audience theory 2

1) Social learning theory has been criticised for simplifying the causes of violence in society. Do you think the media is responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence?

The media is definently to blame for violent and antisocial behaviour.This is because Media use has increased throughout time, especially among children and teenagers, to the point where it is now a normal aspect of daily life for most people. But for other people is a place where they learn and motivate violent stuff.

2) How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.

 Yes , a kid is more inclined to imitate actions they witness others performing since these behaviours are reinforced in their minds.

3) Research three examples of moral panic from the last 50 years. To what extent was the media responsible for these moral panics? Was the concern in society justified? How have things changed as a result of these moral panics?

The 2013 Tide Pod challenge, in which participants ate tripods and then uploaded the resulting videos to the internet. The media is mostly to blame for this as they let the videos go viral and created a moral panic.

The Blue Whale Challenge , in which participants were told to commit suicide. 

4)Read this introduction to an academic paper on technopanics. What examples are given of technopanics that create fear in society? If the link is blocked in school, you can access the text here.

 Cybersecurity, digital privacy, and online child safety

5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?

No, as more and more people rely on the internet to obtain information rather than magazines, newspapers, and other print media. In addition to this, people are evading the laws designed to protect them.

6) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? Are we becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse? Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? Write a paragraph discussing these ideas.

Since more and more individuals are turning the internet into a place where people can be victimized and bullied for attempting to be themselves, it is creating a frightened environment. However, since more awareness have been brought to it , people know that others can't do things behind a screen making heavy internet not something completely worrying.

The effects debate: Media Factsheet

Complete the following tasks using Media Factsheet 030 - The Effects Debate available on the Media Shared drive. You'll find it in our Media Factsheet archive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets. You can also access it via your school Google login here.

Read Media Factsheet 030 - Media and Audiences -The Effects Debate and answer the following questions:

1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')

I do not play violent video games and i am not violent in real life but around my friends yeah as a joke though.

2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?

Direct effect theories, diffusion theories. indirect effect theory, the pluralist approach.

3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events? 

Child's play: The murder of Jamie Bulger, Marilyn Manson: The Columbine High School shootings, Natural Born Killers: a number of murders committed by romantically linked couples.

4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.


A high school shooting happened on the 20th of April 1999. 12 students and 1 teacher where murdered and 21 people were injured. Due to the shooting, lots of copycat shootings were inspired by this. It was originally meant to be a bombing then shooting but due to a failed detonation attempt, it ended up being a shooting.

5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?

The access and acceptance of guns, teenagers who were isolated and were never able to fit in and the viewing of a range of violent images.

6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?

A person's well-being is not greatly affected by reading a single text; rather, frequent exposure to specific concepts or images has a longer-lasting influence since the individual becomes accustomed to seeing what they have seen.

7) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?

Violence is only good when there is a justifiable cause, otherwise it's a problem.

8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?

The mass audience are assumed to be led on easily and unaware of the difference between right and wrong. The intelligence and overall nature of a person is not taken into account for.

9) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?

Love thy Neighbour may appear as racist and offensive to the modern-day viewer. As times have changed, so have people's views on what is seen as funny, which is why what as seen as funny in Love thy Neighbour is no longer seen as that.

10) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?

The Guardian and The Sun.