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NORDIC ALCOHOL AND DRUG RESEARCHERS’ ASSEMBLY August 27 th -August 29 th 2012

How rewarding does it get ? Newspaper readers' interpretations of Swedish media stories of biomedical alcohol research. NORDIC ALCOHOL AND DRUG RESEARCHERS’ ASSEMBLY August 27 th -August 29 th 2012 Katarina Winter, Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs ( SoRAD )

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NORDIC ALCOHOL AND DRUG RESEARCHERS’ ASSEMBLY August 27 th -August 29 th 2012

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  1. How rewarding does it get?Newspaper readers' interpretations of Swedish media stories of biomedical alcohol research NORDIC ALCOHOL AND DRUG RESEARCHERS’ASSEMBLYAugust 27th -August 29th 2012 Katarina Winter, Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs (SoRAD) Stockholm University katarina.winter@sorad.su.se

  2. Content • Introduction: Aimsand data • Theory: Biomedicalization, audience studies • Method: Stimulus texts, interviewing • Analysis: Preliminaryfindings • Extra findings and concluding remarks /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  3. Aims and data Media stories: Hownewspaperreadersunderstand and usebiomedicalalcohol research Reachunderstanding for intertwining of media, science, society, individuals, politics Data: Article from Swedish newspaper, 24 semi-structuredinterviews Project: Media representations and lay interpretations of biomedical research on alcohol: A culturalsociologicalstudy of Swedish newspaper discourse 1995-2010

  4. Biomedical research and the media Biomedical research (on alcohol) entering the press: science sections in radio/newspapersbutalso morning shows, tabloids Biomedicalization: - Biomedicine ”owns” health (Finer, 2012) - Biomedicalexplanationsfocused (Conrad & Gabe) Media as ”research channel” – journalistic texts as important as scientific (Oudshoorn, 2003) Newspaperreaders’ contribution to knowledgeproduction - (Re)production/change/newexplanations? Biomedicine: Largein the media, leftout in studies of media

  5. Theory: Audience studies • Readers contribution to text and its meaning • One way relation: The culture industry (Adorno, Horkheimer). Active media/passive consumers. Ex. violence media affecting innocent children • Two way relation: ”Readers can resist, engage with and create their own meanings from the culture they receive from above” (Brooker & Jermyn, 2003: 91) /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  6. Method: Interviewing with stimulus texts • Twoway relation: Intervieweedefines the research topic and createmeaningtogether with stimulus text and interviewer (Lantz, 1993; Kohler Riessman) • Stimulus text and interviewquestions: make room for intervieweesexpressingexperience and knowledge • Interviewee’ssayings are unique? • Preconceptions, interpretations and discursivetruthsproblematizes ”unique” • Stimulus texts presupposesintervieweesparticipating in society • Strategy: Interviewee as ”unique” and ”teacher” /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  7. Method: Interviewing with stimulus texts • How to find a stimulus text? • ”Alcoholshort-circuitsimportant part of the brain” (Svenska Dagbladet, 2006-03-05) • Deals with research on the reward system, discussesbiomedicalprocesses and addiction, alsomentionseatingcrisps/running/having sex as similar to drinkingalcohol – increase of dopamine. • Is the interview situation fake? /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  8. Preliminaryanalysis • 24 interviewees, article, interview guide. • Reward system: 1. Intervieweeshadown definitions of the notionreward system 2. Definitions of the word ”reward” dislocatesbiomedical definitions /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  9. Reward system: Understanding the addiction Intervieweesunderstoodaddiction in comparing to crisps: It’s the way it would be, if I had a bag of crisps at home. It adds up. Oh yes. When you are onsomething. It is veryhard to keepaway. [IP5] Yes, here it says [readingarticle]: Alcoholincreases the neuro transmitter dopamine. And, eh, yes, the first parts you recognize. And it is this crispthing. To not be able to keepaway, it is exactly like that for me, you can not buy it because, so that you canunderstand that theyhave, that it is hard for alcoholics and those who smoke, that I canfullyunderstand. [IP4] /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  10. Reward system: A treat system • Intervieweesway of treatingthemselves with things • No direct association to addiction • Reward = treat Well, anythingcan be a reward. You decide that yourself. Ehh. But, because, as I see it, to, sort of be able to rewardyourself you need an effort/achievement, or need to havedonesomething to earn it! [IP23] /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  11. Reward system: Conflict • Dislocated definition, movement of definition: Chemical processes Treat • Conflict in acceptingalcoholicsexperiencedrinking as treats Conflict in understanding the reward system: You want to, or I want to, I want the reward as well! And what you choose is like… But I don’tknow, this rewardthing, like alcohol. I don’tknow, it feels a bit strange to say that it is a rewardsinceI’veseen, howrewardingdoes it get? It doesn’treallyfeel like a, reward. […] Eh, well, dotheysee it as a reward? […] Reward is somethingpositive!Yes. I don’tsee that as a rewardbutI’m not, I’m not, alcoholic. But, eh, I find it hard to believe that, for example, the alcoholicsI’veseenexperiences it as a reward. [IP 22] /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  12. Reward system: Solutions • Solution 1: The reward system disappears Maybe it is like this, when it become real sickness, there are no reward system at all. [IP 21] • Solution 2: Reward from addictiontreatment (Campral, Antabus) It’sabout, by using the medicine you will get the reward that makes you stop drinking, before it has gonetoo far. […] It gives the same reward as, for exampleamphetamine. That, amphetamine releases muchmorerewardingsthan the dopamine. And you willattain this also for alcoholics. With this [Campral]. [IP2] /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  13. Concluding remarks • Reward system active part in understanding of addiction • Biomedicalexplanationschallenged/undermined/strengthened? • Comingproject: Biomedicalalcohol (and drug) researchers /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  14. Extra findings Metaphors: Body as a machine: Reboot Body as a plant: The root of the pain, a thorne Urge to confess: Friends/familyalcoholics (trust gifts) Facts: More ”true” articledoes not neccessarymeanmore relevant in newspaperreaderseveryday life /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  15. Extra findings • Problem: Interviewees didn’t keep to the topic • Interviewees’ construct of meaning of biomedicalalcohol research can not be controlled • Researcher cannot define their research object /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

  16. Thank you! /Katarina Winter, SoRAD, Stockholm University

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