Ideology: An Introduction

Ideology is a set of beliefs that connect to form a world view. Individuals have different ideologies, as they are influenced by various elements, although large groups of the population often share the same/similar ideology. Sometimes, people hold ideologies that are away from what is societally accepted and these ideologies can have an even more extreme effect on how individuals interact with one another.

Personal ideologies – the product of individual experiences and influences

Cultural ideologies – constructed by institutions such as school, law and religion

Dominant ideologies – widely accepted by the majority, e.g voting, freedom of speech, punishment, although these can differ based on country

Structured ideologies – groups with specific, distinctive world views that are clearly defined and categorised, e.g religions

Ideology in the Media

Mass media can serve to “communicate, consolidate and challenge” ideological views and acts as a social connection between groups which may not otherwise interact.

However, frequently the media chooses to reflect back widely-held ideologies in order to appeal to a greater target audience. Viewers are more comfortable with seeing their beliefs portrayed on-screen rather than having to actively interact with new and potentially opposing ones.