1.Define stress? What Is Stress? Stress is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand.

It can be caused by both good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood. These chemicals give people more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if their stress is caused by physical danger. But this can also be a bad thing, if their stress is in response to something emotional and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength. This class will discuss different causes of stress, how stress affects you, the difference between 'good' or 'positive' stress and 'bad' or 'negative' stress, and some common facts about how stress affects people today. Stress is the body's reaction to a change that requires a physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or anxious. Stress is caused by an existing stress-causing factor or "stressor." Dealing with a serious illness or caring for someone who is can cause a great deal of stress. Types of stress? Strategies you need to control stress? Stress: The different kinds of stress Stress management can be complicated and confusing because there are different types of stress-acute stress, episodic acute stress, and chronic stress -- each with its own characteristics, symptoms, duration, and treatment approaches. Let's look at each one. Acute Stress Acute stress is the most common form of stress. It comes from demands and pressures of the recent past and anticipated demands and pressures of the near future. Acute stress is thrilling and exciting in small doses, but too much is exhausting. A fast run down a challenging ski slope, for example, is exhilarating early in the day. That same ski run late in the day is taxing and wearing. Skiing beyond your limits can lead to falls and broken bones. By the same token, overdoing on short-term stress can lead to psychological distress, tension headaches, upset stomach, and other symptoms. Fortunately, acute stress symptoms are recognized by most people. It's a laundry list of what has gone awry in their lives: the auto accident that crumpled the car fender, the loss of an important contract, a deadline they're rushing to meet, their child's occasional problems at school, and so on.

Because it is short term, acute stress doesn't have enough time to do the extensive damage associated with long-term stress. The most common symptoms are:

emotional distress--some combination of anger or irritability, anxiety, and depression, the three stress emotions; muscular problems including tension headache, back pain, jaw pain, and the muscular tensions that lead to pulled muscles and tendon and ligament problems; stomach, gut and bowel problems such as heartburn, acid stomach, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome; transient over arousal leads to elevation in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, heart palpitations, dizziness, migraine headaches, cold hands or feet, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Acute stress can crop up in anyone's life, and it is highly treatable and manageable. Episodic Acute Stress There are those, however, who suffer acute stress frequently, whose lives are so disordered that they are studies in chaos and crisis. They're always in a rush, but always late. If something can go wrong, it does. They take on too much, have too many irons in the fire, and can't organize the slew of selfinflicted demands and pressures clamoring for their attention. They seem perpetually in the clutches of acute stress. It is common for people with acute stress reactions to be over aroused, short-tempered, irritable, anxious, and tense. Often, they describe themselves as having "a lot of nervous energy." Always in a hurry, they tend to be abrupt, and sometimes their irritability comes across as hostility. Interpersonal relationships deteriorate rapidly when others respond with real hostility. The work becomes a very stressful place for them. The cardiac prone, "Type A" personality described by cardiologists, Meter Friedman and Ray Rosenman, is similar to an extreme case of episodic acute stress. Type A's have an "excessive competitive drive, aggressiveness, impatience, and a harrying sense of time urgency." In addition there is a "free-floating, but well-rationalized form of hostility, and almost always a deep-seated insecurity." Such personality characteristics would seem to create frequent episodes of acute stress for the Type A individual. Friedman and Rosenman found Type A's to be much more likely to develop coronary heat disease than Type B's, who show an opposite pattern of behavior. Another form of episodic acute stress comes from ceaseless worry. "Worry warts" see disaster around every corner and pessimistically forecast catastrophe in every situation. The world is a dangerous, unrewarding, punitive place where something awful is always about to happen. These "awfulizers" also tend to be over aroused and tense, but are more anxious and depressed than angry and hostile. The symptoms of episodic acute stress are the symptoms of extended over arousal: persistent tension headaches, migraines, hypertension, chest pain, and heart disease. Treating episodic acute stress requires intervention on a number of levels, generally requiring professional help, which may take many months.

Often, lifestyle and personality issues are so ingrained and habitual with these individuals that they see nothing wrong with the way they conduct their lives. They blame their woes on other people and external events. Frequently, they see their lifestyle, their patterns of interacting with others, and their ways of perceiving the world as part and parcel of who and what they are. Sufferers can be fiercely resistant to change. Only the promise of relief from pain and discomfort of their symptoms can keep them in treatment and on track in their recovery program. Chronic Stress While acute stress can be thrilling and exciting, chronic stress is not. This is the grinding stress that wears people away day after day, year after year. Chronic stress destroys bodies, minds and lives. It wreaks havoc through long-term attrition. It's the stress of poverty, of dysfunctional families, of being trapped in an unhappy marriage or in a despised job or career. It's the stress that the never-ending "troubles" have brought to the people of Northern Ireland, the tensions of the Middle East have brought to the Arab and Jew, and the endless ethnic rivalries that have been brought to the people of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Chronic stress comes when a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. It's the stress of unrelenting demands and pressures for seemingly interminable periods of time. With no hope, the individual gives up searching for solutions. Some chronic stresses stem from traumatic, early childhood experiences that become internalized and remain forever painful and present. Some experiences profoundly affect personality. A view of the world, or a belief system, is created that causes unending stress for the individual (e.g., the world is a threatening place, people will find out you are a pretender, you must be perfect at all times). When personality or deep-seated convictions and beliefs must be reformulated, recovery requires active selfexamination, often with professional help. The worst aspect of chronic stress is that people get used to it. They forget it's there. People are immediately aware of acute stress because it is new; they ignore chronic stress because it is old, familiar, and sometimes, almost comfortable. Chronic stress kills through suicide, violence, heart attack, stroke, and, perhaps, even cancer. People wear down to a final, fatal breakdown. Because physical and mental resources are depleted through long-term attrition, the symptoms of chronic stress are difficult to treat and may require extended medical as well as behavioral treatment and stress management. Control Stress: 8 Simple Ways A few simple changes can quickly reduce your stress levels while improving health and fitness...

Regular exercise is an absolute proven stress-reduction technique. But sometimes we feel even too stressed to workout on a consistent basis. Simple modifications in posture, habits, thought, and behavior often go a long way toward reducing feelings of stress and tension. Here are 8 quick and simple things you can do immediately to help keep your stress level under control. 1. Control Your Anger: Watch for the next instance in which you find yourself becoming annoyed or angry at something trivial or unimportant, then practice letting go - make a conscious choice not to become angry or upset. Do not allow yourself to waste thought and energy where it isn't deserved. Effective anger management is a tried-and-true stress reducer. 2. Breathe: Breathe slowly and deeply. Before reacting to the next stressful occurrence, take three deep breaths and release them slowly. If you have a few minutes, try out breathing exercises such as meditation or guided imagery. 3. Slow Down: Whenever you feel overwhelmed by stress, practice speaking more slowly than usual. You'll find that you think more clearly and react more reasonably to stressful situations. Stressed people tend to speak fast and breathlessly; by slowing down your speech you'll also appear less anxious and more in control of any situation. 4. Complete One Simple To Do: Jump start an effective time management strategy. Choose one simple thing you have been putting off (e.g. returning a phone call, making a doctor's appointment) and do it immediately. Just taking care of one nagging responsibility can be energizing and can improve your attitude. 5. Get Some Fresh Air: Get outdoors for a brief break. Our grandparents were right about the healing power of fresh air. Don't be deterred by foul weather or a full schedule. Even five minutes on a balcony or terrace can be rejuvenating. Outdoor exercise is also usually the best option. 6. Avoid Hunger and Dehydration: Drink plenty of water and eat small, nutritious snacks. Hunger and dehydration, even before you're aware of them, can provoke aggressiveness and exacerbate feelings of anxiety and stress. 7. Do a Quick Posture Check: Hold your head and shoulders upright and avoid stooping or slumping. Bad posture can lead to muscle tension, pain, and increased stress.

8. Recharge at the Days End: Plan something rewarding for the end of your stressful day, even if only a relaxing bath or half an hour with a good book. Put aside work, housekeeping or family concerns for a brief period before bedtime and allow yourself to fully relax. Don't spend this time planning tomorrow's schedule or doing chores you didn't get around to during the day. Remember that you need time to recharge and energize yourself - you'll be much better prepared to face another stressful day

2. what do you understand by ethics. Difference between ethics and morality? What is Ethics? Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior Ethics is the branch of study dealing with what is the proper course of action for man. It answers the question, "What do I do?" It is the study of right and wrong in human endeavors. At a more fundamental level, it is the method by which we categorize our values and pursue them. Do we pursue our own happiness, or do we sacrifice ourselves to a greater cause? Is that foundation of ethics based on the Bible, or on the very nature of man himself, or neither? Ethics relates to the philosophy behind a moral outcome. In order to spotlight acceptable and unacceptable behavior within a specific situation, ethical behavior is defined. The term 'ethics' also refers to understanding and adopting moral values within the home or workplace that should be defined. It relates to values commonly adhered to and fundamentals or meta-ethics in the immediate surroundings. There are different types of ethics and the application of each differs from one situation to another. In the case of normative ethics, the notion behind what declares an action as 'right' or 'wrong' is derived and defined. In meta-ethics, judgmental properties within a situation are investigated. Issues relating to the sensitivity of ontology, semantics and epistemology are explored in this stream of ethics. Descriptive ethics examines a situation as a choice made in the presence of the moral agents relevant. Here issues like preferred concepts of etiquette and aesthetics are considered. Relational ethics relate to personal interactions and responsibilities. Applied ethics on the other hand, investigates the success or failure of the application of ethical theory to everyday situations. Ethics are an integral part of social laws and politics. In any dichotomy situation, one where two choices are available, ethics steps in to identify the best action-choice. Ethical action is defined and questioned within our interactions with the terminally sick, animals aged citizens and in issues such as abortion. Difference between Ethics and Morality While morals define our character, ethics dictate the working of a social system. Ethics point towards the application of morality. In the wake of this understanding, national, social and workplace ethics are based on the abstract moral codes adopted and adhered to by each member of the group. Ethics lay down a set of codes that people must follow. Ethics are relative to peers, profession, community, society and nation. Morals are and are dependent on an individuals choice or beliefs or religion and can mean doing the right or wrong thing. An example to help you understand the difference would be: Abortion is legal and therefore medically ethical, while many people find it personally immoral. Ethics can be relatively simple to follow, while applying morals can be decidedly tougher. There can be a moral dilemma, but not an ethical one. While good morals represent correct and upright conduct,

ethics act more as guidelines. Ethics are applicable or adhered to by a group or community or society, whereas morals relate to individuals. As we can see from the above discussion that ethics and morals may seem similar, but are in fact rather distinct. While morals constitute a basic human marker of right behavior and conduct, ethics are more like a set of guidelines that define acceptable behavior and practices for a certain group of individuals or society. "The difference between ethics and morals can seem somewhat arbitrary to many, but there is a basic, albeit subtle, difference. Morals define personal character, while ethics stress a social system in which those morals are applied. In other words, ethics point to standards or codes of behavior expected by the group to which the individual belongs. This could be national ethics, social ethics, company ethics, professional ethics, or even family ethics. So while a person's moral code is usually unchanging, the ethics he or she practices can be other-dependent. When considering the difference between ethics and morals, it may be helpful to consider a criminal defense lawyer. Though the lawyer's personal moral code likely finds murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics demand the accused client be defended as vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer knows the party is guilty, even at the expense of setting him free possibly to murder again. Legal ethics must override personal morals for the greater good of upholding a justice system in which the accused are given a fair trial and the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." Dear Friends, Hear come some of the assignments that we all are supposed to do for the last time.... 1. Topic :Evaluating current media practices on the basis of the media theories. (detailing's of the assignment......take up the types of news coverage that are done in the present era & with the theories, write your point of view) The last date of submission is on 7th of may. "there will not be any extension on dates for anybody"said by Jayati mam. 2. The second assignment is of Assish sir, that, will be uploaded by sir on Amizone. follow it up from there. 3. 9th & 10th are the dates of Presentation, before submitting them please follow up with the concerned faculty. There should be hard binding of the print outs. kindly take the design of the cover page for the hard copies of internship & specialization projects from Rohan sir. 4. please fill up the Examination form & Faculty Feed back its the URGENT one..... 5. On 7th of may , B.S.viva , please collect the journals from the xerox center of ABS. 6. Exams are from 14th .....& 11th of may i an expected date of our farewell.....

Introduction

Mass media is any form of communication produced by a few people for the consumption of many. It is the channels of communication through which messages flow. Television, radio, internet, newspaper and magazine are the common examples of these mass media. It performs three key functions such as educating, shaping public relations and advocating for a particular policy or point of view. Furthermore, mass media are capable of facilitating short-term, intermediate-term and long-term effects and influence on audiences. (cited in 2006)

On one hand, studying and analyzing the theories of mass media can provide a framework for the understanding of the role and effects as well as the influence of mass media since theories are formulated according to its applied settings. Moreover, mass media theories also provide critical factors and perspectives underlying mass media. Agenda Setting, Priming, Framing, Cultivation Theory, Dependency Theory, Hypodermic Needle, Knowledge Gap, Media Richness, Medium Theory, Spiral of Silence, Two Step Flow and Uses and Gratifications Approach are the mass media theories ( 2006).

Agenda Setting Theory

Agenda setting is the creation of public awareness and concern of salient issues by the news media. It describes the very powerful influence of media in telling the audience of what issues are important. It depicts the power of media in presenting images to the public. In agenda setting, the press and media do not really reflect the reality since they filter and shape it. Public perceived certain issues as more important than the other issues because media concentrate only on a few subjects and leads. ( 1985)

Political communication systems and presidential campaigns are appropriate examples where agenda setting theory is applied. In the research done by McCombs and Shaw in presidential campaigns in 1968, they found out that the mass media exerted a significant influence on what voters considered to be the major issues of campaign by assessing the relationship between what voters in one community said were important issues and the actual content of media messages used during the campaign. (1972)

Priming Theory

Priming is established by offering the audience a prior context that will be used to interpret subsequent communication. This enhances the effects of the media on its audiences. In priming, the media provide the audience with standards and frames of reference. It provides audience about what a news program looks like and what a credible person looks like. (, & 1998)

If agenda setting tells mainly the importance of an issue, priming refers whether something is good or bad or whether the issue is communicated effectively ( 2001).

Framing Theory

Framing as a quality of media communication leads other to accept meaning over another. This can be done by selecting the topics and drawing the public attention to that topics, then media decides where people think about. Consequently, framing is the way media and media gatekeepers organize and present events and issues they cover. In addition, the

way in which the news is brought, the frame in which the news is presented, is also a choice made by journalists. Then, audiences interpret these events and issues in the way they are provided. Frames then are abstract notions that serve to organize or structure social meanings. ( & 1996)

Framing is related to agenda setting since both bring up certain topics when news items occur. However, framing expands its context by focusing on the essence of the issues at hand rather than on a particular topic. Similarly in framing, the media does not only tell what to think about but also how to think about. ( 1993)

Cultivation theory

As and argues, the mass media particularly the television, cultivate attitudes and values which are already presents in a culture by maintaining and propagating these values amongst members of a culture, thus binding it together. This refers to the cultivation theory. Cultivation theory suggests that television is responsible for shaping and cultivating viewers conception of social reality. However, the degree of shaping and cultivation of such conception differs between the two groups of television viewers-the heavy viewers and the light viewers. ( & 1976)

Heavy viewers or people who watch a lot of television are likely to be more influenced by the ways in which the worlds is framed by television programs than the light viewers or the individuals who watch less. On one hand, light viewers may have more sources of information than heavy viewers. Similarly, there is an intensified effect on the audience in the situation wherein what they see on television is what they have experienced in life. This event leads to a double dose in televised messages which tends to amplify the cultivation effect. ( & 1976)

Media System Dependency Theory

This theory which merged out of the communication discipline and was originally proposed by and in 1976 explains the integral relationship among audiences, media and the larger social system. This theory suggests that public depend on media information to meet certain needs and to achieve certain goals but they dont depend on all media equally ( & 1976). On the other hand, there are two factors that influence the audiences degree of media dependence. Two factors influence the degree of media dependence. First, audience will become more dependent on media that meet a number of their needs than on media that provide just a few. The second source of dependency is social stability. When social change and conflict are high, established institutions, beliefs, and practices are challenged, forcing audience to reevaluate and make new choices. At such times audience reliance on the media for information will increase. At other, more stable times audience dependency on media may go way down. ( & 1976)

Hypodermic Needle Theory

The hypodermic needle theory suggests that the mass media could influence a very large group of people directly and uniformly by shooting or injecting them with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired response. Both images used to express this theory (a bullet and a needle) suggest a powerful and direct flow of information from the sender to the receiver. ( 1989)

Hypodermic needle theory expresses the view that the media is a dangerous means of communicating an idea because the receiver or audience is powerless to resist the impact of

the message since media messages are injected straight into a passive audience which is immediately influenced by the message. This run parallels to the bullet theory which also suggests that the message is a bullet, fired from the "media gun" into the viewer's "head". ( 1989)

Knowledge Gap Theory

The knowledge gap theory was first proposed by , and at the University of Minnesota in 1970. They believe that the increase of information in society is not evenly acquired by every member of society where people with higher socioeconomic status tend to have better ability to acquire information contrary to the poor people. The knowledge gap can result in an increased gap between people of lower and higher socioeconomic status. The attempt to improve peoples life with information via the mass media might not always work the way this is planned since mass media have the effect of increasing the difference gap between members of social classes. ( 2002)

Media Richness Theory

Media Richness theory is based on contingency theory and information processing theory of in 1977. First proponents of the theory were made by & in 1984. This theory proposes that communication media have varying capacities for resolving ambiguity, negotiating varying interpretations, and facilitating understanding. Media Richness assume that people want to overcome equivocality and uncertainty in organizations and that variety of media commonly used in organizations work better for certain tasks than others. (, & 1987)

Medium Theory

Medium theory is similar to the media richness theory since it also focuses on the medium characteristics itself rather than on what it conveys or how information is received. In this theory, a medium is not simply a newspaper, the Internet, a digital camera and so forth but the symbolic environment of any communicative act. Media, apart from whatever content is transmitted, impact individuals and society. s thesis is that people adapt to their environment through a certain balance or ratio of the senses and the primary medium of the age brings out a particular sense ratio thereby affecting perception. (cited in 1989)

Spiral of Silence Theory

As an attempt to explain in part how public opinion is formed, Neumann introduced the spiral of silence in 1974. The phrase "spiral of silence" actually refers to how people tend to remain silent when they feel that their views are in the minority. It is related to the mass media in such a way that mass media influences public opinion. Shifts in public opinion occur commonly and therefore this theory is used to search an explanation for behavior whether to speak up or stay silent. ( 1991)

Two-Step Flow Theory

The two-step flow theory first introduced as a two-step flow of communication by , , and in , a 1944 study focused on the process of decision-making during a Presidential

election campaign asserts that information from the media moves in two distinct stages. First, individuals (opinion leaders) who pay close attention to the mass media and its messages receive the information. Then, opinion leaders pass on their own interpretations in addition to the actual media content. (, & 1944)

The two-step flow theory has improved our understanding of how the mass media influence decision making. The theory refined the ability to predict the influence of media messages on audience behavior and it helped explain why certain media campaigns may have failed to alter audience attitudes and behavior. ( 1994)

Uses and Gratifications Approach Theory

Uses and gratifications theory attempts to explain the uses and functions of the media for individuals, groups and society in general. To explain how individuals use mass communication to gratify their needs, to discover underlying motives for individuals media use and to identify the positive and the negative consequences of individual media use are the three objectives in developing uses and gratifications theory. On one hand, at the core of uses and gratifications theory is the assumption that audience members actively seek out the mass media to satisfy individual needs. ( 2001)

Conclusion

We cannot deny the power of the mass media. Mass media can provide us with messages and information that may influenced our actions and decisions. Nevertheless, we can permit it to disrupt our lives seriously or we can use it to improve the quality of our lives. However, to make the choice, we need mass media theories-theories that explain the role and impact of mass media in our lives and in the humanity as a whole. Mass media theories are typically intended to address specific problems and issues brought about by the proliferation of mass media in the society. Similarly, it is easier to learn and understand the role and influence of mass media by examining mass media theories and the problems and issues they addressed concerning the mass media itself.