MIGRAIN: Audience Theory 1
Audience theory:notes
The hypodermic needle model
They suggested there are four main uses or gratifications (pleasures) that audiences get from the media.
The hypodermic needle model
This is a crude theory from the 1920s that suggests the media injects information into the audience like a hypodermic needle and therefore can have a dangerous effect on us.
The two-step flow model
The two-step flow model was developed in the 1940s because the hypodermic needle theory was considered too simplistic, assuming the audience consumed media without thinking.
The two-step flow model instead suggests the audience are influenced by ‘opinion leaders’ in the media who mediate how the audience react to media texts. The theory suggests the media is not all-powerful and that social factors are important.
Blumler & Katz: Uses and Gratifications theory
Researchers Blumler and Katz reignited audience theory in 1974 by stating that media audiences are active and make conscious choices about the way they consume media.They suggested there are four main uses or gratifications (pleasures) that audiences get from the media.
Diversion: escape from everyday problems and routine - entertainment.
Personal Relationships: using the media for emotional and other interaction (e.g. developing affection for characters in TV)
Personal Identity: finding ourselves reflected in texts or learning behaviour and values from the media. Reality TV or documentary (Educating Yorkshire) are good examples.
Surveillance: Information useful for living (e.g. Weather, traffic news, holiday bargains etc.)
Rokeach and DeFleur: Dependency theory
Rokeach and DeFleur: Dependency theory
Rokeach and DeFleur took Uses and Gratifications one step further in 1976 in suggesting that people have become dependent on the media.
With Dependency theory, they suggest that people rely on the media for information determining their decisions. This means the media can create many different feelings such as fear, anxiety, and happiness.
With Dependency theory, they suggest that people rely on the media for information determining their decisions. This means the media can create many different feelings such as fear, anxiety, and happiness.
1) This news article links to the hypodermic needle model because it forces whoever plays the violent game, to feel aggressive to their environment and it makes them aggressive without them even realising it.
2) The article can be criticised because if the students knowingly played a game that would be violent then they would become aggressive because they feel like if they play a violent game there "must" become aggressive whereas if they were just asked to play a range of games where there isn't a clear difference in what the games were about, it would be better.
Two step flow model:
1) The two step flow model is an advanced version of the hypodermic needle model. The two step flow model shows how the audience is influenced by role models and that they will somewhat follow what the role models do. The theory suggests is not all powerful and that social factors are important. I think the two step flow model is relevant today because many people follow what famous celebrities do but I think that they have their own minds and won't do anything too stupendous. Although I do think that they are definitely influenced by what their role models do because for example, Beats are advertised to be something that everyone should have and in their advertisements it shows their favourite celebrities wearing them although they are probably worth around £10 but are sold for £200 and many people still buy them.
2) TotalBiscuit fits into the two step flow model because he reviews games and it certainly does lead his fan base into playing those games, it may be because he showed them gameplay of the game and they willingly wanted to play it or it could be because he said that the game is good and they would follow his interests, either way, he influences them into playing the game because if he wasn't there, they wouldn't know about the game as much as they do know.
3) Yes, I think all of the most famous tweeters have an influence on their audience mainly because, people follow famous people because they want to know their lifestyle and what products they use and how they speak and react to certain things, that in itself shows that famous people influence their audience. People don't follow famous celebs because they want them to notice them or whatever, they know that they won't notice them but they follow them because they may think they're funny or entertaining and even when they tweet something out, their fans usually agrees with what they are saying.
4) Jamal Edwards links to the two step flow model because he is an iconic figure to the people of london , he grew up poor and broke where as now he is rich and famous. People look up to him which means that they will try and copy what he does so they can be like him. This means that he can influence them in whatever way he wants and they will follow what he does.
1) The two step flow model is an advanced version of the hypodermic needle model. The two step flow model shows how the audience is influenced by role models and that they will somewhat follow what the role models do. The theory suggests is not all powerful and that social factors are important. I think the two step flow model is relevant today because many people follow what famous celebrities do but I think that they have their own minds and won't do anything too stupendous. Although I do think that they are definitely influenced by what their role models do because for example, Beats are advertised to be something that everyone should have and in their advertisements it shows their favourite celebrities wearing them although they are probably worth around £10 but are sold for £200 and many people still buy them.
2) TotalBiscuit fits into the two step flow model because he reviews games and it certainly does lead his fan base into playing those games, it may be because he showed them gameplay of the game and they willingly wanted to play it or it could be because he said that the game is good and they would follow his interests, either way, he influences them into playing the game because if he wasn't there, they wouldn't know about the game as much as they do know.
3) Yes, I think all of the most famous tweeters have an influence on their audience mainly because, people follow famous people because they want to know their lifestyle and what products they use and how they speak and react to certain things, that in itself shows that famous people influence their audience. People don't follow famous celebs because they want them to notice them or whatever, they know that they won't notice them but they follow them because they may think they're funny or entertaining and even when they tweet something out, their fans usually agrees with what they are saying.
4) Jamal Edwards links to the two step flow model because he is an iconic figure to the people of london , he grew up poor and broke where as now he is rich and famous. People look up to him which means that they will try and copy what he does so they can be like him. This means that he can influence them in whatever way he wants and they will follow what he does.
Uses and Gratifications theory
1) The four categories:
Diversion: For Diversion, People watch shows like eastenders or doctor who or any other movie/series to divert their attention to somewhere where they can escape their own reality. For example, no one would watch eastenders if it wasn't about other peoples lives. If eastenders was about selling a product or service, there would be less people watching it. This is why I think that people watch tv or movies to escape from their reality or even to waste time because they feel like their own reality is too boring or it could be because they may be ignorant and may not realise the fun things they can do outdoors, but instead, decide to avoid the knowledge that may be gained when they are outdoors.
Diversion: For Diversion, People watch shows like eastenders or doctor who or any other movie/series to divert their attention to somewhere where they can escape their own reality. For example, no one would watch eastenders if it wasn't about other peoples lives. If eastenders was about selling a product or service, there would be less people watching it. This is why I think that people watch tv or movies to escape from their reality or even to waste time because they feel like their own reality is too boring or it could be because they may be ignorant and may not realise the fun things they can do outdoors, but instead, decide to avoid the knowledge that may be gained when they are outdoors.
Personal Relationships: For personal relationships, people go on social media such as instagram just so they can stay up to date with their friends and new trends, an example of this would be: everyone in school following an instagram account so they can tag each other and so they would be able to relate with each other with what the person that owns the instagram account says.
Personal Identity: For personal identity, people only watch certain videos or read about certain things so they can learn about themselves, an example of this would be to watch makeup tutorials on youtube just so you can try it out for yourself and based on how the person looked like at the end of the makeup tutorial, you aspire to end up looking similar to them when you follow their tutorial.
Surveillance: For surveillance, people watch shows like crime watch or news just so they can see what is going around in the world, just as the name "surveillance" suggests, it is literally people surveying the world and the things going around.
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