrich 1997) As you read through the various approaches however, it could be argued that a rather weaker version of the hypodermic syringe model underlies many of them, notably in the cultural effects approach. The cultural effects approach or the mass-culture theory, as it is otherwise known implies that some of the media audience will accept media messages rather uncritically and in other cases resist media messages. (Haralambos Holborn 2000) Clearly this suggests not only different types of media messages but also the idea of different audiences. (Haralambos Holborn 2000) It could be argued that the media actually target these different audiences, these cultures, and effect the way these people look upon the world. The idea is that the mass media have created a mass culture in society, but, at the same time, they have the effect of maintaining cultural individuality. (Burton 2002) The idea that the mass media has created a mass culture in society is particularly associated with Marxism. (Chapman 2000) Marxists argue that the once popular cultures or folk cultures used to be the product of the family and revolved around such activities as folk music, dancing, folk tales and carnivals, but now, in a capitalist society, they argue that it is no longer a product of the family but more down to mass production, or more commonly, the mass media. Chapman 2000) It is seen by Marxists, such as Marcuse in particular that people have become passive recipients of culture rather than actively participating in it. (Chapman 2000) Marcuse believed that people consequently absorb mentally, such things as violent images from movies or television, and then, just as any advertising is seen to do, it gives an appeti te for things that the viewer cannot have, and therefore fuels crimes. (Chapman 2000) Although Marxists such as Marcuse have argued that this type of popular culture is responsible for stifling creativity, imagination and critical thought in society, (Chapman 2000) a number of the mass-culture arguments have come from other directions. Pluralists argue that the pre-industrial folk culture has been over romanticised by the Marxist critics and they also argue that the mass media in modern society has also had a positive effect on people. They claim that literacy has been encouraged, and knowledge and awareness of the world around them has been encouraged. They claim that people have much more choice of cultural products and opinions than they ever had before. (Chapman 2000) In many ways, the mass-culture theory, or the cultural effects approach is similar to the hypodermic-syringe model of media effects and like that model, it is also difficult to prove an effect. (Chapman 2000) It is generally believed that a more acceptable approach is the two-step flow theory for understanding the influence that the mass media have on their audience. The two-step flow model is slightly different to the previous two methods, in that it suggests that people are not influenced directly by the media. It implies that people interpret media messages through a framework of attitudes that they acquire from primary groups or opinion leaders. It was first recognised by Paul Lazarsfeld, along with Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet (Lazarsfeld, Berelson, Gaudet 1948) in The Peoples Choice, a paper analyzing the voters decision-making processes during an early nineteenth century presidential election campaign. Lazarsfeld found that voters, who already knew how they were going to vote in the election, had read and listened to more campaign material than the people who still did not know how they would vote. (Lazarsfeld, Berelson, Gaudet 1948) The researchers found that voters who made a decision late in the campaign were not likely to be influenced by the media, but rather by opinion leaders who swayed their vote. It as been suggested that these so called opinion leaders are not a general characteristic of a person, but rather, limited to specific issues. It is seen that, any Individual, who acts as the opinion leader on one issue, may not be considered influential in regard to another issue. (Burton 2002) Their research was originally based on something like the simplistic hypodermic syringe model of media influence. However, their investigations suggested that media effects were minimal, that the conception of a mass audience was inadequate and misguided and that social influences had a major effect on the process of opinion formation and limited the medias effect. (Burton 2002) As with the other two methods, it could also be argued that the two-step flow method also has its arguments. One being that the Influence, if any, or be it a small amount of influence, tended to be straight across a particular social economic class, except that in the higher social classes there was a tendency for people to find opinion leaders in the next class up. No opinion leader was an opinion leader in all aspects of life. (Burton 2002) For example, a car mechanic in the local pub may not use the media much at all because hes always working late. Nevertheless, he knows a lot about cars and so what the rest of those in the pub know from the media about different makes of car will be influenced by his views. Similarly, a Politics lecturer for example, may not use the media anything like as much as his or her students do, but the lecturers reading and viewing is targeted on political issues. Together with the lecturers broad knowledge of political theory and history, which is likely to make the lecturer the opinion leader as far as the Politics class is concerned. Allowing for the differences from one class to another and from one subject area to another, people could probably recognize in opinion leaders the characteristics which Lazarsfeld suggested, in particular that opinion leaders will be more active users of the mass media than others, (Burton 2002) As a result of this theory, attention began to turn from the question of what the media do to the audience to what the audience do with the media, or, the uses and gratifications theory The uses and gratifications theory focuses on the active use made of the media by the audience itself, to seek gratification of a variety of needs. (Chapman 2000) The standard saying is that, where effects research asks, What do the media do to audiences? the uses and gratifications approach asks, What do audiences do with the media? (Chapman 2000) In this theory, it is said that audiences use the media to gratify needs. The needs being most commonly identified as surveillance, such as monitoring whats going on in the world, or, personal relationships, family interaction, or just to escape from a normal routine. (Chapman 2000) Readers of a newspaper for example, might open the paper, turn past the hard news and head straight for the gossip section, or to the stars section because they need entertainment. Also, as with television, one person might understand their favourite soap opera because their favourite character holds power, and they relate it to their own needs for power. Another person may understand the same soap opera as being mainly about love and understanding because they have strong needs for security and choose to bring out those aspects of the story in their minds. (Burton 2002) But as with all the theories, the uses and gratifications theory also holds arguments. The biggest argument directed at the Uses and Gratifications theory, is that it is seen as being non-theoretical. Other arguments are that it is seen as being vague in key concepts, and being nothing more than a data-collecting strategy. However it is still the most modern theory to date. (ODonnell G, 1994) After looking at the theories of mass media effects, to actually determine the mass media influence upon their audience is no easy task. It could be argued that modern theories of the mass media effect, such as the two-step flow theory or the uses and gratification theory show that people are more likely to reinforce existing attitudes and behavior than to change them. It could be argued that peoples existing attitudes act as a protective net preventing any direct effect at all. It could be said that the media has most influence when an audience lacks knowledge and clear opinions, as with the hypodermic-syringe model or the cultural effects theory. (ODonnell G, 1994) Even so, after looking at these theories, there is no overwhelming evidence that the mass media actually influences its audience at all. However, there is more evidence, to suggest that the audience actually influences the mass media. (Chapman 2000)

saliva cortisol essays

saliva cortisol essays An increased amount of cortisol is released in response to a stressor which lasts longer than a few minutes this is released through a system called the hypothalomic-pituatry-adrenal axis (HPA axis). HPA axis is the combined system of corticopin-releasing hormone (CRH) adrenocorticotropohic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol release. Cortisol release is controlled by the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) which is positioned in the hypothalamus it is here that CRH is released when the person is put under stress this in turn causes the release of ACTH by acting on the pituitary gland this ACTH then causes the adrenal cortex to release cortisol. Cortisol is usually released in approximately fifteen minute bursts this occurs as CRH and ACTH are only released in pulses not a prolonged release over time this results in the level of cortisol dips between these pulses. Cortisol itself has roughly a half life of 100 minutes in blood. A prolonged burst of ACTH can cause the adrenal cortex to increase in size so that it can cope with the extra production of cortisol where as the opposite occurs if there is a decrease in the long term production of ACTH. The level of cortisol in the body is kept at safe levels by a process of negative and positive feedback throughout the brain. A certain amount of cortisol is always found in the bloodstream. Much like other things cortisol also has a circadian rhythm controlled by the suprachiasmatic nucleus the bodys internal clock. Cortisol peaks are found in the morning at approximately eight to ten oclock with the lowest amounts of cortisol being found in the evening before bedtime. This is due to the suprachiasmatic nucleus sending messages to the paraventricular nucleus approximately every hour causing CRH to be released resulting in the release of cortisol as described earlier. Abnormal circadian rhythms have been found in people with illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, se...

Kaiser Wilhelm II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Kaiser Wilhelm II - Essay Example The period between 1888 and 1914 saw rapid growth of Germany as an economic and military dominance. On the other hand, Europe was largely divided into different opposing camps due to the suspicion arising from allies that were formed during this period. The mistrust culminated into the World War 1, where Germany experienced the worst defeat in the century. Consequently, there was the abolishment of German monarchical rule, and all this was blamed on Wilhelm’s actions and character (Imperial War Museums 1). Additionally, the miscalculated judgments by Wilhelm led to the dismissal of Bismarck in 1890. Moreover, Wilhelm II disrupted the political system that had existed in Europe (Imperial War Museums 1). This was largely seen through strained relationship that existed between Germany and Britain. In addition, as Germany engaged in supporting the Boers against Britain, this hastened the development of strong ties between France and Britain to the detriment of Germany (Imperial Wa r Museums 1). This also increased isolation of Germany to the rest of Europe. The other essential thing to note is Wilhelm’s support of Austria-Hungary against Serbia. This opened doors for strenuous relations between various allies in Europe. This was detrimental to Germany and Europe and was utterly opposite of the situation in the last quarter of 19th century. ... He adopted different form of governing for over two decades before the beginning of the First World War. The form of governance was different as compared to the one practiced by Bismarck. The governance was more liberal and compared to the conservative nature adopted by Bismarck. He engaged in aggressive and expansionist political course entirely in the name of maintaining Germany position in Europe. All these far-reaching policies acted as a recipe to war in 1914. This was because the policies adopted by Wilhelm II destabilized the relative peace that Bismarck had managed to restore. However, the foreign policy remained the same throughout this period as what was envisioned in the unification of Germany. Moreover, there was the adoption of a German constitution in this period that envisaged the militaristic foundation of the new empire. The constitution gave all sections of the government real political power. The sections included the Bundesrat, the Reichstag, Prussian cabinet and the military establishment. The election of the Reichstag was by all males over the age of 24 (Imperial War Museums 1). This gave Germany a law making body that had similar democratic principles to the rest of Europe. However, all the different factions of the government were under Wilhelm II. As a result, Wilhelm had enormous political power and this was instrumental to the institutionalization of ‘personal rule’ as envisioned in his dreams (Imperial War Museums 1). Secondly, Wilhelm made a political decision that was not expected by many in Germany at this period. He forced Bismarck to resign in 1890. This was seen as resulting from variation in political ideologies. This was because Bismarck was conservative as compared to Wilhelm 11 liberal approach. This provided

The shift from specific social science subjects to current Essay

The shift from specific social science subjects to current multidisciplinary approaches - Essay Example The changes this is creating leads into a different set of definitions of what it means to receive a specific education while having the correct approaches to learning within the classroom. Exploring the understanding of movement from social studies and sciences into multidisciplinary approaches to learning within the classroom also conveys a deeper understanding of how education can work from a variety of perspectives and in terms of the necessary components of teaching, education and how learning can be enhanced by using a variety of approaches. However, a variety of perspectives and studies all relate to different factors which change the understanding and outcome of social sciences and learning with multidisciplinary approaches. The traditional approach to teaching the social sciences is based on offering historical facts and figures while moving through highlighted events within history. This particular approach in the curriculum is one which is now being recognized as ineffective. While the historical facts and figures are developed with student retention, there is often little to no association with the facts and figures to the current events. This is combined with the lack of understanding of how the particular historical events affect those who are a citizen of a particular country. The ideology of multidisciplinary learning challenges the concept of traditional learning to an expanded curriculum. The ideology is to create a personal relationship to the materials while expanding the awareness of students with the material that is being learned. Multidisciplinary ideologies consist of everything from adding in personal and social relationships to the material to combining the curriculum with other format s of teaching, such as other topics or literature. The initiative which is taken is based on a re-examination of the materials which are being taught and what this means to students when they are beginning to understand the philosophies of social studies and the importance which this holds (Clark, 2008). Citizenship Education The first approach which is now considered with multidisciplinary education and social studies is citizenship education. There are many which are showing that the concept of history is not only to learn about historical facts and figures. There is also a direct correlation between the approach with citizenship to a country and the way in which one’s perspective alters toward the country. If there is not the ability to understand the historical factors within a country, then one cannot become a responsible citizen while having different opinions, social responsibilities and political actions which are taken. By changing the curriculum to incorporate socia l responsibility and citizenship, there is also the ability to begin altering the way in which social and cultural movements occur in terms of political terms and conditions. Changing the approaches to teaching so it correlates with meaning behind being a citizen is one which is then able to develop a different alternative in terms of educational development as well as the relationship which one holds to the historical ideologies which are taking place through current events. There are a variety of factors which show that social studies are not only linked to the main topic and sets of facts but also to other multidisciplinary approaches. The first is with the understanding of citizenship and what it means to be a part of a nation. The concept of being a citizen within a nation becomes an important term. It links directly to the understanding of the country, relationships to different historical facts and the responsibility which one takes in turn of being a citizen. However, this c annot be

The Epistemology of Hume and Kant Essay Example for Free

The Epistemology of Hume and Kant Essay According to David Hume, the perceptions of the mind can be divided into two classes that are â€Å"distinguished by their different degrees of force and vivacity† (Hume, 2, 12). These two classes Hume designates as Thoughts (or Ideas) and Impressions. Ideas are â€Å"less lively perceptions† and Impressions are the â€Å"more lively perceptions. † Kant assumes that Ideas are merely weaker copies of Impressions. According to Hume, â€Å"the most lively thought is still inferior to the dullest sensation† (2, 11 par. 1). The remembrance of perception is merely a copy of actual perception, and all ideas are merely weaker copies of Impressions. Hume explains that it will seem that thought is unbounded and limitless, but actually thought is â€Å"confined within very narrow limits. † The apparent boundless creativity of the mind comes from â€Å"compounding, transposing, augmenting, or diminishing the materials afforded us by the senses and experience† (2, 13 par. 1-2). By this Hume means that no matter how far-fetched the products of imagination becomes, all ideas are connected and ultimately traceable to an Impression or Impressions. (3, 18). According to Hume, the mind normally connects ideas with each other through one or more of three basic principles: Resemblance, Contiguity, and Cause-and-Effect (3, 19), and that â€Å"all reasonings concerning matter of fact seem to be founded on the relation of Cause and Effect. † (4. 1, 22). However, Hume claims knowledge of cause and effect, without exception, is never attained by a priori reasoning. All knowledge of cause and effect comes entirely from experience. (4. 1, 23 par. 2). â€Å"Every effect is a distinct event from its cause. It could not, therefore, be discovered in the cause. † (4. 1, 25, par. 2). All reasoning can be categorized into two: demonstrative reasoning (concerning relations of ideas) and (intuitive) moral reasoning (concerning matter of fact and existence). Hume points out that all thought concerning existence are based on cause-and-effect, which in turn is based entirely on experience. Any conclusions that we derive from experience are based on the assumption that events of the future will conform to events of the past. (4. 2, 30 par. 2). However, this is not intuitive nor demonstrative (4. 2, 32). For instance, there is no process of argument through which, for instance, a person can conclude that whenever a billiard ball is hit by another billiard ball, it will move. (4. 2, 33 par 2). Even a highly intelligent person who for the first time observes the world would witness a sequence of events but would not be able to determine any cause and effect relationships between what he witnesses. â€Å"Such a person, without more experience, could never employ his conjecture or reasoning concerning any matter of fact, or be assured of anything beyond what was immediately present to his memory and senses. † But eventually, through experience, he will be able to form conclusions about the cause-and-effect relationships of events and objects. (5. 1, 35 par 1). According to Hume, the principle through which a person can form these conclusions is Custom or Habit (5. 1, 36). Hume’s concluding words are that any piece of literature that does not have â€Å"abstract reasoning concerning quantity or number† nor â€Å"experimental reasoning concerning matter of fact and existence† â€Å"†¦can contain nothing but sophistry and illusion. † The nature of knowledge according to Immanuel Kant For Immanuel Kant, knowledge (and thus reality) is constructed by the mind, not passively derived through the senses. In other words, the mind shapes the world. Kants Critique of Pure Reason is an attempt to answer the problems of the nature of knowledge—what it is and how it is obtained. Kant looks at the relationship between a priori knowledge, or knowledge based on reason alone, and a posteriori knowledge, or knowledge gained from the world. According to Kant, we have a priori intuitions and concepts. We have innate, logical knowledge, and this knowledge enables us to grasp a posteriori knowledge, to â€Å"understand† the external world. For example, Kants view is that space and time are just mental constructs, that space and time are forms of seeing, which serves as a precept to our experiences (Kant, a20-a23, a25-a38). Another example is the notion of causality, which in Kants view is a form of organizing mechanism that we impose upon nature to render it understandable (2a1-2a19). Kant argued that reality, as we perceive it, cannot be accounted for purely by sense perception. Kant holds that what we refer to and perceive as the external world is an artifice of the mind. His argument is that the mind itself contributes substantially to, and even synthesizes, its own knowledge (i11). According to Kant, the appearances of things are â€Å"objects of intuition†, which is one form of (mental) representation. For him this includes physical sensations (such as pain). Kants view is that appearances do not exist by themselves, but only relatively to external reality. That is, appearances do not exist independently of the human power of representation (t21). According to this view, the world, as we perceive it, is not actual reality, but is a phenomenon of actual reality as constructed by the mind. He argues that the shape of an object, for example, does not come from the object itself, but comes from us, as a result of interaction with the object Sensory input needs to be processed and recognized through the filter of the mind or it would not mean anything to us. For Kant, there are things-in-themselves, which exist independently of the human mind, and appearances, which exist only in the mind. The existence of appearances, according to Kant, entails the existence of things-in-themselves, but not in the way that we know. Thus, since the existence of things-in-themselves is just a hypothesis, the relationship of our perceptions to actual reality remains suspect, and we can never really be sure if what we perceive are not just purely constructs of the mind (p38). Hence, for him, we can never really know the â€Å"true† reality, because this reality is only perceived as it is filtered through our senses, senses that structure reality. We can only gain knowledge of appearances. Criticism of Hume There are some important difficulties in Hume’s work that he fails to address. One flaw in Hume’s arguments that Kant points out is that one of Hume’s fundamental assumptions is that perceptions (or Impressions) correspond exactly to the â€Å"real† world, although for many other philosophers the very nature of reality was a problem. Another is that Hume assumes that all knowledge comes from experience, but the notion of causation and necessity are also not explained by Hume, who claims that everything that one knows is ultimately traceable to the senses. It can be argued that the perception of causation and necessity come from a priori knowledge. References Hume, David. â€Å"An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. † 23 Dec 2006. http://www. gutenberg. org/dirs/etext06/8echu10. txt. Kant, Immanuel. â€Å"Critique of Pure Reason. †

Technology †The Last Great Frontier :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Technology – The Last Great Frontier Introduction The technological frontier marks one of the last chapters in the development of American society. We have survived the cultivation of land, ranging from the first exploration of Christopher Columbus to the last expeditions of Buffalo Bill and the Wild West. Now, as there is no longer any land to explore, we must focus our attention on the rapidly increasing technological age. Without a doubt technology has blazed a pathway to a new and unmapped educational frontier. This frontier is pioneered by a completely new academic system: distance learning. The "distance learning" frontier features education of students from outside the traditional classroom setting through the use of technology. For example, quizzes are taken online, classes are taught over televisions, and degrees are earned on the Internet. Although this new and unexplored path has vastly expanded our academic horizons, just like the West expanded our country, we must not travel into the frontier without nurturing it first. In order to fully utilize technology we must cultivate the technology frontier in order to tame its communicational dangers. Background Just as the West promised to satisfy the needs and dreams of the American people in the nineteenth century, technology promises to satisfy our educational goals in the twenty-first century. The introduction of the Internet in the 1980’s served as the first pioneer to the technological frontier. Never before in history had academic information been so readily available at the click of a button. This new system of learning sparked excitement and interest in the minds of students and faculty members because it provided a potentially better way of learning. At first glance, the technological frontier creates an illusion of a quick and convenient educational system; however, this is not totally true. The technology frontier is still a new and unmapped territory, and there have not been an abundance of studies or writings that explain its possible benefits or dangers. Chris Piotrowski and Stephen Vodanovich, pioneers in the expansion of technological based learning, conducted a synthesis of the available research in the field. Their procedure for identifying relevant studies was to conduct a series of searches on educational databases. The results showed that "investigations about technological based instruction have not been supported by the extent of literature" (3). The conductors of this experiment claim that successful ways to incorporate technology into education have not been carefully examined or researched. Technology – The Last Great Frontier :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers Technology – The Last Great Frontier Introduction The technological frontier marks one of the last chapters in the development of American society. We have survived the cultivation of land, ranging from the first exploration of Christopher Columbus to the last expeditions of Buffalo Bill and the Wild West. Now, as there is no longer any land to explore, we must focus our attention on the rapidly increasing technological age. Without a doubt technology has blazed a pathway to a new and unmapped educational frontier. This frontier is pioneered by a completely new academic system: distance learning. The "distance learning" frontier features education of students from outside the traditional classroom setting through the use of technology. For example, quizzes are taken online, classes are taught over televisions, and degrees are earned on the Internet. Although this new and unexplored path has vastly expanded our academic horizons, just like the West expanded our country, we must not travel into the frontier without nurturing it first. In order to fully utilize technology we must cultivate the technology frontier in order to tame its communicational dangers. Background Just as the West promised to satisfy the needs and dreams of the American people in the nineteenth century, technology promises to satisfy our educational goals in the twenty-first century. The introduction of the Internet in the 1980’s served as the first pioneer to the technological frontier. Never before in history had academic information been so readily available at the click of a button. This new system of learning sparked excitement and interest in the minds of students and faculty members because it provided a potentially better way of learning. At first glance, the technological frontier creates an illusion of a quick and convenient educational system; however, this is not totally true. The technology frontier is still a new and unmapped territory, and there have not been an abundance of studies or writings that explain its possible benefits or dangers. Chris Piotrowski and Stephen Vodanovich, pioneers in the expansion of technological based learning, conducted a synthesis of the available research in the field. Their procedure for identifying relevant studies was to conduct a series of searches on educational databases. The results showed that "investigations about technological based instruction have not been supported by the extent of literature" (3). The conductors of this experiment claim that successful ways to incorporate technology into education have not been carefully examined or researched.

Final Examination Essay

1. The essential steps in performing a systems study are (in order of occurrence): a) Analysis, design, implementation and initial operation, follow‑up b) Design, planning, follow‑up, analysis, and implementation c) Planning, system specification, analysis, production, implementation d) Planning, analysis, design, implementation, and follow‑up 2. Which of the following is intended to solve the problem that financial data used in one application is not easily transferable to other applications? a) XMP b)ERP c) XBRL d) XMLP 3.Information systems auditors are: a) Auditors who are concerned with analyzing risks associated with computerized information systems b) Individuals who often work closely with financial auditors c) Auditors who have a lot of technical expertise related to information technology d) all of the above 4. Which of the following is not an ability of client/server computing? a) Alter data stored elsewhere on the network b) Process a transaction that may affect data stored on both client and server computers c) Query or manipulate the warehoused data on the server d) Increased networking capabilities between different file formats on multiple systems 5. Software that enables businesses and government agencies to transmit and manipulate financial data on an organization-wide basis best describes: a. Communication software b. CAD software c. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software d. Programming software 6. All of the following are programming languages except: a. Java b. HTML c. C++ d. COBOL e. ERP 7. Data flow diagrams: a)Accomplish the same purpose as system flowcharts b)Are different from system flowcharts since they focus on a logical view of the information system c)Are useless for planning a new system d)Are never used in analyzing an existing system 8. All of the following are controls for end-user computing except: a) Formally evaluate large projects b) Formalize documentation standards c) Limit the number of employees authorized to create end-user applications d) all of the above are important controls 9. The textbook identified seven reasons why documentation of an AIS is important. For which of the following reasons would the user guides, procedure manuals and operating instructions be most important? a) Depicting how the system works b) Training users c) Designing new systems d) Standardizing communications with others 10. Business organizations are recognizing the value of sales data and are purchasing software solutions to gather, maintain, and use these data to provide better service and promote customer loyalty. These software solutions are called: a) Customer relations data solutions b) Customer relationship management solutions c) Sales data management solutions d) none of the above 11. Which of the following statements best describes business process outsourcing? a) A company focuses on its core business processes and contracts with another firm to do the other processes b) Companies frequently outsource core business processes c) Due to networked enterprises and advanced technology, more employees may work from their homes or alternate locations d) Initially, companies engaged in business process outsourcing to offer employees more opportunities to travel and more career choices for advancement 12. Networked enterprises and globalization have enabled a new business model called â€Å"business-without-boundaries.† Which of the following statements describes this business model? a) Companies no longer have all of their employees in one location b) It is called offshoring and companies contract with firms in other countries to do such business processes as human resources, payroll, and accounting c) Companies are under a great deal of scrutiny to manage costs and generate revenue so they contract with foreign firms to do various business processes at a lower cost to the company d) all of the above statements describe this model 13. Which of the following is not a concern of the financing process? a) Effective cash management b) Optimizing an organization’s cost of capital c) Minimizing an organization’s borrowings d) Projecting cash flows 14. Business process reengineering efforts sometimes fail because: a. Management gets too involved in the process e) Management is too optimistic regarding its expectations from its implementation b. Management support can never overcome employee resistance c. Employees will never accept change 15. Which of the following technologies are now used in conjunction with automated production process systems to increase efficiencies? a) Radio frequency technology b)Bar code scanners c) RF IDs and advanced electronic tags d)all of the above e)none of the above 16. According to the chapter, which of these statements is most accurate? a)Most computer abuse is performed as retaliation against employers b) Very little computer crime is committed for personal gain c) Some computer abuse is performed simply to meet a challenge d) We catch most computer abusers with good accounting controls 17.Which of the following is probably the primary reason accountants should be concerned about computer crime and abuse? a)They might lose their job if they don’t detect computer crime or abuse in their organization b)They might lose their professional credibility and license if computer crime or abuse continues for a long time in their organization and they do not detect it c)They are responsible for designing, implementing, and monitoring the control procedures for AISs d)none of the above 18.One of the major crimes identified by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 is intent to illegally obtain information or tangible property through the use of computers. Which of the following methods might accomplish this type of crime if the perpetrator can change data before, during, or after they are entered into a computer system? a)Salami technique b)Data diddling c)Shoulder surfing d)Trojan horse program 19.Regarding a company’s audit trail, which of the following statements is true? a) Because of the complexities involved in establishing an audit trail, a good audit trail normally makes it more difficult for an individual to follow the flow of a company’s business transactions through the  company’s information system b) In actuality, the audit trail established within a company’s information system is an unimportant element of the company’s internal control system When a company’s audit trail becomes more difficult to follow, this causes an increase in the risk of errors or irregularities taking place in the processing of accounting transactions and not being detected c) A company’s policies and procedures manual should not be part of its audit trail since confidential information is included within this manual 20.Which of the following statements is true regarding timely performance reports? a. In many companies, these reports are the major means of providing information to management concerning the actual operations of the companies’ internal control systems b. These reports should only include monetary data c. Since these reports fail to provide feedback to management on the operations of previously implemented internal control procedures, other techniques are needed to provide this feedback to managers d. The complexity that a computer introduces into a company’s information system will typically prevent the preparation of timely performance reports for the company’s management 21. _________________ describes the policies, plans, and procedures implemented by a firm to protect its assets. a) Internal control b) SAS No. 94 c) SOX, Section 404 d) Enterprise risk management 22. General controls within IT environments that affect personnel include: a) Use of computer accounts b) Separation of duties c) Informal knowledge of employees d) all of the above affect personnel 23. Which of the following best describes a fundamental control weakness  often associated with automated data processing systems? a. Automated ­ data processing equipment is more subject to systems error than manual processing is subject to human error b. Automated data processing equipment processes and records similar transactions in a similar manner c. Automated data processing procedures for detection of invalid and unusual transactions are less effective than manual control procedures d. Functions that would normally be separated in a manual system are combined in an automated data processing system 24. The textbook identifies a number of issues that should be considered when developing a security policy. One of the issues is â€Å"identify threats†. Which of the following is not an example of this issue? a) What assets need to be protected b) What are the sources of potential security problems c) External threats are viruses, worms, retaliations from former employees d) Internal threats are misuse of assets by employees and embezzlement 25 Which of these is not a phase in the life cycle of an information system? a) Planning b) Analysis c) Control d) Implementation 26. A poorly-planned information system can result in: a)Employee resistance and even sabotage b)Inflexible systems that are hard to maintain or modify c)Systems that solve the wrong problems d)all of these 27.Which of the following is not a general objective in the design of an information system? a)A system should provide information which is timely and relevant for decision making by management and operating personnel b)The output of a system should be highly accurate c)A system should have sufficient capacity to accommodate levels of normal activity; any additional capacity proves too costly in the long run d)A system should be as simple as permitted so that its structure and operation can be easily understood and its procedures easily accomplished e)A system should be flexible to accommodate changes of a reasonable magnitude when required 28. A computerized AIS is harder to audit than a manual system for all of the following reasons except: a) The file information is not human readable b) The volume of transaction records and master file records is usually much larger in computerized systems than in manual systems c) An audit trail does not exist in a computerized AIS d) Computerized systems often use remote real-time data processing, thus complicating the tracing of transaction records to their sources 29. Which of the following is not one of the groups of SOX compliance requirements? a) requirements to use an IT auditor to evaluate controls b) regulations governing executive reporting and conduct c) rules about financial statement reporting d) audit committee/corporate governance requirements 30. Three common techniques auditors use to test computer programs are: a) Test data, integrated test facilities, and parallel simulation b) Test data, edit checks, and integrated test facilities c) Test data, program change control, and parallel simulation d) Program change control, edit checks, and parallel simulation 31. The term data encryption refers to: a) Storing data in safe places called â€Å"crypts† b) Transforming data into secret codes c) Scrambling data in random ways that cannot be unscrambled d) none of these 32. The term key in the context of data encryption refers to: e) A physical key similar to a house key f) A logical key similar to the primary key of a data file g) A mathematical function used for encryption purposes e) A computer function key that can be found on keyboards 33. All of the following are benefits of XBRL except: a) Companies can file financial information in one format, avoiding the errors that may come from reentering data multiple times b) The SEC accepts XBRL-format for electronic filing of financial statement reports c) XBRL permits the automatic and reliable exchange of financial information across all software formats and technologies, including the Internet f) all of the above are benefits of XBRL d) none of the above are benefits of XBRL 34.All of these are reasons why databases are important to AISs except: a) AIS databases store valuable information b) Many AISs are large and therefore potentially unwieldy c) The databases of some organizations are very complex d) The hard disk space used to store AIS databases is comparatively expensive g) all of these are reasons why databases are important to AISs 35.A major advantage of relational databases is: a)All records are stored together b)No pointers are used c)An expandable index is used d)It closely resembles a flat file 36. In recent years many businesses have formed a common information source within their business organization called a database. One of the advantages of building databases is the simultaneous updating of files with common data elements. Another major advantage of the database concept is that: a) Database systems can be used in microcomputers as well as on large computers b) Database systems are simple to install and maintain c) Database systems are generally less expensive than separate file maintenance systems d) Less duplication of data occurs with a database system e) Fewer skilled people are required to run a database system than any other system 1. The process of data normalization refers to: )a Eliminating data errors and other problems from â€Å"normal data† b)Scaling data to values between zero and one c)Storing data in normal storage media such as hard disks d)none of these 38. Database management systems are important to accountants because: a) They automate file storage tasks and enable managers to generate worthwhile financial reports b They eliminate data redundancy )b) They are unique data structures which accountants have never used before )c) They are easy to develop and therefore save money )d) They are energy efficient 39. Which of these is true about finding data in multimedia databases? a) It is not possible to search them because graphics have no text keys for searching b) It is not possible to search them because audio objects have no text keys for searching )c It is possible to search for items in them because such characteristics as â€Å"speaker† or â€Å"subject† can be used as search parameters