The document discusses several theories related to how consumers engage with media: - Uses and gratifications theory identifies 5 common reasons people use media - escapism, entertainment, surveillance, personal identity, and public relations. - Media dependency theory proposes that people's need for media is influenced by their circumstances rather than a constant dependency, and that media helps with social integration. - Other theories discussed include reception theory, dominant ideology/hegemony theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and the two-step flow theory.

2. Uses and Gratifications
There are 5 common uses and gratifications associated with Media, those being:-
escapism, entertainment, surveillance, personal identity and public relations. All of
these give and insight into how a consumer engages with the chosen medium.
• Escapism: Using a media outlet in order to create an alternative reality, this acts as
a distraction from their issues; this is present in a person immersing themselves in
the internet in order to escape
• Surveillance: People can view media as a way of gaining information on
surrounding world events such as reading a newspaper, learning through
reading/watching or even to satisfy your natural curiosity. (E.g. Gossip) The Two
Step Flow theory could also be influenced by this. Personal Relations: People often
form friendships based upon their similar preferences; likes and dislikes, this is also
present in media texts(music, film and celebrity) we can use these for social
interaction and to integrate into society and friendships. Personal Identity: Your
personality is made up of many inputs, a major one is that of media, your personal
identity can be construed from a particular celebrity or social group, viewing media
can help insight you on these aspects.
• Entertainment: the main form of interacting with media texts, this can include
filling in time, cultural enjoyment or perhaps escaping reality(escapism).

3. Media Dependency Theory
• Created by Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin DeFleur in 1976 this aimed to
show the need for Media communications and its effect upon its
audience. This is done through incorporating psychological theories with
elements of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Previously the theories
focused upon effects of the media but this tends to focus upon reception.
• Like the Uses and Gratifications theory this theory works on a basis that
Media helps with integration in society and achieving aspirations but the
need for the use of media is proposed as influenced upon the state of
affairs surrounding the person rather than a constant need for media
dependency.

4. Reception Theory

5. Post Modernism

6. Dominant Ideology and
Hegemony

7. Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
shows the
• importance of certain needs;
as shown in the image we can
achieve all of the ‘deficiency
needs’ required for
• self-actualisation from social
media. This not only supports
Web 2.0 but also the Uses
and Gratifications theory

8. Young and Rubicans Theory

9. The Hypodermic Needle
Theory
• In the 1920’s the theory of the Hypodermic
Needle was created in an attempt to explain
how audiences engage and react with mass
media.

10. The Two Step Flow
• Katz and Lazarsfeld developed the two-step flow
theory of mass communication.
• The theory envisions two-steps, the first which
the ‘opinion leaders’ who are under the influence
of the mass media influence. These people then
pass on their newly gained ‘opinions’ to a social
recipient to create a wider understanding.
The two-step flow theory has improved our
understanding of how the mass media influence
decision making. This theory highlights useful
and the futile marketing and media