DOCSLIB.ORG

The Effect of Language on the Perceived

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Effect of Language on the Perceived “SHE’S JUST A SLUT”: THE EFFECT OF LANGUAGE ON THE PERCEIVED VALUE AND WORTH OF WOMEN Thesis Submitted to The College of Arts and Sciences of the UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree of Master of Arts in Communication By Melissa Marie Hughes UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON Dayton, OH May, 2016 “SHE’S JUST A SLUT”: THE EFFECT OF LANGUAGE ON THE PERCEIVED VALUE AND WORTH OF WOMEN Name: Hughes, Melissa Marie APPROVED BY: ________________________________________ T. L. Thompson, Ph.D. Faculty Advisor ________________________________________ J. E. Combs, Ph.D. Committee Member ________________________________________ J. D. Robinson, Ph.D. Committee Member ii ABSTRACT “SHE’S JUST A SLUT”: THE EFFECT OF LANGUAGE ON THE PERCEIVED VALUE AND WORTH OF WOMEN Name: Hughes, Melissa Marie University of Dayton Advisor: Dr. Teresa Thompson This study examines the word “slut” and its impact on the way 638 participants perceived an individual woman. Two test groups were established using a survey that briefly describes a fictional woman named “Stacy”. Test group B received a survey that contained the word “slut/slutty” in reference to “Stacy” whereas Test Group A received a survey that contained the words “flirt/flirty” in reference to Stacy. Using a semantic differential scale that featured 20 word pairings, this study examined the likelihood that participants who were exposed to the word “slut” perceived “Stacy” more negatively than those who were not. Results show that the participants who were exposed to the word “slut” did perceive “Stacy” somewhat more negatively overall and in relation to word pairings that were both specifically related to promiscuity and specifically unrelated to promiscuity. The implications of these findings are discussed within a Symbolic Interactionalist framework and conclusions are made about the impact on society at large. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To all of my teachers throughout the years who have fostered in me a lasting love for learning, especially for those who sparked my love for language arts and communication. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of some amazing educators who inspired me and challenged me along the way. To Dr. Teresa Thompson, this thesis would have truly been impossible without your guidance. Thank you for seeing the value in this concept when it was just a crazy “what if” bouncing around in my head, and for seeing it through to the end with me. Thank you for spending countless hours counseling me, editing my work, and helping me through my endless issues with statistics – it’s been a long journey and I am so grateful to have had such an amazing advisor to help me though it! To Dr. Jason Combs, thank you for serving as a member of my committee, I greatly appreciate all the insights you provided along the way. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to experience many of your classes over the last five years. In both your undergraduate and graduate courses I have learned valuable lessons that I believe have made me more successful in the graduate program and in my life outside of academics. To Dr. James Robinson, thank you for serving as a member of my committee, I appreciate your insights and your dedication to this project. Thank you for always challenging me, you have encouraged me to work hard and to grow as a person and a student. iv To Dr. Joseph Valenzano, thank you for all of the help and encouragement that you’ve provided for me this year. I appreciate your willingness to listen to my ideas and contribute to my thesis process despite not being directly involved in the project. Most importantly, thank you for your wisdom, you have been a great mentor to me this year. To my parents, Theresa Collins and Robert Hughes, thank you for everything you’ve done for me that has brought me to where I am today. Thank you for always encouraging me to follow my dreams and for giving me every possible opportunity to succeed. Thank you for making it possible for me to go to this amazing school. The University of Dayton has been an integral part of my development and happiness over the past five years; I can’t imagine my life without this incredible place and it wouldn’t have been possible for me to go here without your support. Thank you for everything you do for me and for always putting your children first. Finally, thank you for all of support you have given me during this process, you helped ease my stress and reassure me on this path. I’m so grateful to you both! To Jeff Chudik for being my biggest supporter and best friend. Thank you for helping me celebrate the successes and work thorough the rough patches. I can always count on you to cheer me up or calm me down, you’ve done so much to help keep me sane during stressful times! Endless thanks for all the emotional support; I love you. Finally, to all of the great feminists in my life who have inspired me and helped shape me into the person I am today. Thank you for your strength and your passion, thank you for imparting your wisdom to me and for never, ever giving up. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………...………………………………………………………...…….iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS……...………………………………………………...………iv LIST OF TABLES………………...……………………………………………………..vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………...……………………………….1 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF LITERATURE……….......…………………………………9 CHAPTER 3: METHODS…………………..…………………………………………...22 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS…………………..…………………………………………….28 CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION………………………………….………………………....45 REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………..…61 APPENDICES …………………………………………………………………………..65 A. Survey Instructions/Description of “Stacy” for Test Group A…………..…..65 B. Survey Instructions/Description of “Stacy” for Test Group B……………....66 C. Semantic Scale Survey/Instructions Used for Both Test Group A and B........67 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1A:Frequency of ages……………………………………..…………….……..….30 Table 1B: Frequency of gender………………………………………..….…………..….30 Table 1C: Frequency of race………………………………………..………………...….31 Table 1D: Frequency of citizenship………………………………...……………….…...31 Table 2: Principle Components Factor Analysis……………………..……………….…33 Table 3A: T-test on summed items loading on factor one………………………….……38 Table 3B: Means on summed items loading on factor one...……….......…………..……38 Table 4A: T-test on summed items not loading on factor one……………………...……39 Table 4B: Means on summed items not loading on factor one…...........……………...…39 Table 5A: T-test on all summed items………………… .………………….……………40 Table 5B: Means on all summed items………..………….……….......…………………40 Table 6A: T-tests on individual items……….…………….………......…………………41 Table 6B: Means on individual items………...………….………………………………43 vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Theoretical Frameworks Sexual violence is a pervasive issue entrenched in modern society in the United States and much of the world (Nicholson, Min Qi, Maney, Yuan, Mahoney, & Adame, 1998). According to Nicholson et al., rates of violent sexual crimes have been steadily increasing over the past two decades, particularly on college campuses. There has been a documented increase of reported sexual assault cases by teenagers and adults, particularly on college campuses, since 1992 (Nicholson et al.). It is important to mention that even with these growing numbers of reported sexual assaults, cases of sexual assault or aggression often go unreported due to the uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding the event or societal pressure on the victim (Koss, Gidycz & Wisniewski, 1987). In a national study conducted by Koss et al. (1987), 6,159 men and women in 32 different universities were interviewed about their experiences with rape, attempted rape, and sexual coercion. The study’s results indicated that 27.5% of the women had experienced an event that met the legal definition of rape (Koss et al.). Likewise, 7.7% of the men described experiences where they were the perpetrator of an event that met the legal definition of rape. Although this issue began to garner attention in the United States 1 in the 1990’s, it is still a pressing matter in society today. In fact, this problem is still so critical that a shocking one out of every five women in the United States are assaulted every year (White House Task Force, 2014). In January of 2014, the White House spoke out about this countrywide epidemic and publically announced that they would began to take action against sexual assault issues, specifically on college campuses. The White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault was created as an initiative to help raise awareness about the issue, provide resources to victims, and provide education that aims at reducing the number of assaults (Keith, 2014; White House Task Force, 2014). In a radio interview discussing the new initiative, Vice President Joe Biden stated, “Colleges and universities can no longer turn a blind eye, or pretend rape and sexual assault doesn't occur on their campus” (Keith). As an extension of the White House Task Force, a website titled NotAlone.gov was created as a resource for people all over the country. The Not Alone website provides key resources under headings such as “Find a Crisis Service, Know Your Rights, How to File a Complaint, and Changing Our Campus Culture” (NotAlone.gov). In addition to this website, the White House Task Force has also paired up with the organization It’s On Us and released several national commercials urging the public to become more educated about sexual assault, to recognize the signs, and to step in and speak up in order to prevent assault when possible. Clearly, all of these initiatives and efforts are an implication that sexual assault is still a prevalent issue in the US, particularly on college campuses. The study conducted by Koss et al. (1987), mentioned above, noted that although 27.5% of the women had experienced an event that met the legal definition of rape and 2 7.7% of the men described experiences where they were the perpetrator of an event that met the legal definition of rape, close to none of the people involved in the study had been part of any legal justice system.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Undoing Gender: an Analysis of How Women Communicate Within the Agricultural Industry Shala R
    South Dakota State University Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2019 Undoing Gender: An Analysis of How Women Communicate Within the Agricultural Industry Shala R. Larson South Dakota State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd Part of the Agriculture Commons, Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Ethnicity in Communication Commons, and the Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons Recommended Citation Larson, Shala R., "Undoing Gender: An Analysis of How Women Communicate Within the Agricultural Industry" (2019). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3162. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/3162 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNDOING GENDER: AN ANALYSIS OF HOW WOMEN COMMUNICATE WITHIN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY BY SHALA R. LARSON A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Major in Communication Studies and Journalism Specialization in Communication Studies South Dakota State University 2019 iii This thesis is dedicated to the women who wake up at daWn and are a vital part to the agricultural backbone of this country, all first-generation college students that have grit in their step and a sparkle in their eye for the future, and for the man who told me that because of my economic background, I would undoubtedly drop out of college by the time I was 19.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring Power Through Co-Cultural Theory
    The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-1-2012 Employee Racial Discrimination Complaints: Exploring Power Through Co-Cultural Theory Leslie Yvette Rodriguez University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Recommended Citation Rodriguez, Leslie Yvette, "Employee Racial Discrimination Complaints: Exploring Power Through Co- Cultural Theory" (2012). Dissertations. 599. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/599 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi EMPLOYEE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS: EXPLORING POWER THROUGH CO-CULTURAL THEORY by Leslie Yvette Rodriguez Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2012 ABSTRACT EMPLOYEE RACIAL DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINTS: EXPLORING POWER THROUGH CO-CULTURAL THEORY by Leslie Yvette Rodriguez December 2012 The primary purpose of this case study was to examine the influence of power on an employee’s decision to file a formal racial discrimination complaint against their employer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Additionally, this case study explored the communicative strategies that lead up to and follow the filing of such a complaint. This study used both Orbe’s (1998) co-cultural theory and French and Raven’s theory on power bases (1968) as both theoretical foundations and lenses to analyze this occurrence.
    [Show full text]
  • Navigating Straight Waters: the Lived Experience of How Out, White Gay Males Have Successfully Navigated the College Presidential Search Process
    St. John Fisher College Fisher Digital Publications Education Doctoral Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. School of Education 5-2014 Navigating Straight Waters: The Lived Experience of How Out, White Gay Males Have Successfully Navigated the College Presidential Search Process Bil Leipold St. John Fisher College Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd Part of the Education Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited ou?y Recommended Citation Leipold, Bil, "Navigating Straight Waters: The Lived Experience of How Out, White Gay Males Have Successfully Navigated the College Presidential Search Process" (2014). Education Doctoral. Paper 170. Please note that the Recommended Citation provides general citation information and may not be appropriate for your discipline. To receive help in creating a citation based on your discipline, please visit http://libguides.sjfc.edu/citations. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd/170 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Navigating Straight Waters: The Lived Experience of How Out, White Gay Males Have Successfully Navigated the College Presidential Search Process Document Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership Subject Categories Education Comments Lesbians and gays are one of the most ostracized and marginalized groups in the U.S. (Rankin, Weber, Blumenfeld, & Frazer, 2010). With a limited number of out, gay leader to study, minimal research has been conducted on how gays have navigated their way into visible leadership positions (Fassinger, Shullman, & Stevenson, 2010; Snyder, 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • The Loudest Voice in the Room Is Our Silence: Narrative Possibilities of Silenced Adults
    California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations Office of aduateGr Studies 5-2021 THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM IS OUR SILENCE: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF SILENCED ADULTS Rebeccah Avila CSUSAN BERNARDINO Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd Part of the Communication Commons Recommended Citation Avila, Rebeccah, "THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM IS OUR SILENCE: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF SILENCED ADULTS" (2021). Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations. 1267. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/1267 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of aduateGr Studies at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM IS OUR SILENCE: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF SILENCED ADULTS A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Communication Studies by Rebeccah M. Avila May 2021 THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM IS OUR SILENCE: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF SILENCED ADULTS A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Rebeccah M. Avila May 2021 Approved by: Brian Heisterkamp, Committee Chair, Communication Studies Julie Taylor, Committee Member Thomas Corrigan, Committee Member © 2021 Rebeccah M. Avila ABSTRACT Using muted group theory and communication privacy management theory as the theoretical framework, a deeper examination of adults who have experienced a childhood traumatic experience who now exhibit silencing behaviors as adults will be reviewed.
    [Show full text]
  • Deliberation and Diversity
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Publications of the University of Nebraska Public Public Policy Center, University of Nebraska Policy Center 2010 Deliberation and Diversity: Perceptions of Small Group Discussions by Race and Ethnicity Tarik Abdel-Monem University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, [email protected] Shereen Bingham University of Nebraska at Omaha Jamie Marincic University of Nebraska Public Policy Center Alan J. Tomkins University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/publicpolicypublications Abdel-Monem, Tarik; Bingham, Shereen; Marincic, Jamie; and Tomkins, Alan J., "Deliberation and Diversity: Perceptions of Small Group Discussions by Race and Ethnicity" (2010). Publications of the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. 156. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/publicpolicypublications/156 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Public Policy Center, University of Nebraska at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Publications of the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in Small Group Research 41:6 (2010), pp. 746–776; doi: 10.1177/1046496410377359. Copyright © 2010 Tarik Abdel-Monem, Shereen Bingham, Jamie Marincic, and Alan Tomkins. Pub- lished by Sage. Used by permission. Deliberation and Diversity: Perceptions of
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Gay/Lesbian Instructor Identity in the Classroom
    AN ANALYSIS OF GAY/LESBIAN INSTRUCT OR IDENTITY IN THE CLASSROOM Heather Giovanini, B. A. Thesis Prepared for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 2008 APPROVED: Karen Anderson, Major Professor John M. Allison, Jr, Committee Member and Chair of the Department of Communication Studies John S. Gossett, Committee Member Sandra L. Terrell, Dean of the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies Giovanini, Heather. An Analysis of Gay/Lesbian Instructor Identity in the Classroom, Masters of Arts (Communication Studies), May 2008, 54 pp., references, 64 titles. In this project I explore the connection between cultural and personal identity in the college classroom. Respondent interviews were conducted using open-ended questions, which began with a broad picture of the role the instructor played in the classroom and then focused more specifically on the issue of sexual orientation and the choices to disclose or not disclose orientation in the classroom. Thematic analysis was used to examine the interviews, upon the completion of the interviews being transcribed. RQ1: Do gay and lesbian instructors disclose their sexual orientation in the classroom? From this question, four themes emerged. These themes were disclosure not relevant, out of the classroom disclosure, students just know, and disclosure in the classroom. RQ2: What reasons do gay and lesbian instructors give for disclosing their sexual orientation in the classroom? Two themes, fears of disclosure and holding back, transpired from this question. RQ3: How do gay and lesbian instructors foster diversity in the classroom related to sexual orientation? Four themes were exposed from the question, and these themes were paradox of diversity, passing, mentoring, and identity not sexuality.
    [Show full text]
  • Cindy S. Hughey
    When the Personal is Not Political in a Personal is Political Social Movement: Analysis of A Muted Group's Muting of Members by Cindy S. Hughey A senior thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for CM 43 1: Senior Seminar in Communication Theory Senior thesis advisor: Dr. Sherri Smith Spring 2001 When Monique Wittig said.. ."I am not a woman, I am a Lesbian," there was a gasp from the audience, but the statement made sense to me. Of course I am a woman, but I belong to another geography as well, and the two worlds are complicated and unique. -Joann Nestle (Quoted from Chesire Calhoun 209) Abstract This study seeks to analyze the muting of lesbian voices in the women's movement through application of muted group theory and social movement analysis. On a larger scale this research will serve to address some of the issues faced by minority groups in organized social movements. Primary issues include the historical presence of lesbians in the women's movement, the efforts of movement players to suppress lesbian voices, and the actions that lesbians take to make their voices heard. Key source material includes memoirs of lesbian feminists and academic articles that tell the stories of lesbian feminists. Analysis of the form and content of the source materials leads to conclusions centered around power issues. When the Personal is Not Political in a Personal is Political Social Movement: Analysis of a Muted Group's Muting of Members The purpose of this research project is to examine the muting of lesbian voices in the women's movement.
    [Show full text]
  • Muted Group Theory in the Great Gatsby 1
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Liberty University Digital Commons Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 1 Liberty University Operating the Silencer: Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby A thesis submitted to the faculty of the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree. By Sarah Funderburke Lynchburg, Virginia October 20, 2012 Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 2 Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 3 Copyright© 2012 by Sarah Funderburke All rights reserved Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 4 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents, who encouraged me from a young age to try hard in everything I do. If you had not raised me to work through the challenges in life I might never have graduated with my master’s degree. Thank you! Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 5 Acknowledgements A special thank you to my thesis chair, Dr. Randall Pruitt, and his wife, for their prayers and encouragement during this extensive process. I have appreciated Dr. Pruitt’s wise counsel during the course of my thesis’ creation. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my thesis committee members, Dr. Cecil Kramer and Dr. Cliff Kelly, for challenging me in the proposal stage of my thesis to explore areas of the topic that I had yet to consider. These three committee members have encouraged me to continually improve my thesis while keeping the end goal (graduation) in sight. I am also grateful to the Liberty University Marketing Department Vice President and managers who allowed me to alter my work schedule several semesters so I could attend specific courses in the graduate program.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lived Experience of African American Teachers Utilizing Co- Cultural Adaptation at Predominantly White Rural Schools in Central Appalachia
    Eastern Kentucky University Encompass Online Theses and Dissertations Student Scholarship January 2017 The Lived Experience Of African American Teachers Utilizing Co- Cultural Adaptation At Predominantly White Rural Schools In Central Appalachia Tony Eugene Sweatt Eastern Kentucky University Follow this and additional works at: https://encompass.eku.edu/etd Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, and the Race and Ethnicity Commons Recommended Citation Sweatt, Tony Eugene, "The Lived Experience Of African American Teachers Utilizing Co-Cultural Adaptation At Predominantly White Rural Schools In Central Appalachia" (2017). Online Theses and Dissertations. 495. https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/495 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at Encompass. It has been accepted for inclusion in Online Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Encompass. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHRS UTILIZING CO­ CULTURAL ADAPTATION AT PREDOMINANTLY WHITE RURAL SCHOOLS IN CEI'.{TRAL APPAI,,ACHIA BY TONY E. SWEA TT THESIS APPROVED: kep e y Committee zA---~ Dr. Shawn Long Member, Advisory Committee /2~ ~ THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHERS UTILIZING CO- CULTURAL ADAPTATION AT PREDOMINANTLY WHITE RURAL SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA By TONY E. SWEATT Master of Education in Counseling and Human Development Lindsey Wilson College Columbia, Kentucky May, 2006 Bachelor of Arts in Human Services and Counseling Lindsey Wilson College Columbia, Kentucky May, 2003 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Eastern Kentucky University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTORATE OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP December, 2017 Copyright © Tony E.
    [Show full text]
  • Muted Group Theory: a Tool for Hearing Marginalized Voices Linda Lee Smith Barkman
    Muted Group Theory: A Tool for Hearing Marginalized Voices Linda Lee Smith Barkman Muted Group Theory (MGT) is a sociological tool that aids in as a scholastic youth among more powerful athletic youths that the study of interactions between dominant and sub-dominant led him to conceive of the issues between dominant and sub- groups—including, but not limited to, men and women. MGT dominant groups. Therefore, while the first scholars to take up the can help those who have become aware of dynamics between the discussion of MGT were feminists (such as the Australian Dale powerful and the marginalized but do not have a clear framework Spender, the American Cheris Kramarae, and the British Deborah for articulating this awareness. MGT is well suited to exploring Cameron), from its very conception MGT was intended to be the subtle and overlapping power issues that occur in various more than a gendered, feminist theory. settings, including, for example, congregational ministry and The second MGT iteration is credited to Kramarae, missions. More specifically, MGT has frequently been found who in 1981 discovered in MGT a relevance to the field of useful for understanding communication dynamics between men communications.10 She noted that MGT informs how power and women.1 functions in speech, writing, and language in general. She This article will be structured in three main sections. First, applied MGT to gendered communication studies, arguing MGT will be introduced in terms of its development from the that, since accepted language practices have been constructed 1970s to the present, its basic tenets (dominance, acceptance, primarily by men in order to express their experiences, women subordination, change), and current academic discussions have thus been muted.11 regarding related theories, strengths, and weaknesses.
    [Show full text]
  • Diverse Dominant Group Responses to Contemporary Co-Cultural
    Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, Vol. 7, No.1, 2017, pp. 19-33. Diverse Dominant Group Responses to Contempo- rary Co-Cultural Concerns: U.S. Intergroup Dynam- ics in the Trump Era Mark P. Orbe Colin J. Batten+ This essay explores the rhetoric associated with a Trump era of U.S politics, one that has been described as “divi- sive politics of identity” (Rodrik, 2016). In particular, we analyze on-line comments offered by self-identified major- ity group members (e.g., white, heterosexual, Christian and/or male) in response to the fears and concerns of cer- tain co-cultural groups (e.g., immigrants, refugees, women, people of color, LGBT persons). Our analysis of domi- nant group rhetoric reveals both unsupportive (endorsing Trump’s policy initiatives, ignoring one’s societal privi- lege, focusing on one’s own societal disadvantage, resisting majority group essentialization and dismissing and/or trivializing co-cultural concerns) and supportive messages (acknowledging the legitimacy of co-cultural concerns, recognizing one’s own privilege, challenging other dominant group members, and embracing the role of co-cultural ally). The essay concludes with a discussion of our findings and implications for future research. Keywords: dominant group, U.S. politics of identity, co-cultural theory, privilege, Donald Trump The elections of the 44th and 45th presidents of the United States have been historic, fueled by socio-cultural-political movements that have been described as unpredictable, unbelievable, and unprecedented.1 President Barack Obama (2008-2016) was the first U.S. president of African de- scent, supported by a diverse coalition of support across social and cultural groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Operating the Silencer: Muted Group Theory in the Great Gatsby
    Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 1 Liberty University Operating the Silencer: Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby A thesis submitted to the faculty of the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree. By Sarah Funderburke Lynchburg, Virginia October 20, 2012 Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 2 Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 3 Copyright© 2012 by Sarah Funderburke All rights reserved Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 4 Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents, who encouraged me from a young age to try hard in everything I do. If you had not raised me to work through the challenges in life I might never have graduated with my master’s degree. Thank you! Muted Group Theory in The Great Gatsby 5 Acknowledgements A special thank you to my thesis chair, Dr. Randall Pruitt, and his wife, for their prayers and encouragement during this extensive process. I have appreciated Dr. Pruitt’s wise counsel during the course of my thesis’ creation. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my thesis committee members, Dr. Cecil Kramer and Dr. Cliff Kelly, for challenging me in the proposal stage of my thesis to explore areas of the topic that I had yet to consider. These three committee members have encouraged me to continually improve my thesis while keeping the end goal (graduation) in sight. I am also grateful to the Liberty University Marketing Department Vice President and managers who allowed me to alter my work schedule several semesters so I could attend specific courses in the graduate program.
    [Show full text]