Media Theory

Hypodermic Needle Effect

This Theory suggests that the information from a text decodes into the audiences minds unmediated. This means that it goes in uncritically and you take it in with out questioning. This theory is still used by parents, politicians and pressure groups, and is explained why certain groups in society should not be exposed to certain media texts, e.g rap/hip hop videos or olden comics. this is as there could be a cause that they could act out what they see e.g. sexual or violent behaviour.

Uses & Gradificactions

Texts that reflect Personal indentity. This suggests that the recepetion of media is often dependant on the context. E.g. Director Encodes a text and then the text is decoded on the audiences. Preferred readers agree with the directors intentions and abberrant readers disagree with the directors intentions.

In 1948, Lasswell suggested that media texts had the following functions for individuals and society : surveillance, correlation, entertainment and cultural transmission.

Researchers Bulmer and Katz expanded this theory and published their own in 1974, stating that individuals might choose a text for the following purposes:
Diversion - Escape from everyday problems and routines.
Personal Relationships - using the media for emotional and other interaction.
Personal Identity - Finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values from texts.
Surveillance - Information which could be useful for living.

Since then it has been extended further, particually as new media forms have come along, eg Internet and Video games