HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY

The “Hypodermic theory” implied that mass media had a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences.

The mass media in the 1940s and 1950s were perceived as a powerful influence on behavior change.

The theory suggests that the mass media could influence a very large group of people directly and uniformly by ‘shooting’ or ‘injecting’ them with appropriate messages designed to trigger their desired response.

The media is a dangerous means of communicating an idea because the receiver or audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message.

The media fired the message directly into audience head without their own knowledge. This message cause the instant reaction from the audience mind without any hesitation.

Dating from the 1930s, this theory was the first attempt to explain how the mass audiences might react to mass media

Example of the hypodermic theory being successful in 1938, the now-infamous radio dramatization of the science fiction novel “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells was performed like a contemporary new broadcast, a technique that had been used to heighten realism and dramatic effect.

The people concluded that it was in fact a real account of invasion from Mars.

The theory is still quoted during moral panics by parents, politicians and pressure groups, and it used to explain why certain groups in society should not be exposed to certain media texts, for fear that they will watch or read violent behaviour and will then act them out themselves.

Prepared by:

Janica Rose V. LimDennis Laurel

TWO STEP FLOW THEORY

HISTORY two-step flow of communication

hypothesis was first introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet in The People's Choice, a 1944 study focused on the process of decision-making during a Presidential election campaign.

Katz and Lazarsfeld developed the two-step flow theory of mass communication.

TWO STEPS First—Opinion Leaders get information

from a media source Second—Opinion Leaders then pass the

information, along with their interpretation, to others (friends, family, acquaintances, etc.)

OPINION LEADER Opinion Leader is a leader for a certain

group who gives details and information to lesser active persons in the group.

Examples: In office, the managing director is an

opinion leader In public, a political leader is an opinion

leader.

TWO-STEP FLOW MODEL

KING, KRISHNA ARABELLABUSIG, MARA DEA

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