AUDIENCE theories Flashcards
what is the basic idea of Bandura’s theory?
- the media can directly implant ideas into audiences minds
- audiences can acquire ATTITUDES, EMOTIONAL RESPONSES and new styles of CONDUCT through modelling
- media reps of TRANSGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR e.g. violence can lead to audiences IMITATING this behaviour.
(development of the HYPODERMIC NEEDLE MODEL)
what is the BOBO DOLL experiment?
experiment where an adult exerted physical violence onto the bobo doll whilst a child observed, who then imitated the adults behaviour once the adult left.
Bandura suggested that children develop LEARNED BEHAVIOURS through the observation of models (e.g. peers, adults or media texts) - idea that new styles of conduct, attitudes+ emotional responses were acquired by audiences became an accepted conduct in the criticism of mass media.
according to Bandura, children are particularly susceptible to social learning- how many this be an issue?
accessibility- so much graphic content available; increased chance of being exposed to damaging content.
in contemporary media, what is in place to protect audiences from the effects of this theory?
regulation- every industry has a regulator e.g.
* ofcom
* PEGI
* bbfc
* ipso
George Gerbner’s CULTIVATION THEORY
also assumes a passive audience; exposure to REPEATED PATTERNS of rep over long PERIODS OF TIME can influence how people perceive the world; CULTIVATION REINFORCES MAINSTREAM VALUES (dominant ideologies)
attitudes to controversial areas has changed overtime- e.g. more violence is allowed in film today than in the past. why is this?
as you are repeatedly exposed to patterns of representation, it loses its impact and you become DESENSITISED - this process can change societal attitudes.
how does Gerbner’s theory challenge the HYPODERMIC NEEDLE MODEL?
he states that audiences are only affected by media texts when repeatedly exposed, over a sustained period of time.
another impact as well as DESENSITISATION from repeated exposure?
viewpoints/ perception can be affected; audiences IDEOLOGICAL PERCEPTIONS can be CULTIVATED.
why is it mainly MANISTREAM VALUES which are cultivated?
the higher level of media saturation, the more significant the impact of the message conveyed.
what does Paul Lazarsfeld’s TWO STEP FLOW THEORY POSE?
that effective communication between producers+ audiences happens in two stages.
that interpersonal interactions have more influence than news/ media texts:
only 5% of people changed their voting intention due to mass media.
what are the two steps in the two step flow theory?
- OPINION LEADERS pay close attention to mass media and share their INTERPRETATIONS of the text.
- opinion leaders are effective at influencing people to change their attitudes and behaviours+ were similar to those who they influenced.
how is the two- step flow a complex process?
the people who influence others, are also influenced; EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
therefore, OPINION LEADERS are both DESSEMINATOR and RECIPIENT of influence.
(multi-flow?)
what are limitations of Bandura’s social learning theory?
assumes a passive audience- oversimplifies human behaviour.
what is a PASSIVE audience?
an audience that views a media text and doesn’t form their own interpretation/ critically asses it, and instead immediately believed and adopts the ideologies presented to them within the media text.
does the USES AND GRATISFACTIONS theory (BLUMLER& KATZ) define audiences as ACTIVE or PASSIVE?
ACTIVE- relationships between audience and producer have become more complex- people can USE media texts.
audiences use media texts for gratification- what are the FOUR REASONS why audiences engage with media texts, according to Blumler and Katz?
- PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION
the audience identifies with an aspect e.g. a character or brand. - INFORMATION
the audience seeks information e.g. the News. - ENTERTAINMENT
the audience uses the media products as a form of ESCAPISM (pleasure). - SOCIAL INTERACTION
audience uses media consumption as a kind of ‘social currency’ - interacting with peers online.
what is RICHARD DYER’S theory surrounding entertainment?
SEARCHING FOR UTOPIA
“entertainment is a type of performance produced for profit… sole aim of providing pleasure”
why do people use media for pleasure?
ESCAPISM- escaping from everyday life.
some audiences use entertainment to escape to a UTOPIA (a perfect world)
why do people desire to escape to a UTOPIA?
- Utopia is always contrasted with ‘reality’ e.g. tiredness, boringness, mediocrity (opposite of perfect world).
- Dyer is not stating that reality is always like this, but it can be.
what areas has Dyer defined where reality/ daily life and utopia contrast?
- exhaustion, scarcity, dreariness, manipulation, FRAGMENTATION.
VS - energy, abundance, intensity, transparency, COMMUNITY.
how can Dyer’s UTOPIANISM theory be applied?
*useful when explaining construction+ appeal of MASS- MARKET TEXTS e.g. blockbusters, and adverts that depict an ASPIRATIONAL, IDEALISED LIFESTYLE; ESCAPISM.
* can create ‘problem texts’ e.g. depressing SOCIAL REALISM’ and frightening dystopian depictions- may contain REPS of COMMUNITY and INTENSITY respectively, but fall short of UTOPIAN.
What is Stuart Hall’s RECEPTION theory?
Idea of POLYSEMY- three categories of auidience responses when reading texts
Key principle: audiences of outside the IDENTIFIED TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC are more QUESTIONING and CRITICAL of the ideas/ IDEOLOGIES encoded by texts and signs.
What are the three types of audience responses/ reading?
DOMINANT/ PREFERRED READING- how the producer wants the audience to view the media text; audiences take this position when the message is clear and they share the same ideology of the text producer.
NEGOTIATED READING- compromise between dominant and oppositional reading; audiences excepts part of producers’ views but is critical of others.
OPPOSITIONAL READING- audiences reject preferred reading and creates own meaning for text; often if audience member has different beliefs/ age/ culture.
