Audience Theory 3
1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Are you violent in ‘real life’?
Yeah i often play violent video games, but my behaviour is not violent. I also often watch violent films.
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it?
Yes, generally when i see something online that appeals to me, I'd begin saving money and end up buying it whether that's in a few weeks or months time.
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about?
Not really, I don't often watch documentaries.
2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?
The four categories are "Direct Effect Theories, Diffusion Theories, Indirect Effect Theories, and Pluralist Approach"
The "Direct Effect Theories" is that the media will directly change our behaviours and attitudes towards a certain topic. This theory is very simplistic as it makes the assumption that the audience is generally very passive and will take any information given to them and apply is.
The "Diffusion Theories" is the way people access texts and it considers the influence other people may have, for example an opinion leader with a large following may be able to share an opinion which will influence people's attitudes and behaviours.
The "Indirect Effect Theories" is the theory that acknowledges people's differences and focuses on who is actually responding to which text looking into things such as Age, Gender and Religion. This is a more complex theory as it isn't simplistic as for example the "Hypodermic Needle" and doesn't just assume that the person is passive.
"Pluralism" is the theory that media texts are free to share whatever opinions they desire, and as such people are able to interpret these texts in whatever way they so wish, yes this theory is unrealistic as it makes assumptions such as "All social groups are catered for by mass media"
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?
The examples given are:
4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
Some reasons listed are:
6) What does Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggest?
Repeatedly viewing a certain type of media text will eventually normalise it for the person viewing it meaning that if a person plays violent video games and see's gore and violence they will eventually become desensitised to it and thus feel as if it's normal.7) How does this front page of the Daily Mail (from this week - Wednesday 16 November) link to Cultivation theory? The Mail Online version of the story is here.
The front page suggests that children under the age of 5 spend up to 4 hours a day which isn't true as in the article it states that 5-15 year olds spend that much time, this also suggests that these children are addicted and doesn't take any other factors into consideration.
8) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
Although cultivation theory goes beyond a simple ‘cause and effect’ approach to audience effects, critics see both these direct theories as having an elitist element suggesting a judgement is being made about the mass audience as they are assumed to be easily led and not perceptive or self-aware. The individual nature of the members of the audience is not taken into account.
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a problem whereas games and television programmes are open to criticism and debate.
9) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
Two-Step Theory
This theory acknowledges that we often access media texts with others or, if alone, we may well talk about our media experiences with our friends and family later. One argument is that these kinds of
conversations have more influence on potential behaviour than the media text itself.
A theory that springs from this idea is called the two-step theory which says that, whatever our experience of the media, we are likely to discuss it with others. If we respect their opinion (the theory calls these people opinion leaders), the chances are that we may be affected by the opinion leaders’ responses as well as by the text itself.
10) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
Some texts from the past seem very strange to us. A very popular sitcom in the 1970s called Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers, racist and offensive. Times have changed and so have people’s attitudes and values. What was acceptable as the topic for comedy some decades ago, no longer is.
11) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
The same information can be presented (encoded) in different ways. The Sun and The Guardian may report the same ‘facts’ very differently.
Even when media producers try to ‘close down’ meaning all media texts contain more than one potential reading.
12) Which audience theory do you think is most convincing? Why? It is important that you develop critical autonomy in judging the arguments for and against different theories and form your own opinion on these issues.
The audience theory that is most convincing is the cultivation theory because the theory has more complexity to it compared to the other theories which are quite simple. Also, the social learning theory is quite simple and some people will think that the theory is only tested on children so it it only applies to children bu it actually doesn't. The moral panic is to simple in my opinion. The cultivation theory is the most convincing because things like the theory have come up in the news and papers and also you can see this when people are voting for things and some peoples decision has changed because a certain media source has convinced them to.
1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Are you violent in ‘real life’?
Yeah i often play violent video games, but my behaviour is not violent. I also often watch violent films.
2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it?
Yes, generally when i see something online that appeals to me, I'd begin saving money and end up buying it whether that's in a few weeks or months time.
3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about?
Not really, I don't often watch documentaries.
2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?
The four categories are "Direct Effect Theories, Diffusion Theories, Indirect Effect Theories, and Pluralist Approach"
The "Direct Effect Theories" is that the media will directly change our behaviours and attitudes towards a certain topic. This theory is very simplistic as it makes the assumption that the audience is generally very passive and will take any information given to them and apply is.
The "Diffusion Theories" is the way people access texts and it considers the influence other people may have, for example an opinion leader with a large following may be able to share an opinion which will influence people's attitudes and behaviours.
The "Indirect Effect Theories" is the theory that acknowledges people's differences and focuses on who is actually responding to which text looking into things such as Age, Gender and Religion. This is a more complex theory as it isn't simplistic as for example the "Hypodermic Needle" and doesn't just assume that the person is passive.
"Pluralism" is the theory that media texts are free to share whatever opinions they desire, and as such people are able to interpret these texts in whatever way they so wish, yes this theory is unrealistic as it makes assumptions such as "All social groups are catered for by mass media"
3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events?
The examples given are:
- Child's play being blamed for the murder of Jamie Bulger
- Marilyn Manson blamed for the Columbine High School shooting.
- Natural Born Killers blamed for a number of murders committed by romantically linked couples. In one case, a director was sued for inciting violence although the court case was dismissed later.
4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.
The Columbine High School massacre was a school shooting that occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County in the American state of Colorado. In addition to the shootings, the complex and highly planned attack involved a fire bomb to divert firefighters, propane tanks converted to bombs placed in the cafeteria, 99 explosive devices, and car bombs. The perpetrators, senior students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 12 students and one teacher. They injured 21 additional people, and three more were injured while attempting to escape the school. The pair subsequently committed suicide.
Although their precise motives remain unclear, the personal journals of the perpetrators document that they wished their actions to rival the Oklahoma City bombing and other deadly incidents in the United States in the 1990s. The attack has been referred to by USA Today as a "suicidal attack [that was] planned as a grand—if badly implemented—terrorist bombing."The massacre has been reported as "the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history."
The massacre sparked debate over gun control laws, high school cliques, subcultures, and bullying. It resulted in an increased emphasis on school security with zero tolerance policies,and a moral panic over goth culture, gun culture, social outcasts (even though the perpetrators were not outcasts), the use of pharmaceutical anti-depressants by teenagers, teenage Internet use,and violence in video games.
5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?Some reasons listed are:
- Listening to Marilyn Manson
- The ease of access to weapons, and the social acceptance of owning a gun
- The alienation felt by teenagers who didn't fit in.
6) What does Gerbner's Cultivation theory suggest?
Repeatedly viewing a certain type of media text will eventually normalise it for the person viewing it meaning that if a person plays violent video games and see's gore and violence they will eventually become desensitised to it and thus feel as if it's normal.7) How does this front page of the Daily Mail (from this week - Wednesday 16 November) link to Cultivation theory? The Mail Online version of the story is here.
The front page suggests that children under the age of 5 spend up to 4 hours a day which isn't true as in the article it states that 5-15 year olds spend that much time, this also suggests that these children are addicted and doesn't take any other factors into consideration.
8) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?
Although cultivation theory goes beyond a simple ‘cause and effect’ approach to audience effects, critics see both these direct theories as having an elitist element suggesting a judgement is being made about the mass audience as they are assumed to be easily led and not perceptive or self-aware. The individual nature of the members of the audience is not taken into account.
This theory identifies the media as being a negative influence but does not consider forms of ‘high art’ in the same way. Some of Shakespeare’s plays are extremely violent but are not seen to be a problem whereas games and television programmes are open to criticism and debate.
9) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?
Two-Step Theory
This theory acknowledges that we often access media texts with others or, if alone, we may well talk about our media experiences with our friends and family later. One argument is that these kinds of
conversations have more influence on potential behaviour than the media text itself.
A theory that springs from this idea is called the two-step theory which says that, whatever our experience of the media, we are likely to discuss it with others. If we respect their opinion (the theory calls these people opinion leaders), the chances are that we may be affected by the opinion leaders’ responses as well as by the text itself.
10) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?
Some texts from the past seem very strange to us. A very popular sitcom in the 1970s called Love Thy Neighbour appears to many modern viewers, racist and offensive. Times have changed and so have people’s attitudes and values. What was acceptable as the topic for comedy some decades ago, no longer is.
11) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?
The same information can be presented (encoded) in different ways. The Sun and The Guardian may report the same ‘facts’ very differently.
Even when media producers try to ‘close down’ meaning all media texts contain more than one potential reading.
12) Which audience theory do you think is most convincing? Why? It is important that you develop critical autonomy in judging the arguments for and against different theories and form your own opinion on these issues.
The audience theory that is most convincing is the cultivation theory because the theory has more complexity to it compared to the other theories which are quite simple. Also, the social learning theory is quite simple and some people will think that the theory is only tested on children so it it only applies to children bu it actually doesn't. The moral panic is to simple in my opinion. The cultivation theory is the most convincing because things like the theory have come up in the news and papers and also you can see this when people are voting for things and some peoples decision has changed because a certain media source has convinced them to.
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