This document discusses several audience theory models: the hypodermic syringe model which suggests media has a direct influence on behavior; cultivation theory which proposes that heavy TV watching shapes views of social reality; desensitization theory that exposure to media violence decreases sensitivity; the copycat model where publicized events inspire copycat acts; and uses and gratification theory that audiences actively select media to fulfill needs. Examples are provided for each theory.

1. Audience Theory's
By: Mia Alexandra Jones

2. Audience Theory's
• Audience theory’s are theory's that apply to the
relationship between texts and audience.

3. Hypodermic Syringe Model
• This model is the idea that there is a direct correlation between the violent behavior shown
on television, computer games etcetera and anti social and criminal behavior in real life. This
models suggests that the audience passively accepts the message that is ‘injected’ into them
by the mass media. For example, James Bulger was killed by two ten year olds after they had
watched the film, Childs play.
• So the media works like a drug and the audience is addicted and drugged.
• The Bobo Doll experiment: This was a controversial piece of research that ‘proved’ that
children copy violent behavior, the children watched a video of an adult violently attacking
the Bobo Doll, the children were then taken into a room with the dolls and 88% of the
children imitated the violent behavior that they had watched earlier and 8 months later 40%
of the children reproduced the same violent behavior. The conclusion was that children will
imitate violent media content.

4. Cultivation Theory
• The primary proposition of the cultivation theory states the more time
people spend ‘living’ in the television world, the more likely they are to
believe in social reality portrayed on television.

5. Desensitization Theory
• The theory of media audiences reactions growing weaker according to the
level/amount of exposure to violence, death and sex.
• A decrease in fear and sensitivity to extremely aggressive behavior and taboo
subjects and possible introduction to every day life.

6. Copycat Model
• This relates to something which is publicized in the media that creates a lot
of attention resulting in people to ‘copy’ this in order to gain the same level
of attention.
• Audiences react differently to various situations as they have different
interpretations for example, copying a celebrity's actions and behavior.

7. Uses And Gratification Theory
• This theory deals with how and why people adopt specific media to satisfy
their needs for example, some people watch the television show, ‘QI’ for
entertainment and others watch it to educate themselves. Another example
of this is the Simpsons show, it had two audiences a primary and a
secondary.
• The audience uses the text and is not used by it. They use the text for its own
gratification or pleasure. The power lies with the audience and not the
producers, opposite from the hypodermic needle theory.