05 - Reception Theory

Question 1

Name three audience theories.

Answer 1

The Effects Model/Hyperdermic Needle Theory
Reception Theory
Uses and Gratifications.

Question 2

Name a passive audience theory.

Answer 2

The Effects Model/Hyperdermic Needle Theory

Question 3

Name an active audience theory.

Answer 3

Reception Theory.

Uses and Gratifications.

Question 4

The Reception Theory belongs to what audience group?

Answer 4

Active.

Question 5

What characteristics does an active audience have?

Answer 5

Questioning.
Involved.
Engaged.
Free Willed.

Question 6

Define Reception Theory.

Answer 6

Reception Theory, suggested by Stuart Hall, is where a media producer encodes a message for the audience to decode but they decide how they feel about it. Meaning they either completely agree with the message, they question the message, or they completely disagree with the message. These are called reading positions.

Question 7

Name the three different reading positions.

Answer 7

Dominated/Preferred Position.
Negotiated Position
Oppositional Position.

Question 8

Define the dominated/preferred position.

Answer 8

The reader/audience decodes the text exactly as it was encoded.
The reader does not question the text and accepts it messages and meanings.
The ideologies of the text are absorbed without question.
The reader trusts the media producers. E.g. Watching a political speech and agreeing with it.

Question 9

Define the negotiated position.

Answer 9

A mix of accepting and rejecting elements of the message.
The reader recognises, acknowledges and generally accepts the dominant message.
Although they resist and modify in a way that reflects their own experiences and interests. The ideologies are questioned
E.g. Neither wholy agreeing or disagreeing with the political speech or being disinterested

Question 10

Define the oppositional position.

Answer 10

The meanings and messages of the text are rejected by the reader.
The reader understands the encoded meaning however the readers social situation places them in direct opposition with the encoded message.
The ideologies of the text are rejected as they are significantly different to the ideologies of the producer.
E.g. Total rejection of the political speech and active opposition

Question 11

Name some criticisms of Reception Theory.

Answer 11

Almost every reading becomes negotiated. Because viewers can hold multiple positions towards a text at once.
There is generally an assumption that oppositional readings are automatically progressive (better), and that dominant readings are regressive (worse).