A Level Media Studies Theories- Audience Practice Questions and Answers

Effects Theory A group of social scientists called the Frankfurt School that studied the power of the mass media. Hypodermic Needle Theory Audiences passively receive information from media texts without any attempt on their part to process or challenge it. Moral Panic The intensity of feeling expressed in a population about an issue that appears to threaten the social order. Cultivation Theory The more time people spend "living" in the TV world, the more likely they are to believe the social reality portrayed on TV. People become 'desensitised' to what they are watching. Uses and Gratifications Theory Audience members receive mass media products in different ways, and use them for different purposes. Gratification Satisfying a need. U+G: Diversion Escape from everyday problems and routine. U+G: Personal Relationships For companionship