Theory

The Theory behind social media dates back to the twenties. Back then it was believed that people just received media passively without any attempt to challenge the date. This was when mass media was a new concept and advertising had only recently become a good form of communication. For example, WW1 propaganda and recruitment posters influenced the masses to join the army, and to convince the public that what the war stood for was right. So people wouldn't challenge it as it came from the government. It is really quite a straightforward theory, thinking that people will just take in what was told to them, but years later, the theory developed.

In the 1940's came the two step flow theory. It was created during research during a presidential election in the US and showed researchers that information is communicated through other people. Below is a diagram I found of how it works.

The diagram shows that mass media is communicated to members or leaders of groups who share the same thoughts. These people then communicate the information to the members of their group. This still exists today, as social groups will communicate things they learn from the media to each other. This can be observed in modern society when someone buys a magazine and shows it to their friends and their social group.

 

Later, with the rise of television, another theory was formed about how audiences recieve media by a person named Laswell. He suggested it had four functions: entertainment, correlation, cultural transmission and surveillance. This theory was expanded in 74 by two people: Blulmer and Katz. This was the uses and gratification theory, which suggested that people might choose media texts for specific reasons. The first reason, as a diversion, to escape normal life and routine. This is why today we have magazines with other peoples stories and TV Dramas. The second, personal relationships, so that people can fell an emotional connection or substitute things for family life. This is also a use for TV Drama. The third is prsonal identity, which means some people learn about themselves and who they are from a media text. It shows them how to act or dress etc. Fourth is surveillance, bascily to recieve information such as the enws, weather reports and documentries.

In our modern times with new technologies, this theory has extended even further. People find an escape in video games and magazines, people get information from the internet and people can learn about themselves in whole new ways. I must consider all this for my magazine. I must give information, allow people to have an emotional connection with the people who are covered in the magazine and allow people to learn about themselves from the stories in there.

End

Sources

http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Levels%20of%20theories/macro/Two-Step%20Flow%20Theory.doc/   

 

http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=audience