LU2: Mass

Communication
Theory
COSC7312
Danille Janse van Vuuren

LO1: Explain the limited-effects theory

LU
Objectives

LO2: Critically discuss the challenges to the

limited-effects theory
LO3: explain the reasons for the revival of the
uses-and-gratifications approach
LO4: discuss the assumptions of the uses-andgratifications approach
LO5: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
the uses-and-gratifications approach
LO6: Explain the social cognitive theory
LO7: Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
the social cognitive theory

Material
used for
this LU

YOUR module guide, pp.23-35

Theory

Learning
Unit Intro

The purpose of this LU is to explore

key theories that will cement your
understanding of the mass
communications
Three theories will be explored,
namely, the Limited-Effects Theory,
the Uses-and-Gratification Theory
and the Social Cognitive Theory

LU2
Learning
Objective

Explain the Limited-Effects Theory (Module

guide, pp. 23-25)

The LimitedEffects
Theory
(Module guide,
pp.23-25)

This theory believes that the media both (1)

challenges and disrupts the existing social order
but (2) restores balance to it at the same time
(Baran and Davis, 2012)
This theory took prominence during the 1800-1950s
Its key notion was that new technology had a
capacity to disrupt the status quo and affect society
on various dimensions
This was confirmed with the realisation of WW1 and
how propaganda was used to communicate to the
masses political half-truths
It was stressed that the minority had power of mass
media which in turn had power over the majority

 By the mid-1950s Lazarsfeld (coined this theory) had

conducted numerous studies that showed that the
media was not nearly as powerful as society
thought

The LimitedEffects
Theory
(Module guide,
pp.23-25)

He believed that people had many ways of resisting

the medias influence
And that other social, political and economic factors
were also having an influential impact on society
(and not just the media)
Furthermore, Lazarsfeld believed that the media was
not disrupting social trends but rather reinforcing
existing social trends and the status quo
In summary, this theory holds that whiles the media
can have an impact on society the effects are
minimal

LU2
Learning
Objective

Critically discuss the challenges to the

limited-effects theory (Module guide,
pp. 25-26)

Module guide, pp. 25-26)

*The various theories/

movements that challenged
the Limited-Effects Theory

1. Reductionism: an American movement which saw

communication processes and social phenomena as reduced
and simplified not complicated like the Limited-Effects Theory

2. Neo-Marxists: European social theorist who were strongly

against US influence. They believed that the media was
allowing social elites to promote their own selfinterests/world-view. This would eventually result in a
hegemonic culture one which is influenced, controlled
and manipulated by the elites
3. British Cultural Studies: developed by Neo-Marxists during
the 1960s. They initially believed that the mass media
promoted a dominant/hegemonic worldview and culture
(supported by the ideals/values of the dominant elite) among
society. However, with further studies they found that society
actually resisted dominant ideas and instead preferred
alternative interpretations

LU2
Learning
Objective

Discuss the assumptions of the Uses-andGratifications Approach (Module guide,

pp. 26-27)

 Uses-and-Gratification was pioneered by Herta

Hertzog

Discuss the
assumptions
of the UsesandGratification
s Approach
(Module guide, pp.
26-27)

The theory holds that people actively seek out certain

types of media in order to fulfil certain NEEDS:
1. The need for diversion (distraction): people
use the media as a form of escapism and
entertainment
2.

Personal relations: people use the media to

satisfy a need for companionship and sociability

3. Personal identity: the media provides people with

a means to explore, create, adjust and confirm their
personal identity
4. Surveillance: people use the media to satisfy the
need for information that may affect them directly
or indirectly

LU2
Learning
Objective

Explain the reasons for the revival of the

Uses-and-Gratifications Approach (Module
guide, pp. 28-30)

The 1st revival of interest in the Uses-and-Gratifications

approach can be traced to 3 developments:

Explain the
reasons for
the revival of
the UsesandGratification
s Approach
(Module guide, pp.
28-30)

1. The development of new research methods and

data analysis techniques: this made possible the
development of new strategies for studying and
interpreting audiences uses and gratification. In other
words, there were better methods to research why people
used the media
2. In the 1970s researchers discovered that peoples
active use of the media is an important factor in
mediating the effects the media has on them: what
this meant is that the more active a media user was the
more needs the media fulfilled and that active users
knew exactly what they were looking for in the media
3. Researchers were expressing a growing concern
that research was ONLY focusing on the negative
impact of media: instead researchers shifted their
research onto new areas focusing on how people used
the media.

The 2nd revival of interest in the Uses-and-Gratifications

has recently taken prominence with the inception of the
Internet:

Explain the
reasons for
the revival of
the UsesandGratification
s Approach
(Module guide, pp.
28-30)

1. The audience is active and media use has become

goal-orientated: there are various levels of activity with
different mediums
2. The audience is choosing their need gratification and
linking it to a medium: audiences are actively choosing
which mediums suits them
3. The media is competing with other sources of new
satisfaction: the audience has a variety of choices when it
comes to satisfying their media needs
4. People are now aware of their media usage, interest
and motives: this has given researchers a clear picture of
societys media usage
5. Researchers need to drop their value judgments when
it comes to audiences ability to link needs with media
usage: the researcher should become objective and realise
that the audience uses the media to fulfil several needs

LU2
Learning
Objective

Evaluate the strengths and

weaknesses of the Uses-andGratifications approach (Module guide,
p.30)

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Usesand-Gratifications approach (Module guide, p.30)

1. Focus is on individuals in the mass

communication process
2. Respects intellect and ability of
media consumers
3. Provides insightful analyses of how
people experience media content
4. Differentiates active uses of the
media from passive uses
5. Studies the use of media as part of
the everyday social interaction
6. Insight into the adoption of new
media

1. Relies on functional analysis

which is known to create a
bias toward the status quo
2. Cannot address the
presence or absence of
effects
3. Many of its key concepts
are criticised as not
measurable
4. It is too oriented toward the
micro-level

LU2
Learning
Objective

Explain the Social Cognitive Theory

(Module guide, pp.31-33)

 Also known as the Social Learning Theory

Explain the
social
cognitive
theory
(Module guide,
pp.31-33)

Conceptualised by Albert Bandura

This theory holds that humans respond to social

environments and social interactions i.e. we learn from
behaviour reinforcement or punishment
The theory holds that everything we experience in our
environments (such as the media) affects our behaviour
Furthermore, it is through (1) observation, (2) experience
and (3) self-regulation that we learn to associate which
others in socially acceptable ways
The above is its key concepts and, regrettably its setback
The theory holds that we are only able to learn if we
experience first-hand reinforcement or punishment
However, we can learn social behaviour and interactions in
other ways too (modelling/media/hearing about it etc.)

 Bandura also states that although we may all use the

media we are all affected by it in different ways
This social concept operates in 3 ways:

Explain the
social
cognitive
theory
(Module guide,
pp.31-33)

1. Observational learning: we acquire new patterns

of behaviour by simply watching representations in
the media
2. Inhibitory effects: by watching someone on TV
being punished for exhibiting certain behaviour will
decrease the likelihood that people would want to
adopt the same behaviour
3. Disinhibitory effects: roles reversed if someone
on TV received a reward for exhibiting certain
behaviour will increase the likelihood that people
would display that same behaviour

LU2
Learning
Objective

Evaluate the strengths and

weaknesses of the social cognitive
theory (Module guide, p.33)

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of

the social cognitive theory (Module guide, p.33)
1. Laboratory demonstration raises
the question of generalisability

1. Demonstrates a casual link

between the media and
behaviour
2. Applies across several viewer
and viewing situations
3. Has strong explanatory power

2. Experimental demonstration
might overestimate media power
3. Has difficulty explaining long-term
effects of media consumption
4. Underestimates peoples active
use of media messages
5. Focuses too narrowly on the
individual rather than on cultural
effects

 HOME STUDY:
LU3

For our next

lecture

In addition,
complete
revision
exercises
Do not forget to
engage with
your additional
reading
material
Access material from:
http://communicationscience7312.weebly.com