A E J M C Morality M I M E ( Tamborini)

Model of Intuitive Morality and ExemplarsMIME
Ron Tamborini
Michigan State University

Past Research Media & Morality
How are media and morality related?
Research is limited by conceptions of morality
Most studies use a rationalist perspective
Underplays intuition and emotion
Entertainment theory highlights these
The MIME was a response to this

MIME’s theoretical foundation
MIME is a reciprocal model of influence
Multi-stage model: short & long-term influence
Short-term based on two theories:
Exemplification Theory
Media display powerful & frequent moral exemplars
Moral exemplars effect salience of different moral values
Moral Foundations Theory (MFT)
Identifies content relevant to moral judgments, and mechanisms that shape moral judgments

Exemplification theory (Zillmann, 2002)
Two things increase media’s effect on judgment
Recent &frequent use of specific moral exemplars
Concrete and highly emotional exemplars
iconic images are particularly powerful
influence increases with time

Moral foundations theory (Haidt 2001)
Instinct tells us right and wrong
Dual-process logic (Intuitive &Rational systems)
Intuitive is a fast gut response (default mode)
Rational is deliberation when things are complex
Five instincts (domains) govern moral judgment
Care/Harm
Fairness
Ingroup loyalty
Authority
Purity

Model of Intuitive Morality and Exemplars (MIME)
Stage 2

Stage 1

Stage 5

Stage 6
Production of content
affirming salient domains

a
and domain exemplars

c
Automatic Appraisal
Attention to salient
•

Exposure to media content
domain/exemplar content

Exemplar
affirming salient domains

Evaluation (like/hate) based
•
a
and domain exemplars
b
Salience
on dominantly salient content

•
entertainment, news, etc.

Selective Exposure

to liked content
Stage 3

c
Cultural Environment
Controlled Reappraisal
Domain
•
domain reinforcing
Rational response (like/hate)
•
b

Salience
•

domain exemplars
based on accept/reject need to
•
domain relevant
violate one domain in order to

conform to another
Stage 4

Figure 1: A model of intuitive morality and exemplars (MIME). aAffirming media content is defined as content designed with the intention that it will be perceived by target audience members as adhering to their overall moral domain system, either through automatic appraisal or controlled reappraisal. bDomain salience and exemplar salience only lead to controlled reappraisal when domains are in conflict with each other or when exemplars are difficult to categorize as fitting within a specific domain. cBoth automatic appraisal and controlled reappraisal produce positively valued responses when an individual perceives that content adheres to their overall moral domain system.
Note: This model is taken from: Tamborini, R. (in press). Model of Intuitive Morality and Exemplars. In R. Tamborini (Ed), Media and the Moral Mind. London, UK: Routledge.

MIME Research
Examples of research on the MIME
Repeated exposure’s impact on domain salience
Impact of domain salience on
Approval of character behavior
Enjoyment of narrative outcomes
Automatic versus rational processing
Domain impact on selective game play style
Patterns in the production of domain adhering content for media produced for different cultures

Media and the Moral Mind

Thank You
Thank you for listening!
Ron Tamborini
tamborin@msu.edu
Also thanks to…
Allison Eden, Matt Grizzard, Robert Lewis,
SujayPrabhu, Nick Bowman, & Rene Weber

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A E J M C Morality M I M E ( Tamborini)

by West Virginia University - Department of Communication Studies on Sep 22, 2011

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A E J M C Morality M I M E ( Tamborini) — Presentation Transcript