MCO 473 Study Guide

• What are the proper uses of the terms “sex” and “gender”?
sex refers to biological categorization (male or female), and
gender refers to behavioral categorization pg 22
• What are “myths”?
Stories that determine a society’s perspectives about the world,
themselves, and what behaviors and approaches have meaning or
value beyond the real; a story to explain something that has
happened in the past
• What are “stereotypes” — and what are their four
characteristics as identified by Lippmann?
Positive or negative characterizations of a group of people based
only on expectations or assumptions about the group (erases
individuality). Simple, acquired secondhand (not from experience),
erroneous (all stereotypes are false), and resistant to change.
• What are “countertypes” — and are they an improvement on
stereotypes?
An attempt to replace or “counter” a previously applied negative
stereotype; they are a positive stereotype, but still a stereotype,
and they are often merely surface correctives.
• What is the relationship between expectation and satisfaction
in romantic relationships?
Expectation is higher in never-married people, so many are not
satisfied when they actually get married
• What does the term “romance” mean? What is the derivation
of this term—and how is its origin related to the stories of
courtly love?
Romance: the opposite of reality, dates back to the 12th century;
also called“courtly love,” french for stories; First disseminated to
the masses by troubadours, precursors in a sense of modern mass
media recording artists, and later by the very first mass mediums
early chapbooks and romance novels, pg. 13
• What is another name for courtly love? How were women
viewed in this paradigm? What was the nature of the
relationship of the romantic partners? Why was it considered
“revolutionary”?
Romance is another term for courtly love; In this model women
are placed on pedestals for adoration from afar. considered
revolutionary because it placed women in position of complete
dominance over their lovers.
• What does “rational” mean? Who is Albert Ellis—and what
is his relationship to our course? Having the ability to reason, be
sane, logical; Founder of a school of behavioral and clinical
psychology, originally a Freudian psychoanalyst that created
rationale motive behavioral therapy (REBT)- advocates changing
peoples behaviors by changing their irrational beliefs and
persuading them to adopt rational ones. He is President of the
Institute for Rational-Emotive Therapy in NY and author of more
than 50 books
• What are the foundational factors of realistic models of love
(found in most rational models we studied)? Sternberg:
qualities are intimacy, passion, and decision/commitment.
Gottman:most important strategy is to increase positive int
eractions, 3 guidelines for this approach- know each other well,
focus on positive qualities of the other, and interact frequently; 4
principles from earlier work- share power between partners, solve
your solveable problems, overcome gridlock, and create shared
meaning. Hendrix: urges to integrate the lost, false, and disowned
parts of ourselves, like anima/animus; we must do the work of
becoming more complete in ourselves and then love will come
• What are the components and types of Sternberg’s
Triangular Theory of Love? Intimacy, passion, and
decision/commitment; nonlove (nothing), liking (I), infatuated love
(P), empty love (d/c) , romantic love (I and P), companionate love
(I and D/C), fatuous love (P and D/C), and consummate love (all
3)
• What did Baran suggest about the role and power of
mediated stories in a culture? A cultures values and beliefs
reside in the stories it tells; stories help us define our realities,
shaping and reflecting the way we think, feel, and act
• What are the major archetypes of Jung’s “collective
unconscious”? Why are Cinderella, Beauty & the Beast, and
Romeo & Juliet considered “archetypes”? Mother (built in
ability to recognize the relationship of “mothering”), shadow
(personification of that part of us that we deny in ourselves and
project onto others, ex: the devil is a shadow of religion),
anima/animus (“soul”, represents our inner opposite: males their
anima, females their animus), syzygy (The Divine Couple,
represents a pattern of wholeness and integration), and self (most
important archetype, unity of the personality wherein human self
and divine self are incapable of distinction).
**They are universal themes about sex, love and romance, that
have transcended both in time and space. They touch human
beings in every generation, across centuries, and reveal truth
about human nature, and reveal a larger than life drama that we’d
like to be the truth.
• What is the “Romeo and Juliet effect,” and who advanced
this concept? Modern psychology has named the concept of
passion due to obstruction; love is always envisioned as
conquering every barrier, even death
• What is the goal of most mass media today? To make money
and be a successful business
• What are the “illusion of personal invulnerability” and the
“third-person effect”? We tend to think that the media influence
is only on other people, or we prefer to think it is a rare occasion
and others are much more influenced; part of third person effect
theory.
• What does Bandura’s social learning theory (social cognitive
theory) suggest about exposure to mass-mediated models of
sex-roles and coupleship? he states that it should promote related
attitudes and feelings and under certain conditions of
reinforcement, related behaviors.ex: thinking that men like sassy
and sarcastic women because some movies make women act that
way and got rewarded, therefore women thinking they need to act
that way with men even though they are not rewarded for it in real
life.(p.83)
• What are five important ideas about media messages (“Media
Literacy Basics”)? 1. All media messages are constructed for us
2. Media messages are constructed using creative language
(music, close-ups, big headlines) 3. Different people experience
the same media messages differently 4. Media are primarily
businesses driven by a profit motive 5. Media have embedded
values and points of view; storytellers
• What are the five questions we should ask about media
messages?
1. Who created this message and why are they sending it? 2. What
techniques are being used to attract my attention? 3. What
lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in the
message? 4. How might different people understand this message
differently from me? 5. What is omitted from this message?
• What are the four steps in Freire’s Action Learning (The
Empowerment Spiral)?
Awareness: participate in an activity that leads to insight;
Analysis: figure out “how” an issue came to be; Reflection: ask
“so what?” or “what should we do?” about the identified media
message; Action: formulate constructive actions that will lead to
changing your media choices
• What are the three ways to “read” “texts”? Which reading
do the mass media usually invite or dictate? (NOTE: To
demonstrate that you can apply this learning, you might be
asked to identify preferred and/or resistive readings of specific
examples that would be described in the exam. three ways to
read the text is, preferred (also called dominant), negotiated or
oppositional (also called resistive). mass media usually invite or
dictate preferred text. in oppositional or resistive reading the
reader assumes the perspective of a sub-culture at odds with the
dominant culture. The negotiated reading is situated between the
preferred and oppositional readings, that is the reader questions
parts of the content of the text but not its basic underlying
dominant ideology. (p106)
• What key elements/processes does each of the Seven Steps of
the Dis-illusioning Process entail? (NOTE: To demonstrate
that you can apply the process, you might be asked to identify
the Step[s] of specific examples that would be described in the
exam.) Detection (finding/identifying), Description
(illustrating/exemplifying), Deconstruction (analyzing; specify the
myths that the manifestation is portraying), Diagnosis
(evaluating/criticizing; judgement or evaluation of media
message), Design (reconstructing/reframing), Debriefing
(reconsidering/remedying), and Dissemination
(publishing/broadcasting)
• What is a “thesis”? a statement or a question that is at the
beginning of a critical analysis; a postion or argument
• In which of the Seven Steps is documentation important? All
seven!
• When you identify portrayals to dis-illusion (STEP ONE),
what should you remember about satires that include our
myths? satires call to poke fun of the myths, they are more like the
prescriptions because they show you how unreal the story is ex:
angryalien.com makes fun of movies like twilight and titanic
• How is a nomination for (and winner of) a Dr. FUN’s
Realistic Romance® Award™ similar to and different from a
“design”?
• How are realistic portrayals of sex, love, & romance (i.e.,
portrayals that demonstrate a Prescription©) different from
countertypes?
REALITY TV & GUEST: MR. SEAN RANKINE Reality

Show Producer/Director
• How much “reality” is in “reality TV”? There is some reality,

but the situations are enhanced by the producers or other cast
mates;
• How many hours of taping equals 1 minute of airtime (and,
therefore, what does this say about what is omitted, an
important media literacy concern)? For every minute that is on
television, there is 22 hours of footage
• How much drama is real, and how much is created or
encouraged (and WHY)? The great majority is created and
encouraged. For viewership purposes and the need to keep the
shows from being “slow.”
• What is the “4th wall” concept? The fact that there are camera
and video people in the room with the reality stars but they are not
able to speak to them; as in an invisible wall
• What are the three basic necessities of media narrative for
these shows (“The Reality Show Formula”)—and how does
this affect casting and editing? How do these “necessities”
relate to the necessities for dramatic narrative discussed in
SLR/Chapter 4?
Simplistic, Inclusive, and Appealing thru Conflict (not sure if this
is right, found in ch. 4, pgs. 70-71, answer was not part of
interview)
• What are 10 things media literate consumers should know, as
explained in the article “What Your Reality Show Isn’t Telling
You” (posted on COURSE DOCUMENTS in conjunction with
Mr. Rankine’s visit)?
1. Step aside crime dramas, there’s a new sheriff in town
2. The reality is, it’s fake
3. Once you sign our release, we own you
4. Our background checks a joke
5. Even our crew members don’t know what they’re in for
6. Our Ad execs are the new producers
7. Go ahead and sue us, you’ll have a hard time winning
8. Reality TV? You mean celebrity TV
9. We steal a lot of our best ideas from Europe
10. Get used to it - we’re not going away anytime soon
(answer is from the 2 page article posted in classroom sessions on
BB)
INTRODUCTION TO PART II
• What is the underlying meaning of the paradoxical epigraph

(Gramsci’s quotation) that opens this chapter? You can enjoy
these myths as long as you can understand that they are not real
and know how to disillusion yourself from them
The quote: “The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions
and without becoming disillusioned”
• How does “interrogating the message” relate to critical
thinking—and why is it both so difficult and so vital for us to
dis-illusion unrealistic portrayals? It makes us question what the
media is trying to feed us and keeps realistic ideals, creating the
way for positive and healthy relationships
• Why is the purpose of Dr. FUN’s Mass Media Love Quiz©
referred to as “heuristic”? Its a starting point for individuals and
couples to begin to assess their own views and explore how mass
mediated portrayals contribute to their views.
• In what order are the items in the Quiz© numbered? from
simplist to more complex
• What is the derivation of the strategies distilled as Dr.
Galician’s Prescriptions©? Research, personal experience,
advice of other experts and the rational models from chapter 3.
• Why are the Prescriptions© considered pRE-SCRIPTions©?
They help you reframe (re-script) unrealistic media portrayals
SPECIFIC STUDY QUESTIONS RELATED TO MYTH/RX

#1-12 & THE EPILOGUE,
including reading listed in the Schedule for both textbooks
and related classroom presentations, online sessions, guests,
and posted documents.
MYTH/Rx #1
SLR/CHAPTER 7 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

• What were the key findings of the Rutgers University
National Marriage Project? That an overwhelming majority
(94%) of the never married singles had a romantic, unrealistic
view of marriage that included staying single until they found a
“perfect mate” evidence was stated by saying “When you marry
you want your spouse to be your soulmate first and foremost-
media critics suggest that television is partly responsible for these
widely held irrational view points among young women and men
• What reasons do critics give to support their argument that
TV is partly responsible for widely held irrational viewpoints
of young men and women? The vast majority of tv writers are
young and single, and its an axiom of writing that its easier to
write about what you know. Also television is mostly about simple
concepts and conflicts. Perpetual dating in search of true love is
the simplist of plots to exploit. Thats why TV often is more about
singles in fruitless searches for perfect mates (P.120)
• What is the origin of Myth #1? How was this depicted in the
“Origin of Love” from Hedwig and the Angry Inch (shown in
class earlier in the term)? The myth originated in ancient times
with the platonic ideal Somewhere is your other missing half,
cruelly seperated from you by the jealous Gods of classical
antiquity.(namely the hermaphrodite)(P120). It was shown in the
movie by a song talking about when hedwig will find her other half
and what they would look like and what sex they would be.
• How can we use one of the concepts of Jungian psychology to
better understand and more healthily utilize Plato’s myth of
the hermaphrodite?
• What is the preferred reading of the movie Serendipity (the
trailer of which you viewed in your online session)— and what
are the appeal and the danger of adopting the preferred
reading? (See also its 2003 Stupid Cupid Award™ citation. It
is also discussed in this chapter.) What is the oppositional
reading? The preferred reading is explicit, if not blatant. The
resistive reading finds nothing decent or attractive in the
relationship of Johnathan and Sara, who know thing about each
other, yet they throw over their current partners in the
unmotivated hope of finding something better. The Danger: It
creates longings for similarly magical signs to confirm what
healthy couples already know.
• What is the preferred reading of the movie Kate and Leopold
(included in your online session)? What oppositional reading
did Alice King offer—and what is the serious problem she
noted (as shown in the clip during our class presentation)? The
preferred reading of this film is similar to that of The Little
Mermaid, who must renounce her very being - or at least the lower
half of herself, as well as her family and friends - to be accepted in
the world of her prince. Oppositional Reading:That a person has
to give up her real life to find happiness
• Why did Taylor Swift’s Love Story (in your online session)
win the 2009 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #1?
Her lyrics depict that of a fairytale. She sings “You’ll be the
Prince and I’ll be a Princess,” exemplifying predestined
coupleship.
• What is a better term for a romantic partner than the “right”
person? APPROPRIATE
• Why was popular film The Notebook (included in your online
session) given the 2005 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #1?
They were faced with war, alzheimer’s, parents disagreeing with
their relationship, and still nothing kept these two fated lovers
apart.
• Why did the blockbuster film Sex and the City: The Movie
(included in your online session) get the 2009 Stupid Cupid
Award™ for Myth #1 (as well as the 2009 overall Stupidest
Cupid Award™)? A majority of the myths and stereotypes are
promoted, including: your perfect partner is pre-destined (#1), the
objectified model-like beauty attracts the man (#5) with easy and
wonderful sex (#4), and you’re incomplete (and, in this film,
unable to function) without a romantic partner (#10), particularly
if he’s richer and more successful (#6).
• Why does this chapter nominate CastAway for a Realistic
Romance® Award™ for Rx #1 [which it won in 2003!]? What
visual symbols in the final scenes (as shown in class) help
reinforce the film’s hopeful and rational theme? It doesn’t play
on the one and only fantasy, and the narrative doesn’t resort to
denomizing either of the lovers who are no longer romantic
partners (as the Rx says, there are many appropriate candidates).
The symbols shown were angel wings that were painted on a box
that he kept while on the island the whole time.
• How does the film Truly Madly Deeply (which we discussed
earlier in the term) illustrate Rx #1? Because after the death of
his fiancée, he considers countless candidates, and shows that
there is more than one person you can be happy with.
• What is especially troubling about the message of the 2010
Stupid Cupid Award™ winner—the trailer of which was
shown in a classroom session? shows suggestible audiences that
all relationship problems can be solved with two “L-words”:
labels and liquor.
• Why did the film Definitely, Maybe (included in your online
session) win the 2009 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #1
(as well as the overall Realistic Romance® Grand Prize™)? It
was a very obvious portrayal of the Rx, Consider Countless
Candidates
CT/CHAPTER 2
• Did males or females write the majority of the 86 Match.com
success stories analyzed by Dr. Mazzarella?
Females
• What archetype does she argue is most often suggested by
these stories? Cinderella
• What three myths did she find to be most prevalent in these
stories?? Myth 1, 2, and 10
MYTH/Rx #2

• What makes “love at first sight” such a popular model in the
mass media? How is it related to “hate at first sight” (and what
myth is most closely related to “hate at first sight”)? The
physical aspect behind it; the relation to “lust” and the passion
component, or the “infatutation”. Just like love at first sight, hate
at first sight we know will be “reversed” by the end of the
narration. This reversed form represents merely the emotional
component.
• How is Myth #2 characterized in Sternberg’s Triangular
Theory of Love? What is the archetype both of this myth and
of romantic love in Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love?
It’s characterized by the physical arousal that can indeed occur at
our first sight of certain individuals we find attractive is not love
but LUST. The archetype is Juliet from Romeo and Juliet.
• What is often forgotten by readers/audiences about Romeo’s
situation when he goes to the ball where he first meets Juliet?
That he already has a girlfriend at the time
• What kind of lover is the femme fatale who sings Falling in
Love Again in classic film The Blue Angel (as discussed in the
SLR textbook and included in your online session)? She
absolves herself of all personal responsibility for her amorous
actions. She also describes herself as powerless in the face of
passion, likewise conveniently absolving her “victims” of
responsibility. She’s also described as dehumanizing and
disempowering.
• What Myth #2 side-effect does Cole Porter warn about in his
song Just One of Those Things? That love at first sight does
indeed die down, it’s a perfect example of realistic reframing.
• What mass media devices help to reinforce Myth #2? Music
in movie and television portrayals of this myth can further
reinforce the myth by setting the tone and convincing us of the
rightness and majesty of such moments. Camera techniques also
contribute to this myth.
• What is similar about the “eyes” in Baz Luhrmann’s
Romeo+Juliet (fish tank scene) and West Side Story (gym dance
scene) — and what are the eyes “saying”? How does this relate
to Myth #3 as well as to Myth #4? What non-verbal narrative
devices are used in West Side Story to illustrate the feelings
associated with Myth #2 (and #3)? Music. The eyes are locking
which exemplifies love at first sight, like nothing else exists. Sight
and sound devices are also used.
• What does While You Were Sleeping (starring Sandra
Bullock as a token-collector at a Chicago train station)—
several clips from which were shown in class —illustrate about
the realities of Myth #2 and Rx #2? (See also Myth/Rx #9.)
Because a young woman who initially believes she’s fallen
in love at first sight learns that a romance based on
friendship and understanding can be even more soaring and
solid at the same time.
• Why did the children’s film Cars (also included in your online
session for Myth #7) get the 2007 Stupid Cupid Award™ for
Myth #2? Similarly, why did WALL-E – a visually stunning
and charming film aimed at children – nevertheless get the
Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #2 in 2009? CARS: Lightning
McQueen – the hot-shot red race car ‘s love at first sight pursuit
of Sally Carrera (the sexy blue Porsche) is a cartoon cliché.
WALLY: Contrary to the musical sub-text (“It Only Takes a
Moment” from the Hello, Dolly! video the lonely robot watches),
real love takes time.
• Why does The 40-Year-Old Virgin (the 2006 Realistic
Romance® Grand Prize Winner™) deserve the 2006 Realistic
Romance® Award™ for Rx #2 (included in your online
session)?Delivers a healthy but rarely presented media message
that embodies many of Dr. Galician’s Prescriptions, including the
wise advice to take time to get to really know your partner before
falling in love and jumping in bed (and to wait for marriage!), see
your loved one as a total human being and equal partner, seek
shared values -- and it brilliantly teaches its lessons through
delicious comedy rather than a pedantic sermon. They literally
consult a calendar, on which they agree to count and check off the
days they’ve known each other under a variety of circumstances
before making a more serious emotional or physical commitment.
• How does even the title of the of the 2010 Realistic Romance®
Award™ recipient for Rx #2 (discussed in a classroom session)
hint at its worthiness for the award? (500) Days of Summer
(film)
The film’s title and the trippy out-of-order time sequences
underscore its focus on the value of taking time to get to really
know your romantic partner befo re assuming that attraction or
infatuation is genuine love.
CT/CHAPTER 3
• What does Dr. Werder mean by “the sexual appeal of this
campaign led to its ultimate doom”? How does this relate to his
analysis of what audiences really want in romantic narrative
and what they do not want — and what does say about
“reality”? The couples kiss in Paris is what marked the beginning
of the end (when people lost interest in the ads affecting product
sales) symbolizing that people are more interested in the rising
action, “the tease,” than the romantic aftermath. Therefore, the
quote means that “an ad can be as powerful a tool in creating mass
media myths as any other form of fiction, but it can never
overcome its ultimate purpose of having to sell a product.” (pg 51)
People identify more with the initial excitement of meeting
someone.
• Which myths are perpetuated by the Taster’s Choice
advertising campaign described in this chapter?
Myths 1, 2, 3, and 10
• How is the “escape” fantasy a formula that relates both to
romantic narrative and advertising?They both have to end on a
positive note & find a solution for their problem/obstacle. The
formulas both contain their persuasive potency from repeated
exposure to similar dramatic plots & both respond to a general
desire or need (in this case the escape into a world of ideal
relationships). It attempts to remind us of beautiful moments in our
own lives or it pictures magical moments we would like to
experience.
• With its episodic and serialized storyline, what narrative
form does the author say this campaign’s romance more
resembled?They used a beverage (their product) as a potion in a
love-at-first-sight romance narrative which targeted women’s
fantasies. It gave the audience prompt to find inspiration for freer,
less constricted interpersonal relationships. The campaigns fantasy, with the
appeal of the perfect romantic encounter, allowed women to “expend their vision
of themselves by permitting them to escape from problems of the real world and to
‘try on’ interesting or provocative roles.” It filled an emotional hole in many
women and more resembled that of a romance novel/popular fiction.
MYTH/Rx #3

• Did more Generation Xers or more Baby Boomers believe in the mind-
reading function described by Myth #3? What media were tied to this belief?
Generation Xers results are tied to their heavier use of the television, movies and
magazines.
• What is difficult about Rx #3 — and why do some people choose not to
apply it?The fear of rejection if they speak their mind. They are also fearful of
hurting their partners’ feelings. It takes courage to freely and openly tell your
partner what you want. For some people the smooth relationship that occurs
from communicating is just not exciting enough/too predictable for them.
• As shown and discussed in a classroom session, what is unusual about the
romantic couple in ABC-TV’s Fall 2003 sit com I’m With Her (which won the
2004 Realistic Romance® Award™ for both Prescriptions #3 and #8—and
the Realistic Romance® Grand Prize™ for 2004—but was not renewed for a
second season)? How does the “You Can’t Sing” episode shown in class
illustrate Rx #3? It showed that romantic partners can be interesting, sexy, and
funny without putting each other down constantly (see Rx No. 8). The couple is
nice (but not goody-goody) and respectful (but real). And they actually share their
feelings and wishes with each other -- gently but honestly. (Best example/Rx#3:
When he tells her that her singing voice is less than stellar.) Each episode is a
lesson in how to talk to someone you love, with clever dialog that is dialog --
courageous two-way communication underlined with obvious loving respect.
• What is the thesis of Alison Kraus’ song When You Say Nothing at All
(included in your online session), which was given a 2004 Stupid Cupid
Award™ for Myth #3?expecting the kind of mind-reading promoted by this song
-- whose chorus argues, “You say it best when you say nothing at all.” -- usually
results in misunderstanding and suggests a lack of genuine intimacy.
• What’s the “slogan” normalized by the classic movie Love Story — and does
it illustrate Myth #3 or Rx #3?
“Never having to say your sorry” and it illustrates Myth #3
• What does The Princess Bride’s Buttercup “come to realize” Wesley is
saying in the clip shown as part of your online session—and how does this
illustrate Myth #3? What other Myth is illustrated by the clip shown from
this popular movie, which got the 2003 Stupid Cupid for Myth #3?She
realized that he loves her and it tells us what the lovers just “know” is the
meaning behind their looks and laconic dialogue. # 7 That a man will change his
life for a woman
• How does the Romeo & Juliet parody by West and Peske illustrate Rx #3—
and why did it win the 2003 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #3? It
illustrates how we should not assume and to be open and honest. It won because
thanks to courageous clear communication, the outcome of this clever parody
(whose title is self-explanatory) is much happier than Shakespeare’s tragic
version.
• What is unusual about the couple in The Ghost Whisperer, which earned a
2007 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #3?Jennifer Love Hewitt’s
Melinda Gordon not only communicates with ghostly spirits to help them
complete their unfinished earthly business but she also brings this skill
home to husband Jim, with whom she engages in respectful and heartfelt
healthy discussions rarely demonstrated by media couples.
• What is the thesis of Jordin Sparks See My Side (in your online session),
which won the 2009 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #3? For each
partner to take the time to listen to what each other has to say and not be afraid to
be honest with your partner.
• Was Natasha Bedingfield’s Soulmate the recipient of the Stupid Cupid or
Realistic Romance® Award® in 2010? Stupid Cupid
MYTH/Rx #4

• What did Denis de Rougemont argue were “the means of eroticism”? The
Mass Media
• According to the posted article “12 Secrets to Hot Love Scenes,” what are
the primary elements of exciting mediated sex scenes? How does this writing
formula compare with the healthy, rational (“realistic”) relational strategies
advocated by the scientific literature and clinical practice?
• How is casual sex normalized in most movies and TV shows—and how are
characters who do NOT indulge in sexuality portrayed?Couples meet, fall in
love (lust), and then have sex (“without even exchanging last names”)
• Do media depictions of Myth #4 typically discuss or show the consequences
of easy casual sex? Rarely
• As demonstrated in a classroom session, what unrealistic expectations are
raised by the car sex scene in Titanic— and what critical questions should we
ask about it? Why did it win the 2004 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #4—
and what other myth(s) does it illustrate? How are the mis-attribution of
arousal and the Romeo & Juliet effect related to this movie’s plot and action?
What is the preferred reading of the couple’s dialog right after they run out
of the car (i.e., what unhealthy but popular romantic relational strategy is
normalized) — and why should media literate critical thinkers oppose it?
How does the movie avoid dealing with the reality of the romantic
relationship of Rose and Jack?Why it won for #4: These two star-crossed lovers
are practically strangers, but their somewhat gratuitous sex scene in the back seat
of a car in the ship’s hold is mythic (with requisite formula fog), graphically
solidifying the idea that they’re meant for each other. What’s unhealthy about it:
People have unreal expectations about sex and then they are disappointed
• What similar expectations might be raised by love scenes from such as
“Ghost” and “Top Gun” (shown in class)? How does the love scene from the
British film “The Tall Guy” (also shown in class) essentially satirize these
fantasies and expectations? If we take believe this myth we’re going to be
disappointed.
• What narrative devices in Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave for You” (included
in your online session) contradict her claim that the thesis is that she’s a
“slave to music”?The use of heavy breathing and moaning that encourages
animalistic sexual behavior.
• Who are the “anti-Britneys”? What was surprising about the Avril
LaVigne cover of Blender that was shown in class—and what does this
demonstrate about the nature of mass media portrayals of female artists and
the viability of the “anti-Britney” philosophy? A group of female singer-
songwriters who are challenging the notion that you have to dress provocatively
to be sexy & successful in pop music.
• In Dr. Debra Merskin’s article “Reviving Lolita? A Media Literacy
Examination of Sexual Portrayals of Girls in Fashion Advertising” (which
was posted for you on COURSE DOCUMENTS as well as in the ONLINE
SESSION for Myth/Rx #5, 6, 7, along with a related link), what point of view
does she argue is being “procured, offered, and sold”? What are the three key
implications she draws from her Dis-illusioning? The sexualization of pre-
adolescent and adolescent girls has implications for their psychological
and physical well-being. The message that’s being given is that girls
should always be sexually available, always have sex on their minds, be
willing to be dominated and that they will be gazed upon as sexual objects.
• According to the textbook, how “real” are reality TV shows like Real Sex
and Temptation Island?Some of the unusual sex acts and convos are real, and
some are scripted. Some of the “couples” weren’t even real couples. They contain
a lot of selective editing.
• What mass medium provides a “manual” for easy, wonderful sex?
Magazines (like Playboy, Maxim, Cosmo, and Seventeen)
• What are the problems a media literacy critic recognizes in solution to
“sexual problems” in the Enzyte (“male enhancement”) commercial shown in
class?That for women size wasn’t important and the product doesn’t guarantee
better sex. It also ignores the involvement of the women.
• What mass media genre won the 2003 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #4
—and why? What has become the emphasis in this genre — and how has this
genre pushed the envelope more and more (as shown in video clips in class)?
Television soap operas because too often, these daily dramas depict sex as the
fundamental and most important element of coupleship that are also too often
devoid of friendship or commitment.
• Why did Sex and the City (the TV series) get the 2005 Stupid Cupid for
Myth #4? By contrast, why did The 40-Year-Old Virgin get the 2006 Realistic
Romance® Award™ for Rx #4?Sex in the City won because of the way all four
leading “Sex” characters evaluate the potential of and make choices about
partners. And 40 Year Old Virgin won because it ends with him not having sex
until he’s married and known her for a long time and it was totally acceptable.
• Why did the movie Fool’s Gold (included in your online session) get the 2009
Stupid Cupid for Myth #4? Because good sex is what made them get back
together even though they fought all the time. “Simple sexual attraction resulting
from the sexual tension of their ludicrous liaisons in inappropriate venues and
their bickering and fighting (see Myth No. 8)—which they mistakenly believe
proves that their relationship has a basis other than a business partnership.”
• Why did the song Love Sex Magic (discussed in a classroom session at which
you were asked to view the music video) get the 2010 Stupid Cupid for Myth
#4? The song implies that there needs to be amazing sex to have a good
relationship, and/or in order to keep a person interested in you. “Oh, this is the
part where we fall in love”—but it’s based on convincing each other to “believe
in love and sex and magic.”
• What qualities does the hip hop artist Common advocate in his song, The
Light (included in your online session), a Realistic Romance® Award™
nominee for Rx #4 (textbook) and 2003 honorable mention winner?
Common’s lyrics in this song emphasize consistency, communication, equality,
and that with sex alone a relationship will fall.
• Why did the TV series Pushing Daisies (included in your online session) win
the 2009 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #4?It showed a variety of
ways to demonstrate consummate love even though they can’t touch, or
she will die.
CT/CHAPTER 4
• According to Dr. Johnson, how are Maxim and Cosmo readers’
expectations about sex, love, and romance shaped by these magazines
(“agenda-setting”)? They identify and frame the issues for the readers. They tell
us what to think about.
• Which magazine has more cover lines with sexual content: Maxim or
Cosmo? Cosmo
• Which magazine more frequently portrays women as sexual objects: Maxim
or Cosmo? Maxim
• Which myths are conveyed by the cover lines of these two magazines? Myth
4&5
• Which of the three elements of Sternberg’s Triangular Theory model are
included in the cover lines — and which are not? Included: Passion (sex)
Excluded: Intimacy and Commitment.
MYTH/Rx #5

• What are the power imbalances inherent in Myths #5-10?
• What did Dr. Doug Kenrick and his research team learn about males who
viewed Playboy-style pictures of attractive women and nudes?The unrealistic
pictures of women can have attitudinal and behavioral effects on men and their
real life relationships. Real women cant measure up to these seemingly real
fantasies.
• As shown and discussed in-class and/or online, what was the controversy
regarding the GQ cover photo of Kate Winslett—and the similar magazine
photo of new CBS-TV new anchor Katie Couric? How do these issues relate
to the wasp-waist Playboy cover and the photos of Jenna Jamieson shown in
class? How do they relate to Disney cartoon “princess” bodies? What is an
unhealthy consequence of these kinds of photos?The controversy is how their
photos were photo-shopped to look more appealing to the public. Disney
Princesses waists are as small as their necks. These images suggest impossibility,
because even these people do not look that way. They led us to have deeply
warped perceptions of female fitness.
• As shown online and discussed in class, what was unusual about how Jamie
Lee Curtis allowed herself to be photographed for More magazine? How does
this related to the People magazine cover story about Tyra Banks (shown in
class)? In her pics, she made sure they didn’t edit anything, they were pics
of her exactly the way she is.
• When we studied magazine covers in class, what did we conclude about
racial bias and media messages about beauty? What about diversity of beauty
images?
• How does the “Dove Campaign for Real Beauty” print ad play into this
racial bias? How else does the Dove campaign present mixed messages about
women and ideals of beauty? In what way might we conclude that the
Essence magazine fashion photo shown in class does a better job of presenting
Rx #5?
• What useful media literacy points are made by the “Dove Campaign for
Real Beauty” video “Evolution,” showing how a model is prepped for a
photo-shoot (included in your online session)? What is somewhat hypocritical
and confusing about the “Dove Campaign for Real Beauty” print ad with
“real women” (shown in class)? The “real women” they use are all under a size
5 or 8, and the ones that are the bigger women are shown to the side or placed in
back of someone. There is only one girl that is facing forward, who must be a size
1.
• What claims have feminists Naomi Wolf and Jean Kilbourne made about
the impact of mass-mediated standards of beauty?
• How have TV series like 2005 Stupidest Cupid Awardee Sex and the City
influenced people’s expectations? Some people believe that their lives should be
like the lives of the women in the series, who all engage in multiple relationships
with men and have lavish lifestyles that are not suitable for women of their
standing.
• What type of stereotype is parodied by the “7-Up Pin-Ups” commercial?
On a more serious note, what did the print ads of males (in the PowerPoint
presentation) demonstrate about unrealistic ideals of physical attractiveness
in the media that males now face—or are they exempt from this kind of
influence?
• Why is Shallow Hal described in the textbook as a “convoluted
countertype” (and NOT a good example of Rx #5)? Why is Phat Girlz (which
won the 2007 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #5 and was part of your
related online session) a much less stereotyped and therefore healthier
portrayal? How does Phat Girlz compare with SLR/11’s Design for Coming to
America (starring Eddie Murphy)?Shallow Hal: It’s a convoluted countertype
that reinforces a variety of unhealthy myths. Phat Girlz: In more stereotypic
portrayals, women who are less than model-esque must settle for unattractive or
less successful romantic partners (if they get any at all) -- but in this inspiring
story that concentrates on the importance of inner beauty, plus-size Monique not
only gets the man but a successful, dreamy hunk who values her as a total
person. Coming to America: preferred reading illustrates that in order to be a
princess in that country a women must look like a centerfold or model.
• What is the moral of Cinder Elephant (as presented in the SLR textbook)?
Moral: “If you love a waist, you waste a love.”
• What different media genres and sub-genres have won Stupid Cupid
Awards™ for Myth #5—and what is their impact?Books, Magazines, Movies,
Recorded Music, and TV. They reinforce unhealthy body images/unrealistic
physical standards.
• Why are “Most Disney heroines” given a “Dis-honorable Mention” in the
2003 Stupid Cupid Awards™ for Myth #5? Because even though parents feel
they can “trust Disney,” they’d be wise to evaluate more closely the long-term
impact of the visual images of the women who get the men in these fantasies
that seem real to little girls and even to little boys.
• Disney’s The Incredibles (an animated feature targeted to children, a clip of
which was shown in class) won an Academy Award® and seemed to be about
empowerment—so why did it get a 2005 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #5?
Anorexic depictions of the heroic characters (especially the females),
and for the cross promotions with McDonald’s, including trading cards
with the characters’ death courting height/weight ratios that could
easily entice young girls and boys to follow suit
• Why did TV sit-coms like King of Queens, Still Standing, and Yes, Dear get
Dis-honorable Mentions in the 2006 Stupid Cupid Awards™?
• What’s the thesis of the popular song Picture Perfect by Chris Brown with
will.i.am (part of your online session)—and did it win a 2009 Stupid Cupid
for Myth #5 or a Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #5? Thesis dangerous
unrealistic expectation—held by both sexes—that nothing less than “top model
chicks from my favorite” will do as men’s romantic accessories, a goal toward
countless women willingly objectify themselves (“She gotta be a goddess”).
STUPID CUPID AWARD.
• What’s unkind and ridiculous (given the looks of the “heroine”) about the
title (and the content) of the 2010 Stupid Cupid Award™ recipient for Myth
#5—and how does the 2010 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #5 (the
trailer of which was shown and discussed in the classroom) underscore the
meanness and superficiality of the Stupid Cupid Award™ recipient?Although
gorgeous-to-begin-with Katherine Heigl’s character ultimately dismantles some
(but not all) of the enhancements of the model-like makeover she’s undergone to
snag her “Mr. Right” (at the demeaning direction of Gerard Butler’s chauvinistic
“Mr Wrong”), neither man gave her the time of day until she did superficially
transform herself and eagerly objectify herself to serve as arm candy for such
shallow men. The movie is all about being a total phony.
• Why did the film Penelope win a Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #5?
She is cursed with a pig snout until someone learns to love her. Handsome and
kind, James McAvoy touchingly loves her for her charm and wit. Extra-special
lesson: It’s Penelope herself who breaks the curse by finally coming to love
herself.
CT/CHAPTER 5
• What was precedent-setting about Mode magazine? It is a precedent-
breaking magazine because it was the first successful niche market magazine
addressing bodies in fashion that were not the norm and it ”doesn’t treat these
women like there is something wrong with them.”
• What norms does Dr. Ferris say were emphasized in the letters from readers
over the five years Mode was published?They wanted more advice on
heterosexual romantic relationships for plus sized women through columns or
articles addressing the subject. Also, that men too can participate in the framing
of the plus size body.
• How did readers address Myth #5, 10 and 12—and why is their use of the
Prescriptions© described as “ambivalent”? Myth #5- Readers created the
concept of centerfold by calling themselves “Mode” women. and How to Be
“Modacious.” They approached the myth by redefining what makes a centerfold
and encouraged (Rx#5) to Cherish the Completeness in Yourself as well as a
Mate! Myth #10- the women encouraged each other to keep looking for a man.
“They had come to accept their bodies, find great new wardrobes and now they
must find romance,” but that they must first accept selves and believe they are
sexy and able to land a man. (Personal confidence about themselves.). Myth #12-
The magazines center debate was whether they should cover sex, love, and
romance.
MYTH/Rx #6

• What is the “paranoid position”—and how does it relate to Myth #6 (as well
as Myth #7, 8, and 9)?
• What model of coupleship did Schwartz’s research find to be the happiest
for both men and women?
• Why do the media rarely present peer coupleship as the preferred reading?
• Who held the most stereotypic views of male hegemony—Generation Xers
or Baby Boomers? Xers
• What did New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd explain about the
evolution of the feminist movement and the problems faced today by
successful women (in her column “What’s a Modern Girl to Do?”—from her
new book, which was posted for you)?
• How does Myth #6 suggest a “rescue theme”—and how is this theme
related to Karpman’s Drama Triangle? What different kinds of rescue
fantasies are there — and what other myth(s) depict(s) a rescue fantasy?
What is the sub-text about power in these myths? Because women are looking
for a Knight in shining armor, a man to rescue them. Rescue Fantasies (in
Myth#6, 7, & 10) are toxic and Karpmans Drama Triangle shows the destructive
cycle for the rescuee and well as the rescuer. Rescue Fantasies: 3 different roles-
Rescuer (hero/heroine), Victim, and Persecutor (villain)
• How do news anchor and talk show host “couples” contribute to unrealistic
expectations by normalizing a stereotype? (See also the Myth #6 “Dis-
honorable Mention” citation in the 2003 Stupid Cupid Awards™ listing.)
• What does the “Politically Erect” episode from Sex in the City (discussed in
the SLR textbook) suggest about a norm for coupleship that is marginalizing?
• What is the thesis of the posted article Size: Does it Matter—and how does it
relate to our study?
• Why did Entrapment with Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones (the
trailer of which was included in your online session) win a 2003 Stupid Cupid
Award™ for Myth #6? What does this kind of portrayal “normalize”?
• What is the subtext of the Canada Tourism magazine ad shown and
discussed in class?
• What was the subtext of the London Fog magazine ad shown and discussed
in class?
• Why did Something’s Gotta Give (the trailer of which was included in your
online session) get the 2004 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #6—even
though it was praised by some critics because it featured a much-older-than-
usual actress as the romantic lead?
• Why did the best-selling book The DaVinci Code, which has been described
as raising awareness of the role of women in religion, nevertheless win a 2005
Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #6 instead of a Realistic Romance®
Award™ for Rx #6 (and why did its movie version similarly win the 2007
Stupid Cupid Award™)? (Note also the 2010 Stupid Cupid Award™ for
Myth #6—a movie from a book by the same author—Dan Brown—with the
same leading man character.) Regardless of the women’s knowledge of religion,
she is still ‘rescued’ and the male lead is still the hero in the novel.
• Why did The Thomas Crown Affair earn a textbook nomination for a 2003
Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #6 (which it won)? And what other
long-running popular TV show (and winner of the 2004, 2005, AND 2006
Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #6) featured a married couple that was
also unusual in exhibiting the healthy qualities of Rx #6, including peer
coupleship?
• What’s refreshing about the SyFy channel’s “Alice” (included in your
online session)—winner of the 2010 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #6?
• Are “reversals” or countertypes of Myth #6 (such as the films Ever After
and Cutthroat Island) a healthier alternative to the stereotypes? Why or why
not? Also: How are countertypes of this myth (as demonstrated by a number
of video examples in class) usually presented (seriously or as a kind of joke)?
What is unusual about the romantic couple in the movie White Palace
(discussed in the SLR textbook)?
• What models for Rx #6 can we derive from the research of Drs. Bem,
Schwartz, and Jung?
CT/CHAPTER 6
• What kind of heroine did Zora Neale Hurston create for Their Eyes Were
Watching God—and why? How did this character relate to her own life?
An older, socially elevated heroine was what she created, which contrasted her
own life
• What genres influenced Hurston—and to what current genres might these
be compared?
• According to Dr. Carstarphen, what Myth(s) did novelist Hurston show to
be unhealthy behaviors in her characters, and what Prescription(s)© did she
have her characters demonstrate?
Myths 6 and 9 - two people
CT/CHAPTER 7
• Who was Primetime TV’s first interracial leading couple—and what was
their racial mix? Which Primetime TV show featured the first interracial
kiss? Which Primetime TV show featured the first married White man and
Black woman? Which Daytime TV Soap Opera featured the first interracial
couple?
• From her content analysis of 2004 Primetime TV, what did Dr. Bramlett-
Solomon’s discover about what is allowed in story lines of interracial couples
—and what is not—in terms of sexual behavior, relationship duration,
equality, racial mix
• What was surprising about the evolution of “headlining” interracial
couples?
CT/CHAPTER 8
• What do Drs. Rios and Reyes mean by their argument that the dynamics of
race and ethnicity in Maid in Manhattan “reinforce notions of justified white
patriarchal power in our society”?
• How does “The American Dream” relate to Myth #6 in Maid in Manhattan?
• How does Myth #11 resonate in this movie?
• What is troubling about the post-ball evening of “Marisa” (Jennifer Lopez)
and the “Senator” (Ralph Fiennes)?
• In what ways is “Marisa” marginalized by Myth #5?
CT/CHAPTER 9
• What is the “Communication Predicament of Aging Model”—and how does
it relate to this chapter?
• Why do Drs. Grant and Hundley claim that the Golden Girls represents a
“bold undertaking” that offers a portrait of older women that is different
from most other TV shows?
• Which Myths and Prescriptions© were most prevalent—and how were they
demonstrated in this popular series?
CT/CHAPTER 10
• Which Myths were most prevalent in Ms. Bader’s content analysis of 100
popular songs from the 1960s and 1990s?
• What was the average number of Myths per song?
• How did the songs of the 1960s compare with the songs of the 1990s?
CT/CHAPTER 11
• What is the “double standard” of The DaVinci Code referenced in the title of
this chapter by Dr. Scodari and Ms. Trust? To which Myth does it most
closely relate? How do the elements of the book cover support this “double
standard”? What elements of the content of the book (i.e., the “story”)
support this “double standard”?
• What is the “lone male hero”—and in what other media narratives does he
appear?
• Did online fans challenge or support the preferred reading of the book?
CT/CHAPTER 12
• Why does Dr. Natharius argue that two Helen Hunt films promoted as
“feminist” films (What Women Want and Dr T and the Women) are actually
NOT feminist?
• What Myth(s) do these films perpetuate?
• How does the “Hollywood Ending” often limit women?
• Which film demonstrates a countertype, and which film demonstrates a
Prescription©?
MYTH/Rx #7

• Why is Myth #7 especially dangerous? potential for abuse - the “good”
person doesn’t change the “bad” person for the better ( they also begin to think
they deserve the abuse bc of media’s portryals) p. 179
• How does Myth #7 suggest a “rescue theme”—and how is this theme related
to Karpman’s Drama Triangle? What different kinds of rescue fantasies are
there — and what other myth(s) depicts a rescue fantasy?
• Do mediated portrayals of Myth #7 have any redeeming value? What
healthy metaphoric use might this Myth suggest – and how does this relate to
the Jungian archetypes we’ve discussed?
• What does your textbook argue is particularly troubling about the “beast”
(male or female) in most media portrayals of this myth? The beast (shown as
mean and abusive )should be loved because he/she has a tiny bit of goodness
buried inside p. 179
• What is problematic about the specific type of stereotypic “beauty” who
tames the beast in King Kong (the 2006 Stupid Cupid winner for #7)? White,
blonde and thin female.
• Why do many parents believe they can always “trust Disney”? What is
overlooked in this notion? It begins creating unrealistic portrayals at a young
age.
• Why is it important to debrief children who see movies with unrealistic love
stories whose preferred readings promote this myth (such as Beauty and the
Beast and Lady and the Tramp – and, more recently, Cars)? debriefing clarifies
that in the real world belle might get a broken nose for trying to reform a beast
p.180
• How does the “Beauty Unleashed” web commercial for Caress soap with
Bella and Bruno (included in your online session) illustrate the relationship
between Myth #7 and Myth #8?
• As discussed in the classroom session that included clips from the film, what
did some psychologists and therapists (as well as some media critics) find
disturbing about the way the love story of the Nashes was portrayed in A
Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe?
• What is unhealthy about the love story of Carol and Melvin in As Good As
It Gets (shown and discussed in detail earlier in this course and in the SLR
textbook) — and why did it win a 2003 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #7?
• Why did 28 Days (the final scene of which was shown and discussed earlier
in this course) earn a textbook nomination for a Realistic Romance®
Award™ for Rx #7 [which it won both in 2003 and 2004!]? After rehab, she
goes to dinner with her nonreformed boyfriend / drinking partner - he tries to
drag her back into her old ways - instead of falling in her old ways - she leaves
and he follows , she says “goodbye jasper” he’s not as strong as her - she’s
focused on herself p.181
• Why did Destiny’s Child Bad Habit (included in your online session) win
the 2005 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #7? The lyrics depict a woman
getting rid of a ‘bad habit,’ which is an unhealthy relationship. She prefers
independence over a toxic relationship
• As discussed in class and described in the citation for the three films that
shared the 2009 Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #7, what disturbing ironic
twist has recently appeared in many such media portrayals?
• What’s the twist in the 2010 recipient of the Stupid Cupid Award™ for
Myth #7
• What advice in the lyrics of the 2009 winner of the Honorable Mention
award for Rx #7 (for a 2008 portrayal) – as noted in your related online
session and classroom session -- does it (sadly) appear that the singer failed to
take in real life?
CT/CHAPTER 13
• What reasons do Drs. Slagle and Yep give for the importance of presenting
media portrayals of queer relationships?
• How is power exercised by “normalization”—and how is it related to queer
studies and to media literacy?
• What does Justin learn when he tries to “tame” Brian?
PRESENTATION BY DR. DAVID NATHARIUS: MYTH/RX #3, 6, 7:

answers to most of these questions can be found in CT/Chapter12.
• What was the motivation for the Men’s Movement(s) begun in the 1980s?
What are some of the consequences of it (and of the earlier Women’s
Movements)? How does the Men’s Movement relate to Myth #3 and or Rx
#3?
• What serious issues are illuminated by the humorous video clips Dr.
Natharius showed from two TV series—Murphy Brown and In Living Color?
• As shown by Dr. Natharius, what myth(s) do the subtexts of What Women
Want and Dr. T & the Women reinforce and what myth(s) do these movies
satirize?
• How does the Mel Gibson character in What Women Want use his mind-
reading skill?
• What are “MR. Dr. FUN’s” Three Myths of Relational Simplicity—and
why are these three statements myths? How are they related to the Paranoid
Position?
• As explained by Dr. Natharius in his classroom presentation, what is the
difference between sexual equality and gender equity?
• How do the key historical events discussed by our guest expert Dr. David
Natharius relate to Myth #6 and/or Rx #6?
• As noted in Dr. Dave’s PowerPoint presentation, what are the consequences
of the women’s and men’s movements—and to which myths do these relate?
• How does Bree’s (Helen Hunt’s) statement in the stairway scene in Dr. T
and the Women provide a reframing (Design) of Myth #6 that demonstrates
Rx #6 (and could qualify for a Realistic Romance® Award™ nomination)?
• How does the “Hollywood ending” of What Women Want compare with the
independent movie ending of Dr. T and the Women?
MYTH/Rx #8

• Why is the dysfunctional, formulaic “battle of the sexes” so frequently
portrayed in the mass media?
• Is disagreement between romantic partners healthy or unhealthy?
• What does Gottman posit is the key to healthy relationships (per Rx #8)?
• How does the masturbation of arousal relate to Myth #8 (as well as Myth
#4)?
• What theory do sociobiologists argue might relate to this Myth?
• To what other myth is Myth #8 frequently linked in the mass media? And
what myth is the “convolution” of Myth #8?
• What’s wrong with the conversations and behaviors of the “lovers” in the
party scene shown in class from When Harry Met Sally? (See also its 2003
Myth #8 Stupid Cupid “Dis-honorable Mention” citation, along with the
related citation for You’ve Got Mail.) What would likely be the consequence
of such behavior as well as the consequence of the behavior illustrated in the
video clip shown in class from Indiana Jones?
• How does the video clip of Far & Away with Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise
illustrate how assertive women’s voices are “silenced” when they question
male hegemony? How does this also relate to the video clip of The Incredible
Shrinking Man that we viewed in class and that is also discussed in
SLR/Chapter 12?
• As demonstrated by the clips from the movie The Mexican (several clips
from which were included in your online session and also discussed in this
chapter), what is the preferred reading—and what is the problem with
adopting this reading?
• What could the “lovers” in The Mexican (the 2003 Stupid Cupid winner for
Myth #8) and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (the 2006 Stupid Cupid winner for Myth #8)
learn from some of the Realistic Romance® Award™ nominees and winners
that were demonstrated in class and online, including hip-hop artist
Common’s song The Light and the ABC-TV sit com Life with Bonnie (a 2003
Realistic Romance® Award™ winner for Rx #8), and the ABC-TV sit com
I’m With Her (2004 Realistic Romance® Awards™ for both Prescriptions #3
and #8 as well as the overall Realistic Romance® Grand Prize™), and Jim
and Pam in The Office (2009 and 2010 recipient of the Realistic Romance®
Award™ for Rx #8)?
• Why is Everybody Loves Raymond a terrible model of family and romantic
relationships—and why did it win the 2004 and 2005 Stupid Cupid Award™
for Myth #8?
• Does Martina McBride’s Be That Way (included in your online session)
illustrate Myth #8 or Rx #8?
• In the clip included in your online session, why does Ashton Kutcher’s
character in What Happens in Vegas (a 2009 Stupid Cupid Award™ recipient
for Myth #8) say “it’s so difficult” for him and his wife (played by Cameron
Diaz)—and what other myth is illustrated in this film?
• What are the “romantic couple” doing in the very last scene of Sweet Home
Alabama (2003 Stupidest Cupid Award™)—shown and discussed in class—
that media literacy advocates should question seriously? As discussed in the
classroom, how is this similar to the recipient of the 2010 Stupid Cupid
Award™ for this myth—which is also one of the three 2010 overall Stupidest
Cupid Award™ winners?
• What additional myths are illustrated by the couple in Just Married (2004
Stupidest Cupid Award™)—a scene from which was shown and discussed in
class? What is the problem with their behavior and their relationship in
general?
• Why did Friends get a 2005 Stupid Cupid Dis-honorable Mention for Myth
#8 and the overall Stupidest Cupid?
• Did Shrek 2 get the 2005 Stupid Cupid Award® for Myth #8 or the Realistic
Romance® Award™ for Rx #8?
• What’s particularly lovely about the movie that is the co-recipient of the
2010 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #8 (and what’s unique about the
leading man in both this film and the TV show that tied for this 2010 award)?
CT/CHAPTER 14
• On which Myths did Dr. Buslig and Mr. Ocaña focus in their content
analysis of 25 TV sitcoms in one week of 2003? Did the sitcoms present the
mythic behavior as positive or negative?
• How were the Prescriptions© presented (if at all)? What is the potential
problem with this kind of portrayal?
• Can audiences be influenced by behavior in humorous shows like TV
sitcoms?
MYTH/Rx #9

• Why do the mass media so frequently legitimize Myth #9 as the preferred
reading? It is easy to believe, and the values between two people is something
that many people will look over in the beginning of a relationship, but soon
enough the opposing viewpoints will break up a relationship.
• How does the quotation from Antoine de Saint-Exupery at the beginning of
this chapter (also discussed in class) illustrate an important element of
healthy relational strategies rarely shown in the media? when romantic
partners share values, mutual respect naturally flows. Quote: Life has taught us
that love does not consist of gazing at each other but in looking outward together
in the same direction.
• What important element is usually omitted from media portrayals (like
Pretty Woman and Titanic) that glamorize the “opposites attract” myth? We
never see the couples actually being together in their life, instead we see glimpses
of their love “on the street where you live”
• How does the “Romeo and Juliet effect” relate to media portrayals of Myth
#9?
• What should a media literate consumer interrogate in the lyrics of Paula
Abdul’s Opposites Attract (in your online session)? They need to realize that the
song is for entertainment purposes only and is not a suggestion that opposite
couples work out.
• Why do many portrayals of this myth focus on differences related to
cultural stereotypes rather than on real values clashes?
• Why should parents debrief children who have seen Disney’s Lady and the
Tramp
• Although it won a Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #2, how does the
children’s cartoon feature Cars also illustrate Myth #7 & 9 (per your online
session)?
• What are some questions media critics should ask about media couples who
portray Myth #9?
• As shown in a clip and discussed in class, although it’s a fluffy movie for the
most part, why did Legally Blonde earn a nomination (see textbook) and win
the 2003 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #9 (as well as the 2003
Realistic Romance® Grand Prize™), and why did its sequel, Legally Blonde
2: Red, White, and Blonde, win the 2004 Realistic Romance®Award™ for Rx
#9?
• What is the preferred reading of Along Came Polly (included in your online
session)—and why did it win the 2005 Stupid Cupid Award™?
• How does the clip shown in class from the NBC-TV series Ed (Molly and
Carol in the kitchen—discussing Carol’s relationship with Ed) relate to the
comments in this chapter by Dr. Stan Katz and Aimee Liu (about the role of
friendship) as well as the work of Dr. Pepper Schwartz (regarding peer
couples)? How does the 2003 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #2—While
You Were Sleeping (two scenes of which were shown in the classroom) —
relate to Katz and Liu’s comments?
• How does Alanis Morissette’s Bees of My Knees” (included in your online
session) illustrate Rx #9, for which it won the 2005 Realistic Romance®
Award™?
• As discussed in class, how is the 2009 Stupid Cupid Award™ recipient for
Myth #9 (Made of Honor) similar to the overall Stupidest Cupid Award™
winner for 2009 (Sex and the City: The Movie)? (Compare the citations.)
CT/CHAPTER 15
• How do stories about the “’Sure, Honey’ Factor” promote and perpetuate
Myth #9?
• According to Dr. Hall, how are the opposing political views of men and
women typically framed in the Hollywood political romance genre? What is
the most acceptable way for a woman to become part of a couple?
• Why does Dr. Hall say that the basic conflict in most of these films
symbolically strips both romantic love and political conviction of any
meaningfulness?
• Are the four plot lines posited by Dr. Hall similar or different? How do they
relate to the four resolutions?
CT/CHAPTER 16
• In addition to the primary myth (#9), what other myths are promoted by
The Breakfast Club—and how are they invoked?Myth 2(invoked by the
suddenness of these romantic coupling), 5(perpetuated when the reclusive Allison
is only acceptable as a romantic partner for the jock after she gets her make
over), 7( Beast into Prince: the entire film suggest this myth is realistic),
8( invoked with the continual bickering and fighting of the couple as well as
between all 5 characters.)
• What Design does Ms. Hays suggest? How does it incorporate the one
character of the five who does not become part of a romantic coupleship in
the movie? That they would have left school not as couples but as friends because
they different values they can maintain a certain level of friendship or at least a
mutual understanding and respect.Then Brian the Brain could be accepted as well
and respected as someone other than the nerd with no romantic potential
CT/CHAPTER 17
• What is Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrman’s “Red Curtain” trilogy? 3
Films: Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin
Rouge, That rely on highly stylized visuals to create a hyper-real love story such
as elaborate set and costumes and well known pop songs to craft the film that
resonates with the audience instantly.
• According to Ms. Hutchins, how does the city of Paris itself work as part of
the preferred message of this romantic film?Paris is the most romantic city in
the world, according to a long history of cinematic representation of the city.
Images of Paris stimulate the viewer to recall an unlimited number of media
messages in his or her existing schema which include myths and stereotypes
• How do the visuals in this film “intoxicate” viewers, making a linear plot
unimportant? What does Ms. Hutchins mean by “visual metaphors”?
• What is the impact of using popular songs in this film? Because people
already have associations of each some with the concept of love and perhaps a
personal experience that each song evokes, he greatly increases the chances that a
favorable association will occur during the film.
• How is Moulin Rouge similar to advertising, and what is its primary
message?Because it evokes feeling more than it tells a story. Its production is
based upon one message that is easy to summarize & has universal appeal.
Message of Christian Mantra: “Above all things,love” through symbols laden
with meaning.
MYTH/Rx #10

• What Disney feature-length cartoons epitomize Myth #10? Which one is
THE iconic portrayal of this myth? Cinderella
• Does this myth relate only to females? No
• What is unusual about the Cinderella character in the novel Just Ella? It
tells you what happens after she decides to marry the prince. She learns that being
a princess is not as easy as it looks and the Prince is boring and not someone she
really wants to marry.
• What kind of role model is promoted to young girls in the song Cinderella
by the Swedish group PLAY (in your online session)--winner of the 2004
Realistic Romance® Award for Rx #10? What is its thesis or preferred
reading regarding whether or not women should avoid having a romantic
partner?
• Does Natasha’ Bedingfield’s Single (in your online session) illustrate Myth
#10 or Rx #10? Why? What is the relationship of this song to Play’s
Cinderella (also recorded by Cheetah Girls)?
• What medium is largely responsible for cultivating the “Snow White
syndrome”? Love songs
• What is the “Ozzie and Harriet mythology”? Ozzie and Harriet were a
television show couple that was portrayed as being a real-life family; the
depersonalization from the mass media society leads us to unrealistically high
expectations and individual longings for a close relationship in which one person
will satisfy every need (page 202)
• What did Dr. Lazarus mean by using your partner as “emotional oxygen”?
What re-framings (Designs) do he and Dr. Dyer suggest are more healthy?
Emotional oxygen refers to the feeling that some people get about not ever living
without their partner. Reframing message: “I can live with or without you. I much
prefer to live with you because I love you. I hope that you feel the same way about
me.” (page 202)
• How does Dr. Galician’s “bank loan” analogy (in the textbook; also
discussed in class) explain the danger of emotional neediness? She says
“lending institutions tend to give money to people who “dont need it”- that is, to
people with appropriate collateral who represent “good risks” for repayment.
People who desperately “need” the money are not considered good risks to pay it
back.” (p. 203)
• Was the TV series finale of Sex and the City mythic/stereotypic or
prescriptive? Why? Mythic and stereotypic because Big came to get Carrie in
Paris while she was there with another man, and in the last moments he says to
her, “you’re the one” and along the lines of her completing him but him not being
able to realize it THE LAST 6 YEARS!
• Why does the textbook argue that the movie Jerry Maguire (a 2003 Stupid
Cupid Award™ winner for Myth #10) exemplifies the dysfunction of the
codependency model? How can we best use the “message” of this movie?
• What is the preferred reading of An Officer and a Gentleman (discussed in
this chapter; the final scene was played and discussed in class) – and why
should this reading be challenged with an oppositional reading? How does a
portrayal like this show a power imbalance?
• How is Rx #10 illustrated by Beyonce’s Me, Myself, and I (in your online
session), the 2005 Realistic Romance® Award™ winner for this prescription?
• What is the preferred reading of Backstreet Boys’ As Long As You Love Me
(in your online session)?
• What is ironic about the 2007 winners of the Stupid Cupid Award™ for
Myth #10 and the Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #10 (both of which
were included in your online session)?
• What’s especially sad about the thesis of Mariah Carey’s “Inseparable”—
the 2010 recipient of the Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #10?
• Although its setting is a modern office with a modern business woman, what
is stereotypic and even racially offensive about the Caress “Cindy Rella”
online soap commercial (included in your online session and discussed in our
classroom session)?
• What’s the problem with Jordin Sparks’ No Air (included in your online
session)? It implies to the listener that they will not be able to breathe without the
love of the other person, implying that we would literally die if we didnt have
someone to be with
• Why did Jewel’s Stronger Woman (in your online session) win the 2009
Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #10?Reflecting on an unhealthy romance,
Jewel’s self-liberating lyrics proclaim, “…I’m going to be my own best
friend/Stick with me till the end/Wont’ lose myself again, never, no/’Cause there’s
a stronger woman, a stronger woman in me”—and she adds a precept that many
woman (and men) could benefit by adopting: “I’m going to be the kind of woman
I’d want my daughter to be.
• What refreshing common theme is noted in the award citation of the co-
winners of the 2010 Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #10?
• Does Rx #10 mean we should avoid being in a relationship?
CT/CHAPTER 18
• What is the “Carpe Diem” theme described by Dr. Winn? Where did it
originate—and how can it impact modern real life? To which myths is it
closely related?
• What is the importance of “turning points” and “sudden transformation”
in the Carpe Diem theme?
• What does Dr. Winn argue is similar about the “sacrifice” made in Carpe
Diem films like Pretty Woman and The Little Mermaid?
CT/CHAPTER 19
• Drs. Leone and Peek argue that although the Sopranos presents many
relational myths, it also demonstrates that the myths are not viable relational
strategies and that the prescriptions should be ultimately preferred. Which
major myths are perpetuated and which Rx is ultimately demonstrated by
each of Tony’s key romantic relationships—with his wife Carmella, with his
therapist Dr. Melfi, and with his mistress Gloria?
• How do these women exercise power and control over Tony?
• What is the nature of the values conflicts (Myth #9)?
CT/CHAPTER 20
• In the three pairs of films (originals and remakes), did Ms. Asenas find
more myths in the originals than the remakes? What does this say about our
own time?
• Do the originals present more Rxs? What does this say about our own time?
• Do the remakes present more equitable relationships? What does this say
about our own time? How does Ms. Asenas account for this?
CT/CHAPTER 21
• What is the “heterosexual imaginary”—and how does it relate to Myth #10?
• What alternatives does Dr. McClanahan recommend—and are they often
seen in the mass media? Why?
• How are women portrayed on “Must Marry TV”—and why is The
Bachelor a prime example? How is the bachelor portrayed?
• What other myths are portrayed by The Bachelor?
• According to Dr. McClanahan, what is the appeal of Must Marry TV?
CT/CHAPTER 22
• What is the Magnified Effects Model created by Ms. Glebatis—and how
does it help explain how a reality TV show like The Bachelorette impacts
viewers?
• What is a parasocial relationship—and how is it enhanced in The
Bachelorette by two factors of the Model: similarities to preestablished genres
and maintenance of suspense? What two genres does Ms. Glebatis say are the
basis of The Bachelorette?
• Which myths does The Bachelorette present—and how are they constructed
through dialogue and visuals?
CT/CHAPTER 23
• How can romantic comedies and soap operas affect some viewers?
• How are the weddings positioned in the three programs described by Dr.
Engstrom—and how do they “contribute to a hegemony regarding love and
marriage”? The three programs are The Wedding Story, Real Weddings from
The Knot, and Gay Weddings which were chosen because each offers insight into
the couples relationship, information on camera and information from voice-over
narration along with approaching a wedding as a social event. they each
illustrate a hegemonic view of love by assuming a common-sense worldview that
romantic relationships require an “official” or public acknowledgment, usually in
the form of a wedding.
• Are all three programs similar or different?
• What recommendations does Dr. Engstrom offer to producers of these
wedding shows?

MYTH/Rx #11

• What is the relationship of ancient myth to celebrity worship in our current
mass culture?
• According to Fraser and Brown, what are the key differences among
celebrities, heroes, and role models?
• Before the electronic age, from what occupations did heroes emerge?
• How did the Myth/Rx #11 class sessions (both online and in-class)
characterize the psychology underlying the “Culture of Celebrity”—and what
are some of the dangerous consequences of believing in Myth #11? What have
some critics noted about the relationship of acting talent and celebrity
worship? What is the role of narcissism?
• What is so appealing about the Myths in the trailers for the first two films
in the Twilight Saga—and why are so many young girls obsessed with the
character Edwin and the actor who plays this part—and now also with the
character of Jacob? Why did this series win the 2009 and 2010 Stupid Cupid
Award™ for Myth #11?The contest for Bella’s love between vampire heartthrob
Edward Cullen and wolf-man “just-a-friend” Jacob Black fuels passions and sells
not only the film, but merchandise and the actors/actresses. As the New York
Times reported, “The crowd didn’t see an actor. They saw Edward Cullen, the
perfect boyfriend who just happens to live on blood…. [And] one young fan ask
him to bite her”—which the bewildered 22- year-old actor astutely analyzed:
“The connection that I am an actor playing this character is sort of skipped. They
are in denial. They think I am Edward Cullen. It is bizarre…. I feel that I am at a
disadvantage here because I can’t provide this mystical thing that they came for in
the two seconds we have.”
• Using Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love model, in what type of “love”
can obsessive fans of celebrities be said to engaging?
• What does the SLR/textbook suggest is one possible impact on the real-life
relationships of obsessive fans who idolize and idealize movie stars as
romantic icons? They begin to imitate their idols and engage in infatuated or
fatuous relationships.
• How does the 2003 Realistic Romance® Award™ winner Nurse Betty
(discussed in your SLR textbook) satirize Myth #11? Renee Zellweger plays a
woman who believes that the doctor she adores and all the characters on her
favorite soap are real. But she’s suffering from a traumatic experience that has
left her mind out of whack, which is the same confusion that many fans
experience.
• How does the 2005 Realistic Romance® Award™ winner Win a Date with
Tad Hamilton (a clip from which was shown in class) satirize Myth #11 and,
therefore, suggest the Rx? The myth is that actors in films are thought of to be
who they are in real life. The main character, Tad Hamilton is an actor with a
prince charming, squeaky-clean image on film but is a rebel in real life. It suggest
the Rx because it shows actors are often OPPOSITE of the people they portray on
film
• Why do satires often win the Realistic Romance® Award™—including The
Simpsons in 2010? They depict the caricatures of celebrities but often show them
in a completely different manner than in their films, so it is a good implication to
the viewer that they are not how they are when seen on screen.
MYTH/Rx #12

• The Stupid Cupid Award™ for Myth #12 is always won by the same
recipient. Who is it—and why?Media critics who describe mythic and
stereotypic portrayals as “completely harmless”; schools that don’t provide
media literacy education.- because research shows they can lead to harmful
unrealistic expectations and behaviors
• What is unusual about the preferred reading of Alanis Morissette’s song
(and music video) Precious Illusions (which is discussed in SLR/18 and was
also part of the online class session for SLR/4) --winner of a 2003 and 2004
Realistic Romance® Award™ for Rx #12? How does this music video also
illustrate a key relational concept of Karl Jung? According to Natharius, the
music video is unusual because it shows both the “fairly tale” and the “real
world.” And though Morissette thinks of her fairy tale, she is happy in the real
world
• In the study of Baby Boomers and Generation Xers, which media were
related to unrealistic and stereotypic expectations? How were these
expectations related to satisfaction? Frequent consumers of Movies, Men’s &
Women’s Fashion and Fitness Magazine, TV, and Music Videos had less
satisfaction in their own real romantic relationships.
• How do expensive commodified events such as “Disney Weddings”
(discussed in class), which pander to many of the myths and stereotypes we’ve
studied, as well as the “The Princess Phenomenon” and “Disney Infants” (two
articles that were posted as part of the Myth/Rx #11 & 12 online session)
demonstrate the impact of the media on our romantic perceptions and
expectations of individuals of all ages—and, therefore, the necessity of
adopting Rx #12?
• What’s the thesis of Sara Bareilles’ Fairy Tales (for which a link to the
music video was provided as a Blackboard Announcement after our last
classroom session)? How does this song relate to our dis-illusioning process?
(What fairy tales and myths does she essentially dis-illusion?) She sings about
Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White...., and how she does not want to be like
any of them and wait for a man to rescue her, she wants to create her own destiny
and be in “real life.”
• Why is Jewel’s “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland” (for which a link to the
music video was provided as a Blackboard Announcement after our last
classroom session) a good example of Rx#12? How does she define the
“difference between dreaming and pretending”? How does this song relate to
our dis-illusioning process?
• How might YOU have been impacted by mass media portrayals of sex, love,
and romance—and has this course helped you revise any of your perceptions
to be more realistic and healthy (while still enjoying the mass media, perhaps
on a higher level)? (THIS IS JUST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER…. And I hope
you WILL consider it. J)
CT/CHAPTER 24
• Which film is discussed across the most myths in this chapter?
• Why is Myth #10 in all the films studied by Mr. Johnson?
• What additional wedding-specific myths did Mr. Johnson find in his study
of popular wedding films? What is the central factor common to both of these
additional myths? The first additional myth is “You can have the wedding of
your dreams and afford it, too” and the second is “Financial struggles have
nothing to do with the success of a relationship”. The central factor is money for
both these myths.
CT/CHAPTER 25
• What percentage of Americans celebrate Valentine’s Day? 74%
• What emotion do high-pressure marketers use to sell their Valentine’s Day
products and services?
• In addition to Myth #10, what other myth does Dr. Shelley relate to this
holiday? Myth #3
• In Dr. Shelley’s study, how did the responses of the university students and
online posters compare?
• What is the underlying message from the media about Valentine’s Day?
What does Dr. Shelley argue is the real harm in the media’s promotion of
Valentine’s Day?
CASABLANCA
• See Study Questions posted to guide your viewing of this 2-hour classic film as
well as the trailer and related documentary (“You Must Remember This”). See
also the related Required Assignment
AWAY WE GO
• See Overview and Study Questions posted to guide your viewing of this RR
Award winning film.
EPILOGUE
• What is the hallmark or central concept of media literacy—and how does it
relate to our dis-illusioning process?
• What is the meaning of “REALISTIC” in Realistic Romance®, which is the
basis for the 12 Rxs?
• What are some strategies for “getting real about romance”?

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REALITY TV & GUEST: MR. SEAN RANKINE Reality

• How much “reality” is in “reality TV”? There is some reality,

• What is the underlying meaning of the paradoxical epigraph

SPECIFIC STUDY QUESTIONS RELATED TO MYTH/RX

SLR/CHAPTER 7 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 8 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 9 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 10 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 11 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 12 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 13 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

PRESENTATION BY DR. DAVID NATHARIUS: MYTH/RX #3, 6, 7:

SLR/CHAPTER 14 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 15 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 16 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 17 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

SLR/CHAPTER 18 + CLASSROOM/ONLINE SESSIONS

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