Audience theory - The Effect Model

This is the idea that the consumption of media texts has an influence or effect on the audience, and it is normally considered that this effect is negative. It exaplined how audience memebers are powerless and passive has they understand that they have no influence over the influence they receive - the power lies within the message of the text.

The model is also sometimes called the Hypodermic model - here the messeages from the media text are 'injected' into the audience by the 'syringe' (the media). This means the audience are numd to what they are consuming but still take it in as they are addicted.

There have been a couple of 'experiements' and tests over the years which support this theory, the most known being the 'Bobo doll' experiment:

"In the experiment Children watched a video where an adult violently attacked a clown toy called a Bobo DollThe children were then taken to a room with attractive toys that they were not permitted to touchThe children were then led to another room with Bobo Doll 88% of the children imitated the violent behaviour that they had earlier viewed. 8 months later 40% of the children reproduced the same violent behaviour"

Some problems with theory include: 

1. The effects model is often based on artificial studies They may then be observed in simulations of real life presented to them as a game, or as they respond to questionnaires, all of which are unlike interpersonal interaction, cannot be equated with it, and are likely to be associated with the previous viewing experience in the mind of the subject, rendering the study invalid. 
2. The effects model is selective in its criticisms of media depictions of violence
3.  The effects model makes no attempt to understand meanings of the media 6. The effects model is not grounded in theory