Indirect Effects

Question 1

Two step flow model (Katz and lazarsfeld)

Answer 1

• personal relationships result in people modifying or rejecting media messages rather than passively accepting it
• opinion leader is exposed to media content
• those who respect opinion leader internalise their interpretation of that content and transmit these messages forward
  Eg. Family can be considered as opinion leaders when discussing topics such as Brexit as we value their opinions and political views transmitting these ideas forward

Question 2

Marxist cultural effects model (Gramsci)

Answer 2

• media as powerful ideological influence that is concerned with transmitting capitalist cultural values and norms
• media contains strong ideological messages that reflect values of those who own, control and produce the media (hegemony is where capitalist ideologies are presented as common sense in media)
• television content has deliberately been dumbed down resulting in decline in serious programmes that may make audiences think critically about the state of the world resulting in little debate about capitalism (accept capitalism and led to false consciousness)
  Eg. Increase in reality tv shows like love island and targeted ads making us identify with celebs, consumerism lifestyle presented as ideal

Question 3

Drip drip effect model

Answer 3

• rather than having more immediate effect, it has a more subtle effect in that the more an ideology is dripped into society by media, the more people believe it and accept it as true
• mass media gradually influences audience over a period of time
• overtime our norms are changed by viewing certain media content
  Eg. Constant exposure to issues such as Ukraine war and mass poverty lead to people to care less about these issues as we are bombarded with too much information at the start