2. The Hypodermic model is also known as ‘the needle theory’ or ‘the magic bullet
theory’. The theory was developed during the 1930’s-40’s and implied that the
media has a direct and powerful effect onto audiences. It suggests that the mass
media could influence large amounts of people by directly ‘shooting’ or ‘injecting’
them with messages which are designed to trigger direct responses.
Hypodermic Model
The diagram displays how mass media
affects the public. It suggests that a flow
of information is given straight to
passive/isolated individuals who are then
immediately effected by the message.
There is no escape from the message
and people usually end up believing and
thinking what they are told as there is no
other source of information telling them
otherwise.
3. Factors which contributed to the strong effects of the theory:
•There was a rapid rise of media outlets, radios and television were becoming more
accessible to the public, resulting in more individuals being exposed to media
messages.
•Advertising and persuasion industries started to emerge and increase.
•A study conducted within the 1930s, by Payne Fund discussed the effects of the
films on children.
This theory can be applied to the murder case of the 3 year old, Jamie Bulger
(1993). The two ten year olds who had kidnapped and murdered the toddler, were
said to have ’supposedly’ watched “Child’s Play 3” and had been inspired. Even
though this was not a proven fact, the accusation the lead to an uproar within the
public, leading to the amendment to the video recording act. This demonstrates how
media outlets effects individuals perceptions and thinking, as many had believed
that this horror movie was one of the influences behind the murder.
However, this theory may be subjective as some people may not be influenced,
whereas others may.
4. This theory was introduced by Professor George Gerber in the 1960’s and is the
break down of the long-term effects of television. The cultivation theory is based
around the idea that watching excessive TV changes the viewers attitudes to certain
issues. Over time, exposure to the viewer will alter their perceptions of reality.
“The primary proposition of cultivation theory states that the more time people spend
’living’ in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social reality
portrayed on television.”
Cultivation Theory
5. The two order effects:
1. General beliefs about the world today.
2. Specific attitudes and judgements.
Viewers are divided into two categories; light viewers (less than 4 hours of TV a day)
and heavy viewers (more than 4 hours of TV a day).
Heavy viewers are likely to shape their concept of reality from TV.
6. The uses and gratification theory was created by Elihu Katz, Jay G. Blumer and Michael
Gurevitch. This theory is based on psychological needs and includes the idea that all media
is constructed in a way that will fulfil these needs. It also aims to explain why an audience
may consume a certain type of media.
Surveillance: This revolves around the idea of the viewer feeling safer and more secure
through knowledge. This knowledge comes from the text and what they witness while
watching it.
Personal identity: This is need for the audience to be able to relate to a character and
even develop themselves through adopting some of the characteristics.
Personal relationships: viewers are able to consume media as part of social activity. This
gives them something to bond with peers over, as they have shared the same experience.
Escapism: Allows the audience to escape their day-to-day lives through text
consumption. Through viewing the media, the consumer is able to ignore and escape the
real life issues they face by focusing on the lives of those, in a fictional world.
Uses and Gratification
Theory
7. Criticisms:
It completely ignores unconscious control and implies free will. It also suggests
that media consumers are able to choose the effects of media, therefore, ignoring
the manipulative nature of some types of media.
Doesn’t recognise the power of media in current society.
It also assumes that media watchers take an active role in watching a text and
aspire to be like characters that they have observed. This is a criticism as some
watchers are more passive, meaning they don’t fit the criteria of needs listed.
8. Theory suggests that as we get more exposure to violence within media, on a
regular basis, there's no strong emotional impact on the audience which makes
them insensitive towards violence in everyday life.
•Films have less effect over audiences over time, due to repeated viewings.
•Viewers tolerance becomes higher – they need more shocking images to get an
emotional response.
•Films get more violent – this links to the increase of social problems.
•Films like ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, ‘Friday the 13th’ and ‘Saw’ are some
examples.
Real Life Example:
The Jamie Bulger Case: Some UK tabloid newspapers claimed that the attack on
the toddler was inspired by the film, ‘Child’s Play 3’. After watching this film, the two
10 year olds may have become desensitised to the action happening on screen,
hence the murder.
Desensitisation Theory
9. Strengths Weaknesses
Pays attention to how much violence
is being shown.
Can be unreliable as there may be
other variables involved.
Raises questions as to how much
exposure of violence and aggressive
images/ scenes should be shown to the
audiences.
Everyone is affected by different
factors as some people are more
influenced than others (depends on how
much violence they’ve been exposed to.
10. The modelling theory refers to imitating what you see and it is also known as the
copycat effect. Most behaviour is learnt from observation, hence why it is later
modelled. This theory usually relates to something publicised in the media, creating
a lot of attention. This provokes others to do the same, to gain attention of the same
type.
This theory has huge emphasis on the importance of observation and imitation.
Imitation is more likely to happen if the individual holds an admired status of any
sort, for example observing a celebrity, as you admire their status. This behaviour is
then gradually reinforced and the individual starts to identify with the model and
starts to try out the behaviour.
Copycat/ Modelling Theory
11. Stages of the modelling theory:
1. Seeing the action portrayed in the media
2. Individual identifies with the actor
3. Individual imitates the actor
4. If the individual is rewarded, the behaviour is reinforced due to motivation.
12. Reception theory is a version of reader response; the theory sees that the audience
actively engages in interpretations of the media. So overall, it is the idea of
individuals interpreting texts in different ways, demonstrating that even if one
message is being sent out, people may have different understandings of it.
The reception theory is usually referred to as audience reception. Stuart Hall coined
this theory during 1980, he claims that media texts go through stages of encoding
and decoding. Media texts are usually encoded by its creator. This means that only
the creators ideologies are embedded within it. Decoding is when an audience
views the text and interprets it their own way.
Reception Theory
13. Hall included 3 different types of audience decoding of texts:
1. Dominant/preferred reading: This is how the creator wants the audience to
view the media. The audience agree with the message being conveyed.
2. Negotiated: A compromise between the dominant and oppositional reading; the
audience understand and agree with the text but they may disagree on certain
aspects of it.
3. Oppositional: This is when the audience rejects the encoded meaning and then
continue to create their own interpretation as they fully disagree on the message
being submitted.
