Mary Jackson Pitts, Ph.D.
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Mary Jackson Pitts, Ph.D.
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Theories of Mass Communication Lowery and Defleur
Theory of Uniform Influences.... C Powerful Effects or Magic Bullet TheoryC People receives messages uniformlyC The stimuli lead individuals to respond in a somewhat uniform manner.C Because people are not held back by social controls from others, like customs and traditions, the effects of mass communication are powerful, uniform and direct
Theory of Selective Influences Based On: C Individual DifferencesMedia present info, but messages are interpreted selectively. The selectivity occurs because of a person’s unique personal organization of beliefs, attitudes, values, needs, and modes of personal gratification that has been acquired through learning. Because perception is selective, interpretation, retention, and response to media messages are also selective and variable. The media effect is limited by individual psychological differences.
Theory of Selective Influences Based On: C Social CategoriesMedia messages are received and interpreted selectively. Selectivity is influenced by the location of the individual in the differentiated social structure. The social structure is composed of numerous categories of people, defined by such factors as sex, age, income, education and occupation. Patterns of media attention and response are shaped by the factors that define these categories, making response to mass communication somewhat similar in each. The effect of media is limited by social category influences.
C Theory of Selective Influences based on Social RelationshipsMedia messages are received and interpreted selectively. Selectivity lies in distinctive patterns of social influences on people from others with whom they have meaningful ties. Social influences are brought to bear when an individual’s decisions regarding behavior toward mass communication are modified by family, friends, acquaintances, or others. The effects of media are limited and shaped by the person’s social interactions with others.
C Theory of indirect influence....ModelingThe individual perceives a form of behavior described or portrayed by a character in media content. The individual judges this behavior to be attractive and potentially useful for coping with some personal situation that has arisen or might arise. The portrayed behavior is reproduced by the individual in a relevant personal situation. The reproduced behavior proves useful or effective in coping with the situation, thereby rewarding the individual With further use, the modeled behavior becomes the person’s habitual way of handling that type of situation, unless it is no longer effective and rewarding.
C Theory of indirect influence---meaningThe individual perceives a form of behavior described or portrayed by a character in media content. That situation is labeled by a standardized symbol or symbols from the shared language. The media content effectively links the label and the portrayed meaning for the individual. By such presentation, the media can establish new meanings, extend older ones to include new elements, substitute alternative meanings for older ones, or stabilize the language conventions concerning the shared meanings for symbols in the language community. Since language (standardized labels and their shared meanings) is a critical factor shaping perception, interpretation, and decisions concerning action, the media can have a powerful, but limited long term effect.
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