Rose Goldsen
Encyclopedia
Rose Kohn Goldsen was a Professor of Sociology at Cornell University
and a pioneer in studying the effects of television
and popular culture.
Prior to coming to Cornell, Goldsen worked for the Office of Radio Research, Columbia University Bureau of Applied Social Research
. Goldsen came to Cornell as a Research Associate and felt that she encountered employment discrimination because she was a woman. In 1958, a faculty position opened up and she demanded to be considered, resulting in her appointment to the faculty.
Goldsen studied the psychological effects of television on individuals and society. Most notably, Goldsen was a very visible critiic of a Congressionally mandated government study of the impact of television violence on children. When the study reported no ill effects, Goldsen was able to document that the television industry had stacked the study and that its results were suspect. Goldsen explained the importance of her studying television by noting, "it is still possible to turn off the television set. It is not possible to turn off the television environment."
Goldsen broadcast a series of 11 lectures on sociology over an Ithaca, New York radio stations, February to May, 1974.
She also studied the attitudes of college students.
Goldsen was also active in Cornell University's governance and served on its University Senate.
Cornell Library's archive of new media art is named in her honor.
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
and a pioneer in studying the effects of television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and popular culture.
Prior to coming to Cornell, Goldsen worked for the Office of Radio Research, Columbia University Bureau of Applied Social Research
Bureau of Applied Social Research
The Bureau of Applied Social Research was a social research institute at Columbia University which specialised in mass communications research. It grew out of the Radio Research Project at Princeton University, beginning in 1937. The Bureau's first director was Austrian sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld...
. Goldsen came to Cornell as a Research Associate and felt that she encountered employment discrimination because she was a woman. In 1958, a faculty position opened up and she demanded to be considered, resulting in her appointment to the faculty.
Goldsen studied the psychological effects of television on individuals and society. Most notably, Goldsen was a very visible critiic of a Congressionally mandated government study of the impact of television violence on children. When the study reported no ill effects, Goldsen was able to document that the television industry had stacked the study and that its results were suspect. Goldsen explained the importance of her studying television by noting, "it is still possible to turn off the television set. It is not possible to turn off the television environment."
Goldsen broadcast a series of 11 lectures on sociology over an Ithaca, New York radio stations, February to May, 1974.
She also studied the attitudes of college students.
Goldsen was also active in Cornell University's governance and served on its University Senate.
Cornell Library's archive of new media art is named in her honor.