Mass Media, Popular Culture, and Socialization (9A) Practice Test

A study of adolescent identity formation evaluated the impact of curated “study-tok” content that depicts high-achieving students using expensive productivity tools. Ninth graders from a high-SES and a low-SES school reported exposure and completed measures of academic self-concept and perceived normativity of purchasing productivity products. In both schools, higher exposure predicted higher perceived normativity of purchasing, but only in the low-SES school did higher exposure predict a decrease in academic self-concept among students who could not afford the products. Which effect is most consistent with the media portrayal described?

Researchers examined how a viral “trad lifestyle” trend on social media may shape gender-role attitudes among young adults. Participants (n = 800, ages 18–25) reported the proportion of their feed featuring content that idealizes women’s domesticity and men’s breadwinning. In a lab task, participants evaluated a couple deciding whether the woman should accept a promotion requiring travel. Higher exposure predicted stronger disapproval of the woman’s travel, but mainly among participants from communities with fewer local professional role models for women.

Based on the scenario, which conclusion about socialization through media is most supported?