Media Theories
Sociology: AQA A Level, topic 9.3.1
Hypodermic Syringe Model
This model states that there is a direct correlation between violence/antisocial behaviour portrayed in the media and such behaviour in real life.
The approach
- The hypodermic syringe approach to media effects believes that a direct correlation exists between the violence and anti-social behaviour portrayed in films, on television, in computer games, in rap lyrics, etc. and violence and antisocial behaviour such as drug use and teenage gun/knife crime found in real life.
Socialisation
- The model suggests that children and teenagers are vulnerable to media content because they are still in the early stages of socialisation and therefore very impressionable.
- Early studies of the relationship between the media and violence focused on conducting experiments in laboratories.
Bandura et al.
- Bandura et al. carried out an experiment on young children which involved exposing them to films and cartoons of a bobo doll being attacked with a mallet.
- They concluded on the basis of this experiment that violent media content could lead to imitation or copycat violence.
Criticisms
- However many thinkers argue that the model is too deterministic in assuming all audiences will respond violently to violent media.
- They argue there can be many other responses to such violence.
Other Models
Catharsis, sensitisation and the two-step flow model are other theories sociologists have proposed to explain how we interact with the media.
Catharsis
- This is the idea that the media can provide a safe outlet for people’s aggressive tendencies. - Fesbach and Sanger argue that by immersing yourself into a violent film aggressive energy is released in a safe way.
Sensitisation
- Young argues that seeing the effects of violence can make people more aware of the consequences and less likely to become violent themselves.
- He suggests that violent scenes can be so graphic and so shocking that they put people off violence.
The two-step flow model
- Katz and Lazarsfeld suggest that personal relationships and conversations with significant others, such as family members, friends, teachers and work colleagues, result in people modifying or rejecting media messages.
- They argue that social networks are usually dominated by opinion leaders, i.e. people of influence whom others in the network look up to and listen to.
Opinion leaders
- These people usually have strong ideas about a range of matters.
- Moreover, these opinion leaders expose themselves to different types of media and form an opinion on their content.
- These interpretations are then passed on to other members of their social circle.
Indirect influence
- Messages have to go through two steps or stages.
- Firstly, the opinion leader is exposed to the media content.
- Secondly they pass the message on to their social circle.
- Those who respect the opinion leader internalise their interpretation of that content.
Active audiences
- Consequently, media audiences are not directly influenced by the media.
- Rather, they choose to adopt a particular opinion, attitude and way of behaving after negotiation and discussion with an opinion leader.
- The audience is, therefore, not passive, but active.
Test yourself on Media Theories
What type of research were the early studies of the relationship between the media and violence?
The Two-Step Flow Model