MEDIA EFFECTS: RESEARCH FOR UNIT

6- CRITICAL APPROACHES

By zara lane

MEDIA EFFECTS THEORIES

The theories well be looking at here are largely described as media effects theories- and that
describes exactly what they are- models, arguments and theories which examine exactly what kind of
effect the media can have on an audience.
Academic theories of audience can be split between models
which see the audience as passive and those which see it as
active

WHAT IS PASSIVE AND ACTIVE?

PASSIVE

ACTIVE

Easily manipulated

Engaged

Compliant

Controlled

Weak willed

Responsive

Followers

In control

Controlled

Free willed

dominated

THEORIES
Many of these theories are very old (starting from as long ago as the 1930s) and as you will see, many
of them can be considered as out dated and in fact are essentially obsolete.
Why do we look at them at all?
Unfortunately many of the arguments we look at are still used by the news and other institutions to blame
the media for all kinds of terrible things that happen in the world (moral panics)

WHAT DO THESE THREE

MEDIA TEXTS HAVE IN
COMMON?
They have all been blamed as being the cause of
something very negative or being harmful to
others.

1. The matrix lobby scene is cited as being

recreated by Klebold & Harris- Columbine
high school shooting
2. Childs play 3- was watched by Venables
and Thompson before killing James Bulger
3. Teletubbies is blamed for the dumbing down
of childrens TV

The arguments used to blame these media texts

for violence and dumbing down, have all been
used again and again A common focus for
today is the effect video games have on
children

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY

Developed in the 1930s
All audience members react in the same way

All passively receive messages

Audience are manipulated
The media affects thoughts and behaviour
The hypodermic needle (or hypodermic syringe) model was used for years to convince us that the media
weald a terrible and dangerous influence over our lives. Essentially it works around the idea of copycat
that is to say that it assumes the audience will copy whatever they see on the screen.

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY

Problems with the Hypodermic Syringe
model
Ignores peoples free will
Ignores peoples personalities

The hypodermic needle theory has been

refuted for many years. So theorists looked
for ways in which the media might have a
more long term effect on an audience.

Ignores environmental situation- what are

you doing? Where are you consuming this
text?

And this is what they came up with

Ignores cultural upbringing that people have

Long Term effect theory.

Ignores individuals moral compass

Suggests the audience is PASSIVE

The Inoculation/Desensitisation model

INOCULATION/DESENSITISATION MODEL
This theory suggests that long term exposure to repeated media messages make
audiences immune to them.
For example, exposure to violence desensitise the audience with the result that they
are no longer shocked by it.

Despite certain things becoming normal in gaming by the media, theyre not all
violent. People have free will to decide what they do, nobody is forcing them.
The inoculation model ignores changes in culture, like attitudes to swearing etc.
which are likely to change over time. Actually, personality and cultural upbringing
are a far more likely factor to effect and influence your behaviour than the media.
The audience is PASSIVE

MODERN MEDIA THEORIES

This theory is concerned with the long term effects of particular ideological representations on beliefs and values
that we hold.

What is IDEOLOGY?
A system of ideas and beliefs promoted by
dominant groups e.g. the government,
corporations and cultural groups, to reinforce
their power

IDEOLOGICAL REPRESENTATION

An example of ideological representation that is often used in the media is the manifestation of the ideal woman
which has given rise to young girls being lead to believe that they should be as thin as catwalk
supermodels/celebrities

Another more modern theory suggests that the media doesnt actually rule our lives or make us do things, but
actually we already have our own individual sets of beliefs and ideas (these are our ideologies) and the
media is just there to reinforce these beliefs.

It also talks about stereotypes, how, if you have never met somebody from a particular group of people, how
can you be sure they fit into their stereotype as a nationality or social group.
E.g. Teenagers are all violent
Pensioners are all old fashioned
The French are all romantic
The general idea is that the media hasnt put these ideas of stereotypes etc. into our heads, but it does
reinforce ideas that may already be there. It does this using advertisement, characters in sketch shows and
sitcoms, stock characters and in film. Comedies often exaggerate stereotypes for comic effect.

IDEOLOGIES OF THIS THEORY

Friendship is an important part of our lives.
What media reinforces the ideology of friendship?

THE TWO STEP FLOW KATZ AND LAZARSFELD

The previous theories discussed were too vague and did not go into enough depth the properly explain the
link between the audience and the media. As the mass media became more of an essential part of society
and didnt reduce the population to thoughtless and dependant drones.
Researchers wanted a more sophisticated explanation; so they came up with this theory:
Katz and Lazarsfeld said that the media wasnt purely responsible for influencing the audiences' opinions and
attitudes; but was actually part of a larger system of situated culture. The audience often received the medias
message through opinion leaders- (people who pay close attention to the media and filter information to
family and friends, so people receive the message without consuming the media themselves. E.g. a politician
commenting on a newspaper story may influence an audience response without them ever reading it
themselves.) Basically second hand consumption of the media.

While this theory still suggests that we rely on others to help us understand messages, and that others influence
how we consume; it is treating the audience as active and not passive.

USES AND GRATIFICATIONS MODEL

One of the main theories looked at today is Blumler and Katzs theory- the uses and gratifications
model. There idea was that there are four needs that the media fulfils for the audience by watching
television; these are:
Escapism/Entertainment
Information/Education
Personal Identity
Social Interaction
The theory suggests that media audiences use the media in order to fulfil these needs

USES AND GRATIFICATIONS MODEL

ESCAPISM/ENTERTAINMENT:
PERSONAL IDENTITY
A form of escape from
everyday
pressures;
e.g.
Comparing the audiences own
watching something thrilling or
life with characters and situations
scary which the audience does
portrayed in a program; such as
not necessarily relate to, but
a soap or a sitcom. The audience
instead distracts them from their
relates to the media
own problems and entertains
them.
INFORMATION/EDUCATION

Information on whats going on in the

world, such as the news; or a
documentary or information program to
educate people who want to learn new
things or become aware of things.

SOCIAL INTERACTION
Sociability through discussion about TV
with other people. For example,
certain audience members may
become more involved with a series or
program if it is popular and triggers
conversation at their workplace as
school. Social networks such as twitter,
and hashtags encourage this