You are on page 1of 4

The Hypodermic Needle Theory is a linear communication theory which suggests that media

messages are injected directly into the brains of a passive audience. It suggests that we're
all the same and we all respond to media messages in the same way.

The hypodermic needle theory implied mass media had a direct, immediate and powerful
effect on its audiences. The mass media in the 1940s and 50s were perceived as a powerful
influence on behaviour change. In the mid 1930s media scholars found the first theory on
Media Effects and the Media Behaviours. During the Second World War media played a vital
role in both United States and Germany to made influence in the peoples mind. The
Germany Hitlers Nazi used the
film industry for propaganda and
they produced lots of movies
about their achievements which
made
a
great impact in Germans minds.
Later the
United States used its own
Hollywood and
produced films like It happened
in one night & Its a
wonderful life to portrait
Germany as evil force
which also made impact in
Americans minds. Here
media audiences accept the
messages without any
rejection. The media (magic
gun)
fired
the
message
directly
into
audience head without their
own
knowledge.
The
message cause the instant reaction
from the audience mind
without any hesitation is called Magic Bullet Theory. The media (needle)
injects the message into audience mind and it cause changes in audience
behaviour and psyche towards the message. Audience are passive and they
cant resist the media message is called Hypodermic Needle Theory. 1)
Positive effects a) Exposure to educative media content is of great importance.
For example the education we receive on talk shows and distance learning, b) Exposure to
informative media content such as news and c) Exposure to entertaining media content that
serves as an escape from the stress of everyday life. 2) Negative effects, a) Exposure to
violence and sex on some media content b) Exposure to hate journalism and c) Exposure to
false or sensational information

Uses and Gratification theory is a popular approach to understanding mass communication.


The theory places more focus on the consumer, or audience, instead of the actual messages
itself by asking what people do with media rather than what media does to people. It
assumes that members of the audience are not passive but take an active role in interpreting
and integrating media into their own lives. The theory also holds that audiences are
responsible for choosing
media to meet their
needs. The approach
suggests that would then
imply that the media
complete against other
information sources for
viewers gratification.

Escaping, or being
diverted, from problems
Relaxing
Getting intrinsic cultural
or aesthetic enjoyment
Filling time
Emotional release
Sexual arousal
Bulmer & Katz (1974) argued that audience needs have social and psychological origins
which generate certain expectations about the mass media, leading to differential patterns of
media exposure which result in both the gratification of needs and in other (often unintended)
consequences. This does assume an active audience making motivated choices. However,
McQuail suggests that the dominant stance of recent researchers in this tradition is now that:

Reception theory is aversion of readers response literary theory that emphasizes the readers
reception of a literally text. In literature, it originated from the work of Hans-Robert Jauss in
the late 1960s. Reception theory was at its most influential during the 1970s and early 80s
in Germany and USA amongst some notable work in Western Europe.

The reader fully


shares the texts code
and accepts and
reproduces the
preferred reading in
such a stance the
The reader partly
code seems natural
shares the texts
code and broadly
accepts
preferred
The reader,
whosethe
social
reading,
but
situation places them in a
sometimes
resiststo
directly opposition
relation
and modifies
it in a
the dominant
code,
way
which
reflects
understands the preferred
their
own
position,
reading but
does
not
share the
experiences
texts code and rejectsand
the
interests,
reading, bringing
tothis
bear an
alternative frame of reference.
E.g. when watching a
television broadcast on behalf

An active consumption is when the audience will engage and discuss media messages that
comes across to them and sometimes question the media messages through life experiences.
Others may interpenetrate the message in a different way or question it, by doing this the
audience wont be as
suggestible to tell them
what to think. Shows
like Question Time
like to get politicians
and journalists on the
show to discuss
worldwide issues and
domestic issues, the
audience who ask the
questions are more
active due to the deep
discussions they have
with the panel than
people sitting at home.
However people at
home can interact with
Tweeter with the panellists and create debates, so Home viewers become less suggestible and
more active as they can get involved in debates. A passive consumption is when the audience
doesnt engage or question the media message but just accepts it, this what media outlets
want to achieve when making a film or show as they want to view to except and not question.
To get the audience into this state the story has to be believable, it doesnt need to realistic as
that would make it boring and unrealistic would look rubbish.

You might also like