Audience Effects Flashcards
(40 cards)
What are direct effect theories based on?
The idea that the media has an immediate and powerful influence on audiences. Messages flow directly from the media through to its audiences.
Which social group might be the most susceptible to media effects?
-lower class because the higher class have more control over the media
-young children because they are easily manipulated and influenced by what they see in the media
-ethnic groups due to stereotypes surrounding crime
Hypodermic Syringe Model
Suggests that the audience passively accepts the messages ‘injected’ into them by the mass media. The direct effects do not acknowledge differences between members of the audiences and therefore they are seen as homogenous (the same)
Packard
-linked to the Hypodermic Syringe Model
-also known as ‘magic bullet theory’
-the media is like a syringe that ‘injects’ its messages into the audience.
-also looks at the impact of advertising e.g some newspapers aim to sway voting habits of its audiences.
-audiences do not engage with media material but just accept it
Newson
Direct effects
-children’s exposure to media violence has a desensitising effect, therefore, they are more likely to commit acts of Jolene in reality.
-the effects are more subtle to children
-television and film violence encouraged people to identify with the violent perpetrators rather than victims
-Newson’s research led to increased censorship in the film industry = The British Board of Film was given the power to apply age certificates and to companies agreed on 9 p.m watershed before which shows would not feature significant sexual or violent scenes
E.g murder of James Bulger (exposure to Child’s Play 3)
Bandura
Direct effects
-also explored media effects on violence and found that children can act more aggressively when given the opportunity to do so
-Bobo doll experiment :
-Bandura showed 3 groups of children film examples of a bobo doll being beaten with a mallet. There was a control group of children shown no violence
-the children were then taken to a room with lots of toys but were ‘frustrated’ when being told that the toys were not for them.
-they were then taken to another room with the bobo doll and a mallet and the children who had seen violent examples imitated the violence by beating the dolls themselves while the children who had not seen violence did not beat the doll
Example of imitation and observation
Anderson et al
Direct effects
-conducted research on direct effect of music on an audience
-studied effect of song lyrics on the attitudes and emotions of 500 college students.
-there was a pattern of increased aggressive thoughts and feelings of hostility following on from listening to violent song lyrics. E.g “Shoot ‘Em Up” by Cypress Hill
-results indicated a relationship between violent song lyrics and increased aggressive thoughts and feelings of hostility. They also found humorous violent songs did increase aggression levels
Fesbach and Sanger
Direct effect
-catharsis
-watching an exciting film releases aggressive energy as viewers immerse themselves in the action.
-therefore they will not act aggressively in real life
Catharsis
Screen violence can provide a safe outlet for people’s aggressive tendencies
Young
Direct effect
-critique of Newson
-seeing the effect of violence on its victims makes us more aware of its consequences so less inclined to commit violent acts = has a sensitising effect
-therefore they make people more aware and responsible so they avoid getting involved in violence
What are indirect effect theories
Acknowledge that the media has an effect on its audience but see this effect as the product of an interaction between different influences alongside media
Katz and Lazarsfeld
Indirect effect
-relationships, conversations etc result in people modifying or rejecting media messages rather than just passively accepting it
-social networks dominated by ‘opinion leaders’ who are generally made up of people who expose themselves to different types of media
-opinion leaders are seen as ‘experts’ in specific matters and their interpretations are then passed on to other members of their social circle
What are the 2 steps that Katz and Lazarsfeld suggest that media messages go through before reaching its audiences and what is it known as?
The two step flow model
- The opinion leader is exposed to content
- Those who respect the opinion leader internalise their interpretation of that content and transmit these messages forward
What are opinion leaders?
People of influence whom others in the network look up and listen to. They usually have strong ideas about a range of social issues and situations.
What does the Two step flow model suggest?
Media audiences are not directly influenced by media but choose to adopt a particular opinion from an opinion leader. Therefore, this suggests that the audience is not passive when interpreting media messages, but active
Gramsci’s Cultural effects model
Sees the media as a very powerful ideological influence that is mainly concerned with transmitting capitalist cultural values and norms
Gramsci
Indirect effect
-media content contains strong ideological messages that reflect the values of those who own, control and produce the media.
-values of the rich and powerful come to be unconsciously shared by most people
-refers to hegemony
What do Marxists say about the media?
It acts as a ideological state apparatus
What does hegemony mean in reference to what Gramsci says?
The notion that ruling class, capitalist ideologies as presented as common sense to the media
What do Marxists believe about the media?
-television content has been deliberately dumbed down = decline in serious programmes such as the news, documentaries
-results in an indirect impact on the audiences in which we come to accept capitalism and led into false consciousness
The Drip Drip Effect Model
Indirect effect
-the more an ideology is ‘dripped’ into society by the media, the more people believe it and accept it as true
-mass media gradually influences the audience over a period of time
-it gradually shapes people’s common sense ideas and assumptions into their everyday view of the world
-we become desensitised
-prolonged exposure to poverty = might create ‘compassion fatigue’
Use and Gratifications model
Active audience
Suggests that the audience is an active agent when using the media as they are using it for their own purposes and to satisfy their needs. Refers to ‘what people do with the media.’ They do not directly discuss media effects
Zillman
Active audience
suggests a person’s mood may influence media choice. E.g boredom = exciting media content. The same TV programme may satisfy the needs of individuals differently due to differing personalities, backgrounds, social roles.
McQuail
Active audience
studies the common reasons for media use and states that it is down to information, personal identity, integration and social integration and entertainment.
