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Audience, Notes, Theory

AUDIENCE

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  • After World War 2, the use of mass media increased. In the 1940’s and 50’s, mainstream media took off. TV’s were widely used, this kick started research into the way in which audiences are influenced.
  • The ‘Hypodermic Needle Theory’ = The passive consumption of audiences. When audiences are being ‘injected’ with media, they are ‘knocked into submission’ and go along with the messages the media promote.
  • Harold Laswell = Wrote a novel called ‘Propaganda Technique in The World War’ in 1927 following his own experience serving in WWI. He later created a linear model of communication. Theory work around the effect of media communication and consumption trace back to him.
  • ‘Two Step Flow of Communication’ = Encapsulates the idea that media messages are not directly ‘injected’ into the mass audience, they are ‘injected’ into the ‘important’ people, or ‘opinion leaders’, who then promote this message to the masses.
  • Shannon and Weaver = 1949, Adapted Laswell’s theory and created the ‘Transmission model of Communication‘
  • Paul Lazarfeld = Believed that the linear communication model was too simple and did not factor in the different ways in which media messages could be communicated.
  • Uses and Gratifications (Active Selection) – Elihu Katz posed the question of ‘what does media do to people?’. Research into this started with McQuail and Blumler.
Two-Step Flow Communication Model | Study.com
Two Step Flow of Communication

Psychographic Profiles (Used to distinguish the different types of audiences and product customers):

The Explorer – motivated by the need for discovery.

The Resigned– motivated by survival needs.

The Aspirer – motivated by esteem/status needs.

The Mainstreamer – motivated by belonging needs.

The Reformer – motivated by enlightenment needs.

The Succeeder – motivated by the need for control.

The Struggler – motivated by escapism needs.

Audience, Exam Prep

AUDIENCE: THEORIES AND APPROACHES.

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1. ‘Hypodermic Needle’ Theory

After the end of WWII, social science researchers began to investigate the way in which communication – and particularly, political communication – was used to disseminate propaganda. As such, from the end of the 1940’s and into the 1950’s, there was not only an expansion of new media forms, for example, the number of TV licences shot up from 763,000 in 1951 to 3.2 million in 1954 (How the Coronation kick-started the love of television), but, there was also an expansion of research into the effects of television. Many of which are now found on the specifications of media studies courses.

1. Hypodermic model (passive consumption)

Early theoretical work on the relationship (or effects) of media consumption are often traced back to Harold Lasswell, who developed the theoretical tool of ‘content analysis’ and in 1927 wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ (link). As Martin Moore notes, Lasswell, as a behavioural scientist researching areas connected with political communication and propaganda, believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1 (2019:122). 

To illustrate his hypothesis, in 1948 he developed a linear model of communication, one that breaks down the line of communication from point A to point B, in which the SENDER is transferring a MESSAGE, through a MEDIUM (eg Print, radio, TV, etc) that has a direct effect on the RECEIVER. 

Or to be correct: WHO, SAYS WHAT, THROUGH WHAT CHANNEL, TO WHOM, TO WHAT EFFECT.

In this sense, this is a HYPODERMIC MODEL OF MEDIA EFFECT, in that the model proposes a clear, linear (and perhaps unaltered) connection between message sent > message received. This model has, as we shall highlight, been the subject of much analysis and review. However, the basic premise remains, that we need to understand what message is being sent, to who, how and to what (intended) effect. Further, that there is a clear relationship between sending a message and receiving a message.

TASK 1:

Create a new post called AUDIENCE THEORY (don’t forget to give it a category / categories – Audience, exam prep, notes etc).

  1. Make some notes about hypodermic model, passive audience, Lasswell etc.
  2. Draw out Lasswell’s model (use PPT, save as JPEG and upload to your blog) in relation to 1 or 2 of your research adverts.

This approach was later adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISE, ERROR, ENCODING and FEEDBACK.

In other words, there is the suggestion that the process of sending and receiving a message is NOT clear-cut, predictable or reliable and is dependent on a range of other factors that need to be taken into consideration. 

Task 2:

Adapt your model from Task 1 and add in some points which show a disruption to this linear process. In other words, think about what might happen at each stage of the process to disrupt or alter the process of communication. You would be well to discuss this proposition in a small group first and then draw out your adapted model. Again use ppt, save as JPEG and upload to the blog.

Task 3:

Can you now put your product that you are looking to advertise into Lasswell’s communication model? Make sure you note any possible disruption (ie Shannon and Weaver). As ever, save as JPEG and upload to your blog.

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