Media Reality & Effects

The division's focus in research and teaching is twofold:

• Content Analysis of documentary and fictional media reality, for example, science, health and environmental texts, and the underlying processes of media selection and framing.
• Audience Research of uses, functions and effects on traditional and new media, for example, the internet (e.g. knowledge gap and digital divide). Special emphasis is given to children and young people, but also immigrants and elderly media users. In addition, evaluation research of public communication campaigns is undertaken. The research perspective is analytical, based on quantitative and qualitative social science methods such as standardized content analysis or survey research with a focus on the micro level.