The hypodermic Theory

Aslihan Sahin

VS.

The hypodermic needleThe hypodermic needle theory implies the fact that media had a direct, immediate and powerful effect on its audiences. The mass media in the 1940s and 1950s were apparent as a powerful influence on behaviour change.

Several factors contributed to this theory of media having ‘strong effects’ of communication, which includes:O The fast rise and popularisation of radio and televisionO The emerge of the persuasion industries, such as

advertising.

ContinuedThis theory suggests that the mass media could influence a very large group of people directly and uniformly by ‘shooting’ or ‘injecting’ them with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired response.It suggests a powerful and direct flow of information from the sender to the receiver. The hypodermic needle model suggests that media messages are injected straight into a passive audience which is immediately influenced by the message.It expresses the view that the media is a dangerous means of communicating an idea because the receiver or audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message.People are seen as a passive and are seen as having a lot material “shot” at them. People end up thinking what they are told because there is no other source of information.The theory assumes what we see or hear we believe and consume. The theory assumes we are brainwashed in to believing the media messages.

A famous caseIn the 1930s a radio broadcast of ‘War of the worlds’ was performed like a real news broadcast to heighten the effect of the story, people listening thought is was real and assumed mars had come to invade the world.

As a result this demonstrates a passive audience to show how an audience believes what they hear in the news and how this can quickly lead to misinterpretation.

Cons of the theoryO The theory is very out of date and invalid.O Not everyone watches the news/ consumes media

in the same way.O Audiences are not simply passive more up to date

theories have proved this.O Technology has changed how we consume media

and the sources where it originates from. O We are more aware of society and how institutions

operate. O We are now so used to consuming media texts that

we understand conventions and know when to rejects messages if we deem them insignificant.