media effects theories

minimal effects theory

media effects are indirect and merely reinforce an individual's existing attitudes and beliefs

global village theory

according to communication theorist Marshall McLuhan electronic media collapses space and time barriers in human communication, enabling people to communicate on a global scale

cultivation theory

based on dr george gerber's pioneering research into the effects of television on audiences, this theory contends that heavy television viewing leads individuals to perceive reality that are consistent with the portrayals they see on television

third person effect

people believe others are more affected by media messages than they are themselves

social learning theory

people learn by observing and modeling the attitudes and behaviors of others. there is a link between the mass media and behavior

uses and gratifications theory

people use media to satisfy their needs

symbolic annihilation

the absence of representation, underrepresentation, or trivialization of some groups of people in the media, often based on their race, sex, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. Absence in the media can erase groups and individuals from public consciousness

agenda setting theory

the media can't tell us what to think but can tell us what to think about. the media set the agenda for public debate, telling us what issues are important

hypodermic needle theory

the media has a direct, immediate, powerful effect on its audiences without any attempt by such audiences to challenge information received from them

semiotics

the study of social and cultural meanings of signs/symbols through the analysis of signifiers (physical form) and the signified (the meaning)