Complete this project by addressing the criteria below. You will work on parts of the project in each module and receive instructor feedback. Your final submission will be revisions of the work you do throughout the course.
Part One: Advertisement Analysis
In this section, you will analyze the four advertisements you selected earlier in the course. Use social science approaches to gather specific information from them. As you conduct your analyses, think about what these advertisements say about the companies selling the products, the organizations making the ads, the people purchasing the products, and society as a whole.
Determine how individuals and groups are represented in the advertisements.
What audiences are the advertisements trying to reach?
What unspoken or underlying messages do you think the ads might be sending?
Identify stereotyped group behavior in the advertisements.
What are the advertisements saying about the behavior of the groups represented in them?
What underlying messages do the advertisements send about the group behaviors in them and the audiences they assume will be consuming the products?
Determine how different cultures are represented in the advertisements.
How do the ads represent culture? Are any stereotypes being used?
What unspoken or underlying messages do you think the ads might be sending about culture?
Discuss how ethical issues in the social sciences impact advertising. Look beyond the economic effects of advertisements and consider the following questions to help address this prompt:
Do the ads confirm biases? Do they rely on stereotypes? Do they support social change? Do they stay neutral on social or political movements? Should they get involved in social or political movements?
Why might it be important for advertisers and companies in a diverse world to be as inclusive and unbiased as possible?
Part Two: Social Science Questions
The answers that come from an analysis can often lead to more questions. In this section, you will use the information you found from your advertisement analyses to ask a broader social science question. You do not need to answer the question, but you do need to talk about how you might study your advertisements using the skills and knowledge you’ve gained in this course.
Propose a finalized social science research question based on your analysis of the advertisements you chose.
Think beyond the minor details from your analysis and consider what the ads say about individuals, groups, institutions, or society.
What is the meaning or significance of the ads? For example, you might be interested in ethical issues related to advertising. You might want to explore how current events influence the content of ads. Or maybe you would like to ask how common themes in ads could impact an audience’s self-concept.
Discuss how you used a social science perspective to develop your research question.
Explain how you used social science concepts, perspectives, or approaches to write your research question.
Explain one major development in the social sciences that may have influenced your research question.
The major development could include an important event, a discovery, the rejection of an old theory, acceptance of a new theory, or a change in culture that affected the field.
How might these changes in thinking and research have affected the conclusions drawn about your advertisements and the questions asked about them?
Part Three: Reflection
In this section, you will reflect on your experience using social science perspectives to analyze advertisements and ask research questions. You will consider how your personal beliefs, assumptions, and values influenced the question you developed, and explain why knowledge of the social sciences is important to understanding yourself, other people, and the world around you.
Describe how your assumptions, beliefs, and/or values influenced the way you analyzed your advertisements.
Consider how your perceptions of the social world may have influenced the way you viewed your advertisements. Did it/they cause you to make assumptions about the people in the ads? Did you focus on certain advertisements, or parts of advertisements as a result? How might someone with a different set of beliefs view your advertisements?
Discuss how social science perspectives or approaches could be used to process information.
Focus on the social science perspectives or approaches you feel would be the most beneficial for analyzing the information you are presented with every day.
For example, would analyzing ads on social media from the political science perspective help you better understand a company’s political stance on issues? What perspective would help you determine if there was a possible link between the length of a commercial and its intended audience? Would examining an ad targeted at caregivers from a sociological perspective help you understand the meaning of family in various cultures?
Explain how looking at the world from social science perspectives may impact your personal life.
How might using social science skills help you process and understand the information you use in your life?
Explain how examining issues from social science perspectives may affect your community relationships.
Think about challenges or opportunities in your community. How might applying social science perspectives to those issues benefit your community?
Discuss how being more informed about the social sciences may help you understand global contemporary issues.
Consider how understanding the ways social scientists examine human behaviors could influence the way you approach global challenges and questions.
SCS 100 Module Two Activity Template
Describe how individuals are presented in all of your advertisements.
•
Body type
o The individuals in the advertisement are portrayed as diverse and expressive.
Individuals are shown dancing and enjoying themselves (SNHU A11y
Remediated Videos, 0:07). Their body types vary, representing different shapes
and sizes. The focus is on their movement and confidence rather than specific
physical features.
•
Make space for women.
o The advertisement’s individuals are women depicted in a space setting. The
individuals are shown inside a rocket cabin, holding on during the shaking
(SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:08). Moreover, they convey excitement and
empowerment as they discuss the importance of making space for women.
•
Let it out
o The individuals in the advertisement are shown expressing their emotions.
Individuals scream, shout, and express their frustrations in various settings
(SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:26). The focus is on releasing emotions and
capturing their cathartic moments.
•
Empowering ident
o The individuals in the advertisement represent diversity and empowerment. The
individuals speak about their personal experiences and challenges they have
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overcome (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:39). Moreover, they are shown
confidently embracing their identities, focusing on self-acceptance and pride.
Explain whether social scientists can be truly objective when conducting research.
•
Social scientists strive for objectivity in their research. However, complete objectivity
may be unattainable. This is because social scientists’ personal biases and perspectives
can influence the design of research studies, data collection, and interpretation of results.
Nevertheless, through rigorous methodologies, transparency, peer review, and
replication, social scientists can minimize bias and strive for greater objectivity.
Discuss how consumer biases may impact the interpretation of your advertisements.
•
Consumer biases can impact the interpretation of advertisements. People’s beliefs,
assumptions, and values shape their perceptions. For example, someone who values body
positivity may interpret the first ad as empowering, while someone with different beauty
standards may have a different interpretation. Moreover, biases related to gender, age,
cultural background, or personal experiences can influence how consumers perceive and
understand the messages conveyed in the advertisements.
References
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). Body Type You. Tube.
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). Makespaceforwomen [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAy5d9Tp00M
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 1). Empowering Idents [Video]. YouTube.
2
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 3). Let it Out! [Video]. YouTube.
3
SCS 100 Module Three Activity Template
Replace the bracketed text below with your responses. Support your responses with specific
details and examples from your advertisements. You do not need to conduct outside research, but
if you use sources, cite them using APA style.
Describe how groups and/or cultures are presented in all your advertisements.
•
Body type
o The individuals in the advertisement represent diverse body types, showcasing
different shapes and sizes. (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos). The group/culture
that is being presented in this advertisement is those who use dance as a form of
expression of their feelings.
•
Make space for women.
o The advertisement features women astronauts, challenging the idea that there is
not enough space for women (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:14). The
advertisement promotes equal opportunities and breaks gender barriers in
scientific fields. The group/culture represented in this video is feminists.
•
Let it out
o The advertisement shows individuals of different backgrounds releasing their
emotions in nature. This video represents a group of individuals during the covid
pandemic lockdown that were frustrate(SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:22).
•
Empowering idents
o The advertisement portrays individuals with various identities and experiences,
including overcoming disability (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos, 0:16).
Moreover, individuals are embracing their uniqueness and challenging societal
1
beauty standards. The group/culture that is being represented in this video are the
disabled.
Describe the representation of stereotypes in all your advertisements.
•
Body type
o There are no explicit stereotypes present in the advertisement. The advertisement
promotes embracing individuality and celebrating the diversity of body shapes
and sizes.
•
Make space for women.
o The advertisement challenges the stereotype that space exploration is
predominantly male-dominated by portraying women astronauts and promoting
equal opportunities.
•
Let it out
o There are no stereotypes present in the advertisement. The advertisement
highlights the act of releasing emotions and finding solace in nature without
relying on any cultural or gender stereotypes.
•
Empowering idents
o The advertisement challenges societal beauty standards and stereotypes by
featuring individuals who confidently embrace their uniqueness and overcome
challenges, opposing stereotypes related to disability and identity.
Discuss how your beliefs, assumptions, and/or values may have influenced how you
analyzed your advertisements.
•
As an individual analyzing the advertisements, my beliefs, assumptions, and values may
have influenced my analysis. For example, if I held a strong belief in gender equality, I
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may have been more persuaded to view the “Make space for women” advertisement
positively and emphasize the empowerment of women in traditionally male-dominated
fields.
References
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). Body Type You. Tube.
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). Makespaceforwomen [Video].
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAy5d9Tp00M
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 1). Empowering Idents [Video]. YouTube.
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 3). Let it Out! [Video]. YouTube.
3
1
Social Science; Advertisements
Body type (SCS-100 Body Type)
The underlying meaning of this advertisement is to promote body positivity and celebrate
diversity in body types. It showcases individuals of different shapes and sizes, encouraging
viewers to embrace their own bodies and challenging societal beauty standards (SNHU A11y
Remediated Videos 1:10). By showcasing individuals who may not fit into traditional norms of
beauty, the advertisement encourages viewers to embrace their own unique bodies and reject
harmful stereotypes.
Olay #MakeSpaceForWomen (SCS-100 Make space for women)
This advertisement conveys a socially significant message about gender equality and
empowerment. It features women breaking barriers and excelling in various fields, inspiring
viewers to support and uplift women in their pursuits (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos 1:15).
The advertisement aims to inspire women and encourage them to believe in their abilities and
strive for success, regardless of societal expectations or limitations.
Promote Iceland: Let it Out! (SCS-100 Let it Out!)
This advertisement communicates a message related to mental health and emotional wellbeing. The advert has individuals expressing their frustrations and stress by screaming into the
vast landscapes of Iceland (SNHU A11y Remediated Videos 1:25). This advert, therefore,
encourages individuals to release their pent-up emotions and find solace in nature, promoting the
importance of addressing mental health and expressing emotions in a healthy way.
Dove, Sky Witness: Empowering Idents
2
This advertisement communicates a socially significant message of empowerment. It
showcases diverse individuals overcoming challenges and embracing their strengths,
encouraging viewers to believe in their abilities and challenge societal limitations.
Research Question: How does exposure to advertisements promoting gender equality
and empowerment impact individuals’ attitudes and beliefs about gender roles?
I used a social science perspective to create this research question by considering the
influence of media messages on individuals’ perceptions and beliefs regarding gender roles. The
question explores the potential impact of advertisements that promote gender equality and
empowerment on individuals’ attitudes toward traditional gender roles. By examining the
relationship between exposure to such advertisements and attitudes about gender roles, the
research question seeks to understand how media representations can shape societal perceptions
and contribute to promoting gender equality.
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References
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). SCS-100 body type (CC) [Video].
YouTube. https://youtu.be/0E7ZYViKGoI
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). SCS-100 #Makespaceforwomen
(CC) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/mAy5d9Tp00M
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 3). SCS-100, let it out! (CC) [Video].
YouTube. https://youtu.be/UiLirYhTQ80
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, December 1). SCS-100 empowering Idents
(CC) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/sPhDRryOFeM
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Research Question, Advertisements
Based on my research question, “How does exposure to advertisements promoting gender
equality and empowerment impact individuals’ attitudes and beliefs about gender roles?” I
believe that such exposure can have a significant impact on individuals. Furthermore, social
science perspectives can provide valuable insights into how individuals process information and
interpret the messages conveyed in these advertisements. One advertisement that supports this
research question is Olay’s #MakeSpaceForWomen campaign. The advertisement features an
empowering message about breaking gender stereotypes and making room for women in various
professional fields (SNHU A11y 0:30). It highlights successful women who have challenged
societal norms and encourages viewers to support gender equality. By showcasing diverse female
role models, this advertisement promotes the idea that women are capable of achieving greatness
and should be given equal opportunities.
Moreover, Social science perspectives can help analyze the impact of this advertisement
on individuals’ attitudes and beliefs. The cultivation theory suggests that prolonged exposure to
media messages can shape individuals’ perceptions of reality. In the case of the Olay
advertisement, individuals who are repeatedly exposed to the message of gender equality and
empowerment may develop more egalitarian attitudes toward gender roles. Social identity theory
can also be applied to examine how individuals identify with the empowered women portrayed
in the advertisement and how it influences their own self-concept and beliefs.
It is undeniable that the norm of traditional gender roles and stereotypes can be
challenged to a great extent through gender equality and empowerment advertisements. This is
because such adverts can create a more inclusive and equitable society through the influence of
individuals’ beliefs and attitudes toward gender roles. In addition, in an equitable and justifiable
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community, people are able to support women in various fields irrespective of the existing norms
and socially dictated gender roles. Furthermore, these people can support initiatives and policies
that promote gender equality. This, in turn, can lead to positive changes in workplaces,
education, and social interactions, fostering an environment where everyone has equal
opportunities and rights, regardless of their gender.
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Reference
SNHU A11y Remediated Videos. (2021, November 29). SCS-100 #Makespaceforwomen
(CC) [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/mAy5d9Tp00M
1. Your response clearly communicates your thoughts and key ideas. It is easy
to follow and understand. Nice job! While it was not required for this
assignment, I want you to know about resources we have on formal
citations. Links to APA citation guides can be found on the Shapiro Library
home page. I encourage you to practice proper citation format whenever
possible—the more you do it, the easier it will get. This skill will prove useful
in future assignments and courses, and in professional writing as well.
2. There are some areas of strength here. Unfortunately, you
were missing a critical element which impacted your grade.
Please look to the rubric for feedback and be in touch with any
questions.
3.
Fantastic work here on your module 3 activity. Take a peek at
the rubric for feedback and be in touch with any questions.
4. Great work on your research question. Please look to the rubric
for my feedback and be in touch with any questions.