Question-Based Dialogue on Media Representations of Social Problems

Abstract

Media coverage helps people to be informed about many important social phenomena. However, there is no evidence that audiences know what to do with what they have learned from the media. The current study examines whether we can use implicit knowledge that people accumulate from the media about sensitive social problems to help them understand these issues, and reflect on their social responsibility. I applied principles of media literacy education and educational dialogue to conduct 16 focus groups on media representations of child sexual abuse with 93 college students. This study suggests that a question-based dialogue where the facilitator uses participants’ natural curiosity to help them construct meanings out of implicit knowledge they possess has an important potential to encourage civic engagement.