Thesis (Ph.D.)--Brown University, 2005. / Vita. Thesis advisor: Tim Harris. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 390-441). Also available online.

This study aimed to provide insights into the manner in which the representation of social media usage in relation to cyber-related crimes within selected South African newspapers can potentially shape the ideas and perceptions that society may have towards social networking channels. Drawing on the literature from fields such as developmental studies, new media studies, identity formation and cyber-criminality, an analysis of the Price Water House Coopers Global Economic Survey (2011) was used to provide some insight into the issue of cyber-crime within South Africa. The survey which was conducted by Price Water House Coopers revealed that South Africa is ranked second in the world with the highest rate of reported fraud cases. According to them this rate is comparatively higher than the escalating percentage of cases reported in the United States and other nations. In order to correlate and illustrate some of the findings of the survey and that which was found through primary research, an in-depth content analysis applying limited designations analysis and detailed assertions analysis techniques (Du Plooy, 2007) has been performed on selected content from local print and online publications such as The Herald, Algoa Sun, The Weekend Post, The Sunday Times and News24, from the time period of January 2009 until January 2012. Herewith, a total of 125 articles were analysed in order to determine the tone and thematic nature of the communication within the respective platforms. Furthermore, the mass media has been argued as being the main platform of communication within society. Whereby, different communication techniques are used to communicate with different target audiences. On a theoretical level, the study explored whether or not social media perpetuates the prejudices of the modernisation theory or serves to challenge such prejudices. Furthermore, the study explored whether social media may potentially have an impact on the reported cyber-related crimes. Associated theory such as the representation theory, globalization, the privacy trust model, social contract theory, media richness theory, participatory theory, convergence, the digital divide, media-centricity, dependency and identity formation has been explored. It was found that social networking sites Facebook and Mxit have been represented as the most common platforms of cyber-related crime and women and teenagers are the most popular victims. The likelihood of individuals being exposed to cyber-crime within social networks is high due to the fact in order to develop online relationships, personal information needs to be shared. The Privacy Trust model was identified as being an important factor which shaped the findings of this study. This is due to the fact that a certain level of trust is held by social network subscribers to the Internet hosts who they entered into a social contract with and with their friends.

Thesis (MPsy(Specialisation))--University of South Australia, 2003.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Tricia Wachtendorf, Dept. of Sociology. Includes bibliographical references.

Lee Yee Chong, Catherine. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references. / Acknowledgments / Abstract / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / The Media as Definer of Social Reality --- p.1 / Crime and Hong Kong -- A General Background (1989-1993) --- p.3 / Research Problem and Significance --- p.5 / Notes --- p.7 / Chapter II. --- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK -- NEWS AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF REALITY --- p.9 / Park (1940) -- News as Knowledge --- p.9 / The Social Construction of Reality --- p.11 / The Foundation of Knowledge in Everyday Life --- p.11 / Society as Objective Reality --- p.12 / Society as Subjective Reality --- p.13 / Media and the Social Construction of Reality: Towards an Integration of Theory and Research --- p.14 / Gatekeeping Theory --- p.16 / Agenda Setting Theory --- p.17 / Media Agenda Setting --- p.18 / An Integrated Theoretical Model for Crime News Study --- p.19 / Conceptualization of social realities --- p.20 / Inference in the process of social construction of reality --- p.20 / Figure 1: Integrated Theoretical Model for Crime News Study Notes --- p.22 / Chapter III. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.24 / Understanding the News making Process --- p.24 / Empirical Research in Crime News (1950s - 1990s) --- p.25 / Crime News as a Distorted Reality -- Misrepresentation and biasin reporting --- p.25 / Criteria in News Reporting --- p.29 / How Crime News is Handled by the Press - -Differences in Media Agenda --- p.31 / Crime News and Criminal Activities in Contemporary Society --- p.33 / "Crime News, Public Attitude and Fear of Victimization" --- p.34 / Crime News in Chinese Newspapers --- p.35 / Major Publication in Crime and the Press (1970s - 1990s) --- p.36 / Quinney (1970) - -The Social Reality of Crime --- p.36 / Winick (1978) - -Deviance and Mass Media --- p.37 / Graber (1980) - -Crime News and the Public --- p.38 / "Ericson, Baranek and Chan (1987) --Visualizing Deviance: A Study of News Organization" --- p.41 / "Ericson, Baranek and Chan (1989) -- Negotiating Control: A Study of News Source" --- p.42 / "Ericson, Baranek and Chan (1991) - -Representing Order: Crime, Law, and Justice in the Mass Media" --- p.43 / Lotz (1991) - -Crime and the American Press --- p.44 / "Suretta (1992) -- Media, Crime, and Criminal Justices: Images and Realities" --- p.45 / Summary on Research Findings --- p.45 / Notes --- p.47 / Chapter IV. --- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES AND METHODOLOGIES --- p.50 / Research Hypotheses --- p.50 / Research Design --- p.52 / Definition of Crime --- p.52 / Background Information of Ming Pao and Oriental Daily News --- p.53 / Sampling and Data Collection Methods --- p.54 / Basic Research Design and Operationalization of Variables --- p.56 / Notes --- p.58 / Chapter V. --- CRIME NEWS IN HONG KONG --- p.59 / Size of Coverage and Various Visual Aids --- p.59 / Nature and Causes of Crime --- p.65 / Stereotypes of Suspects and Criminals --- p.67 / Stereotypes of Victims --- p.72 / "Sources, Information and Newsworthiness" --- p.73 / Image of Crime Fighting Institutions and Public Security --- p.78 / Distortions in Crime News Coverage --- p.80 / Official Reality versus Symbolic Reality --- p.81 / "Media Attention, Newsworthiness and Different Crime Topics" --- p.85 / Legitimating the Status of Law Enforcement Institutions --- p.87 / Differences in Media Agenda -- Elite Press versus Mass-Oriented Press --- p.88 / Notes --- p.92 / Chapter VI. --- THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIME --- p.93 / Official News Sources and News Organizations --- p.95 / Market Differences and Media Agenda --- p.96 / Manufacturing A Universal Consensus against Crime --- p.98 / Summary on Discussion --- p.100 / Recommendations for Further Study --- p.101 / Notes --- p.102 / Chapter VII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.103 / Notes --- p.105 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.i -xii / Appendices / Appendix I -- Code Book --- p.1-13 / Appendix II --Table for sampling --- p.1-4 / Appendix III - -Score of Inter Coder Reliability Test --- p.1-2 / Appendix IV -- Important Crime Figures and Other Statistics --- p.1-11 / Appendix V -- Testing of Hypotheses --- p.1-2

Thesis (M.A.)--The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007. / Adviser: Liesbet Hooghe. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 472 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 435-472).

This study examines the social-psychological impact of of the Manson incident; which begins with the Tate-Labianca murders, continues with the arrest of Charles Manson and some of his followers, continues with the trial of Charles Manson and the co-defendants, and results in a popular image.

On May 21, 1998 Kip Kinkel drove to Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. Kinkel killed two students and wounded another twenty-two students. He killed his parents the day before. The shootings at Thurston High School came on the heels of a number of prominent school shootings and Kip Kinkel provoked tremendous attention from the media. In an attempt to understand how the media told the story of Kip Kinkel and the shootings at Thurston High School, Ernest G. Bormann's fantasy theme analysis is used as a critical model. To generate insight into the rhetorical visions present in the media coverage articles from three newspapers, The Register-Guard, The Oregonian and The New York Times, are studied. Fantasy types and themes including characters, settings and plotlines are identified and explored. A literature study provides information about the media and how it functions in telling stories, particularly those focused on crime. The critical evaluation of the fantasy themes and types at work the three newspapers provide a number of conclusions. Two rhetorical visions are revealed and discussed. Specific strengths and weaknesses of fantasy theme analysis are also discussed. Finally, a number of future research possibilities are suggested. / Graduation date: 2002

This study explores the representation of crime in the news in relation to expressed emotion and intention for future action. Episodic and thematic framing (Iyengar, 1991) and narrative processing (Singer & Bluck, 2001) served as the theoretical foundations of this study and helped examine how scripted news stories involving crime influence levels of fear, anger, and empathy in individuals, and how these emotions subsequently affect behaviors. To measure these framing effects, an experimental manipulation was employed using three conceptually different news stories all involving gun-related crimes. One news story utilized an episodic format, while the other two stories used a thematic format (one positive and one negative). Emotional responses, levels of narrative engagement, policy support, perceived risk of victimization, and pro-social behavioral intentions were measured, all based on exposure to the specific type of news frame. The results of this study indicated that while types of news frames did not have a direct effect on readers' emotions, there was a significant relationship between emotions and future actions. For example, fear, anger, and empathy were significant predictors of perceived risk of victimization, policy support, and pro-social behavioral intentions, respectively. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role emotions play in predicting behavior, both within and beyond the scope of message framing.