Effects research primarily investigates the relationship between media exposure and:

Effects research focuses on understanding how exposure to media influences various aspects of audience behavior. This includes looking at how different types of media content (such as news, entertainment, and advertisements) can affect individuals' thoughts, feelings, actions, and social interactions. By investigating the direct consequences of media consumption, effects research aims to uncover patterns such as changes in attitudes, increased aggression, desensitization to violence, or shifts in social norms resulting from media exposure.

The other options, while related to media studies, do not specifically capture the primary focus of effects research. For example, political ideology may be influenced by media but is not the central concern of examining how media impacts audience behavior. Similarly, while there is a connection between media and crime rates, particularly in how media representations can shape public perception of crime, this is more about societal impact than individual behavior. Finally, media ownership pertains to who controls the media and can affect content production but does not directly relate to how audiences respond to or are affected by what they consume. Thus, audience behavior is the core concern of effects research.