Application OF Hypodermic OR Bullet Theory IN MASS Communication PDF

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The Hypodermic needle theory, also known as the magic bullet theory, is one of the earliest theories in the field of mass communication. A reflection of the fear engendered by media propaganda during World War II, this theory was developed during that time period...

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APPLICATION OF HYPODERMIC OR BULLET THEORY IN MASS COMMUNICATION The Hypodermic needle theory, also known as the magic bullet theory, is one of the earliest theories in the field of mass communication. A reflection of the fear engendered by media propaganda during World War II, this theory was developed during that time period. It is argued by the hypodermic needle theory that media has a direct, immediate, and powerful effect on the audiences it targets. The theory is a linear communication theory, which postulates that media messages are directed into the brains of audiences and then absorbed by them. According to the theory, mass media has the ability to directly influence a large number of people by'shooting' or 'injecting' them with information in a targeted manner. A visual representation of this theory is that the message in media is represented by a bullet fired from a media gun straight into the viewer's head. Alternatively, the media's hidden messages are injected into the minds of individual passive audiences. Three significant events led to the development of the hypodermic needle theory. Propaganda Technique in World War I was published in 1927 by Harold Lasswell, an American political scientist and propaganda theorist who was based in the United Kingdom. During World War I, Lasswell wrote that "Wilson brewed subtle poison," which was "injected into the veins of a staggering people." In writing about the effect of propaganda, Lasswell wrote that "Wilson brewed subtle poison." Second, the Payne Fund Studies, which were conducted between 1929 and 1932 to investigate the effect of movies on children, provided further evidence that mass media had a significant impact on those who watched it. However, despite criticism that the studies did not follow proper scientific methodology, they remain one of the earliest and most comprehensive media studies ever conducted. According to the findings of the studies, movies have a significant impact on children's behaviour. As a third example, in 1938, an Orson Welles and Mercury Theatre broadcast of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds resulted in mass hysteria as thousands of people believed they were being attacked by Martians, which was considered a classic application of the theory. It is referred to as the Hypodermic Needle Theory because it describes the information as if it were a magic bullet that was injected directly into the targeted audience's mind. As a result, the media is dangerous and has a significant impact on the consumer. It acts as a drug, in that it enters the audience's nervous system and keeps them there. The hypodermic theory holds that media can manipulate their audiences at their discretion. According to the theory, if an idea is repeated over and over again, audiences are more likely to accept it. The Hypodermic theory is very similar to the theory of mass society. According to its shortcomings, media is considered to be all-powerful and audiences are considered helpless in the face of its assault on them. It also implies that all media consumers behave in the same way when it comes to their consumption of media.

Despite the fact that the theory is no longer considered valid, it continues to have a significant impact on how we think about the influence of media. PERSONAL INFLUENCE THEORY The personal influence theory was developed as a result of a classic study of the 1940 United States Presidential election conducted by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet, which was published in 1940. Three social scientists conducted a study in 1944 called The People's Choice study, which led to the development of the two-step flow of information hypothesis. These researchers hoped to discover whether media had a direct impact on audience opinions. Their surprise at discovering that this was not the case led them to mention personal contacts more frequently than radio or newspaper as factors influencing their voting preferences in the poll. It was through informal discussions with political opinion leaders that voters were able to narrow down their voting preferences. As a result, the personal influence or two-step theory runs counter to the hypodermic needle or magic bullet theory, which asserts that people are passive consumers of media and are directly influenced by mass media, as well as other theories. Theories of two-step flow The Two Step Theory was developed by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz, and their book Personal Influence (1955) is considered the handbook of the functional theory. This theory holds that most people are indirectly influenced and informed by the media through opinion leaders in society, according to the two-step model of communication. From the analysis and interpretation of media messages, the vast majority of people have formed an opinion about something. Influential and well-informed individuals who, when exposed to a specific piece of media content, interpret it and form their own opinions are referred to as "opinion leaders." These individuals now pass on their opinions to others in their social circle, who are referred to as 'opinion followers." This group of opinion leaders has access to elite media sources, as opposed to the general public's access to the main stream media. This model of communication assumes that ideas flow from mass media to opinion leaders and then from them to a larger population in two steps. The two-step flow of information known as 'personal influence' refers to the process that occurs between the direct message of the media and the reaction of the audience. Interests, personality, and socio-economic status of these opinion leaders are similar to those of the people they are influencing. They occupy a prestigious position in society, and members of the public look to them for ideas, information, and guidance. They have the ability to persuade others to alter their attitudes and opinions. Theories of multistep flow

The Multi Step Flow Theory replaced the Two Step Flow Theory as the dominant flow theory. It has been observed that the media's influence can be multidirectional, and that it is not always downwards, but can also be upwards or even backwards to the media in some cases. The Two Step Flow was renamed primarily as a result of the influence of opinion leaders who are more than just second-hand sources of information. A description of "Multi Directional" was given to this process because it involved more than one opinion leader; there could be two, three, four, five, or even six people involved in the multistep process. Many times, the information that makes it to the intended audience is completely different from the information that was intended for them. That is, opinion leaders who disseminate information add their own interpretation to it, giving it a new meaning and distorting its original meaning. When information is transmitted or received through mass media, it is received by Opinion Leaders, Opinion Receivers/Seekers, and Information Receivers all at the same time. Opinion Seekers are those who seek information and advice from Opinion Leaders in order to form their own opinions. In the general population, information receivers are those who do not exert influence over or are influenced by others. As a result of this transmission, both information and influence are transferred from Opinion Leaders to Opinion Receivers/Seekers. Step 3 brings the two-way exchange to a close and demonstrates how information and influence are transferred from Opinion Receivers to Opinion Leaders in the process. The audiences in this place are engaged because they provide feedback to the media, suggesting, praising, or criticising various items or events they have witnessed. There is also a peer-to-peer discussion, in which members of the audience who have similar viewpoints share their insights with one another. The multistep flow is also referred to as the diffusion of innovations theory, which adds a new dimension and understanding to the subject matter. Media and interpersonal contacts, according to this hypothesis, will disseminate information while also influencing opinions and judgments. Its emphasis is on the media disseminating information at a point where the audience may be thrown into disarray as a result of the message or information not being consistent with their culture or beliefs. It is at this point that the role of opinion leaders comes into play, in which they engage in face-to-face explanation with the public, either to advise them or to assist them in gaining understanding. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE THEORY Attitude change theory or individual differences theory Individuals respond differently to the media depending on their psychological needs, and they consume the media to meet those needs, according to mass communication theory. Individual audiences are important, according to the theory, and an individual's values, needs, beliefs, and attitudes all play a role in how they react to and use media. The individual difference theory is a key psychological theory for understanding the effects of mass media. Different

personality variables, according to this theory, lead to different responses to the same stimuli. In other words, a person's psychological makeup has a significant impact on how he or she consumes media. As a result, different people will react to the same information or message in different ways. In other words, audience members' reactions to media messages or content will vary depending on their motivation, predisposition to accept or reject a given message, prior beliefs, values, bias, intelligence level, moods, and so on. The phenomenon that different individuals may receive the same message but act on it very differently has been the focus of a category of communication research known as attitude change research. This study falls under the category of selectivity. People are very selective in how they use media; in the topics they expose themselves to, in how they interpret information, and in how they retain information obtained through the media, according to American researcher Carl Hovland's research. As a result, the theory suggests that people are selective in their media consumption. The theories of selective exposure, selective perception, and selective retention are the most important aspects of selectivity. Selective exposure and selective perception act as barriers between message and effect, limiting mass communication's direct impact on people. Theorem of Selective Exposure Selective Exposure refers to people only exposing themselves to and accessing communications that are consistent with their pre-existing beliefs and convictions. They tend to avoid messages that are contrary to their beliefs. People seek out not only topics that interest them, but also viewpoints with which they believe they will agree. As a result, they use the media to reinforce their pre-existing biases. When people seek out opposing viewpoints, they frequently do so with the intention of hearing the arguments and refuting them later. Theory of Selective Perception People often interpret facts to suit their existing biases, according to selective perception. Individuals tend to'read into' the message whatever suits their needs once they have selectively exposed themselves to the messages based on their preferences. This is referred to as selective perception. Selective perception refers to the tendency for audience members to misinterpret media messages based on their psychological makeup. The famous "Mr Biggot experiments" demonstrate how prejudiced people misinterpreted anti-prejudice propaganda in such a way that it reinforced their existing biases. People listen to what they want to hear and what they anticipate hearing. As a result, the same information can have different meanings for different people, especially for those who have significant political, religious, cultural, ethnic, national, or other differences. Theory of Selective Retention

People remember messages that support their point of view for longer than messages that contradict it, which are often forgotten and set aside unconsciously. Selective retention, like selective exposure and selective perception, is likely to reinforce pre-existing beliefs and attitudes. Because of these tendencies, the media is less likely to be able to change attitudes and behaviour on its own. "From the vast available content, individual members of the audience selectively attend to, interpret, and retain messages, particularly if they are related to their interest, consistent with their attitude, congruent with beliefs, and supportive of their values," Melvin L.De Fleur and Sandra Ball Rokeach concluded. Individual Differences, to summarise Individuals respond differently to the media depending on their psychological needs, and they consume the media to meet those needs, according to mass communication theory. Information (e.g., providing statistics about players and teams), integrative (offering a sense of belonging to a group of similarly interested people), affective (e.g., providing excitement), or escapist (e.g., providing a sense of belonging to a group of similarly interested people) are all possible needs (helping to release pent-up emotions)....