Passive & Active
Audiences - Homework
Jonathan Taylor
2a) Name two theories which are associated with the
effects debate
2b) Explain these two theories using examples.
Two of the media effects
debate theories are titled the ‘Desensitisation/Inoculation Model’ and the ‘Cultivation
Model’.
The Desensitisation/Inoculation
Model is based on the idea that the images/messages a media text may give us
may become less ‘shocking’ over time. To put into context, one idea is that if
someone plays on very violent video games or movies, that if this kind of violent
event happened in person, the person would be ‘numbed’ to respond to it because
they would almost see it as possibly the norm, when in fact it might be a
situation into which people would react with worry and emergency. The idea of
the inoculation in this model is that once the ‘virus’ (message/image e.g. violence)
of the vaccine is ‘inserted’ into someone, that once when they have fought off
that ‘infection’ (the shock of the message/image) that it would ‘protect’ from
the ‘virus’ attacking again, so the ‘virus’ would lose it’s effect.
The Cultivation Model is
based on the idea that media texts confirm ideas that people already have, due
to their upbringing, geographical location, culture, religion, beliefs etc. An
example of this is the ideology of marriage being between a man and a woman
that some people have, where some media texts such as Newspapers, have taken a political/religious
stance on the topic and those watching with the same views as those presented
in these Newspapers will be able to relate to the text and have it ‘echo’ their
own opinions/prejudice/hatred, this may then consolidate their own views.
3. With reference to examples, explain the
differences between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ audience reception.
The active and passive
audiences are just the way that someone perceives the audience to be, not that
there are two types of audience.
Active audience perception
would say that the audience forms the media itself, that without the audience
reacting and criticising media, that it could not evolve and fit its target market
etc. An active audience is seen as a collection of people who have their own
opinions and control over what they think/believe/say.
The passive audience
perception however, holds the idea that the audience are almost controlled by
media itself. That media itself influences, if not controls the audience. The
audience are seen to be in lack of personal identity, opinions, power or
knowledge and so are ‘spoon-fed’ media which they will then consume exactly how
it was intended, without being able to contest it.
4. How far do you think that violence on television
causes violent behaviour?
I believe that its effect
varies from person to person and also the scenario/situation. I personally
would say I am one of the least violent people I know, both in manner and
mentality, but I have watched things with violence in and whilst I do not particularly
enjoy those parts of media texts in comparison to other parts, I have still
consumed a large chunk of violence so far in my life. In fact, I could go as
far as to say that I almost am repulsed at any form of violence because it is
not in my personality/nature to be like this, this has never changed in the 17
years I have been alive and in fact over time I have become even less ‘violent’,
even though I have consumed more violence from media texts as time has gone on.
I think people are quick to
dismiss pre-dispositions (seen in the cultivation model) aswell as issues such
as mental illness, as factors for violent behaviour, they try and blame this
idea of ‘media’ because they want to deny that a human would be so cruel as to commit
a violent act, because this very thought terrifies them. However, I would say
that the ‘alternate reality’ some media texts such as video-games and films
give can reinforce, if not create, a blurred sense of life/reality/humanity
which could stem from psychosis etc. but would almost directly influence
someone who may not have initially wanted to be violent, but through this
blurred version of virtual/reality find it hard to differentiate between the
two.
5. Are active audience theories more acceptable than
passive audience theories? Give reasons for your answers.
I would say that
geographical location of the audience of a media-text would affect which theory
is more acceptable for explaining how they act (actively/passively).
In the MEDC parts of the world
(such as Europe/USA), the active audience theories are definitely more acceptable.
I think this because of the way that society in these countries are said to be
given ‘free-will’ and opinions, but are also educated with different viewpoints
etc. and not just fed one viewpoint constantly until it becomes concrete in
their mind.
However, in LEDC parts of
the world (such as parts of Africa and India) the audience might actually
be better categorised under the idea of a passive audience. Due to strong political/religious
influence in some of these places, if a media text is created, they might just
believe every word and take the messages presented as truth, because they haven’t
been educated to combat these views or possibly live in fear of not conforming
to follow the messages/images of media texts. One example was the outrage
caused when the Pope of the Roman Catholic church roughly 4 years back visited both
France and Africa within 1 week of each other and made it into various news interviews about how contraception was ‘sinful’
and ‘against God’s plan’. In France
many people highly criticised these words and contested with the Popes
ideologies. However, when visiting Africa, which is known for it’s corrupt
governments at the time, preached the same message on interviews etc. and there
was much more of a positive/accepting response,
mainly because he was ‘special’ and ‘holy’ – so they took his authority, rather
than being active. They were subdued and just took his ‘word for it’ due to the
way society was structured.
6. Choose a media text which you particularly like
and apply the ‘Uses and Gratifications’ theory to explain why you enjoy it so
much.
Disc 2 of Kate Bush’s 2001 album release ‘Aerial’
features a 47 minute track entitled ‘An Endless Sky Of Honey’. Based on the
Uses & Gratifications model, I would say that this text for me is mainly used
to gratify my need of escapism/entertainment, but also gratifies my need of
personal identity and slightly gratifies my need of social interaction. The
track is a Art-Rock genre track, with contrasting styles and moods blended
together masterfully with a classical style, this definitely gives me a sense
of something otherworldly/higher-up than daily life, which I really enjoy
consuming as a text because the uniqueness and surrealism captures my attention
and pulls me away from my normal style of thinking etc. This is entertaining
also, due to its length, there is always something going on and each time I
listen I discover new arts/instrumental lines I have never realised before.
I also think that my need to personally identify is
gratified with this track, aswell as many other Kate Bush works. Lyrically, the
track blurs through various ideas, one in particular is seen in the ‘Somewhere
In Between’ segment of the track – where lyrics such as ‘I’m somewhere in
between breathing out and breathing in’ echo how I feel a large amount of the
time, representing people who feel lost in society and neither feel alive nor
dead sometimes.
I am unsure whether I truly could say I listen to
Kate Bush/this particular text to satisfy any sort of social interaction need,
as I know very few people who also listen to her, aswell as most of consumption
of music being private, through headphones and this is one of, if not my favourite
way to consume this kind of media. I don’t believe that I get any sort of
information/surveillance out of this text, but in fact that the lack thereof of
the mentioning of the here and now, aswell as the almost separation from
reality is what draws me into the text even more.
7. Find an advertisement online, in a magazine or in
a newspaper:
a) Write down what the preferred reading would be.
b) Make suggestions for an Oppositional reading of
the advert.
(KIA Cars - Paper Advert ‘Pwhoar x Pwhoar’)
The preferred reading would be that this car is
something to ‘pwhoar’ at, so in essence, be amazed by, that this is something
spectacular. The simplicity of the design may suggest that this car is classy,
simplistic yet stylish and amazing (pwhoar-worthy).
An oppositional reading may say that cars are not ‘amazing’
due to the fact that materialistic things or maybe even just cars, do not
interest them enough to be amazed. They may say that the advertising for cars
in this case is superficial and lacks authenticity. The play on words of ‘4 by
4’ to ‘phwoar x phwaor’ may actually be seen as ‘tacky’ by some, who may say it’s
humour is weak and childish, for example.
