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Models of Mass Communication Notes

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45 views12 pages

Models of Mass Communication Notes

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otienoalfy
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Models of Mass communication (Chanty Team, 2023)

A communication model is a picture or diagram that


shows how communication happens. It explains the
process of sharing ideas, thoughts, or concepts from one
person or group to another. These visual models help
people understand the steps involved when
communicating.
• Aristotle's Model of Communication.
• Lasswell's Model of Communication.
• The Westley and Maclean Model
• The Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication.
• Berlo's S-M-C-R Model of Communication.
• The Osgood-Schramm Model.
• Barnlund's Transactional Model.
• Dance's Helical Model.
Lasswell's Model of Communication.
• Also known as the “action model,” was proposed
by Harold D. Lasswell in 1948.
• It answers the 5Ws and H of news
• Lasswell’s model is valuable for its simplicity and
usefulness in analyzing various communication
scenarios in the professional world.
• It helps organizations design targeted and
impactful messages, select appropriate
communication channels, and evaluate the
effectiveness of their communication strategies.
The Shannon-Weaver Model
- Was developed by Claude Shannon and Warren
Weaver in 1949,
- It is a linear model that doesn’t incorporate
feedback or consider the dynamic nature of
communication.
- The Shannon-Weaver model emphasizes the
significance of clear encoding, reliable transmission
channels, and effective decoding for successful
communication.
• The Osgood-Schramm Model.
- Is a dynamic and interactive approach that
emphasizes feedback and context in the
communication process
- The Osgood-Schramm model underscores that
effective communication goes beyond just sending
a message; it involves active engagement between
all parties, considering feedback, and
understanding the context.
Dance’s Helical communication model
- Represents communication as a spiraling and
dynamic process, acknowledging the continuous
evolution of interactions over time.
- This model highlights communication’s non-linear
nature and emphasizes continuous learning,
adaptation, and building on shared knowledge for
effective teamwork and successful project
outcomes in professional settings.
Theories of mass communication (SUNY, n.d.)
• A theory is a statement that explains a situation (the process
of communication). Communication theories are outlined
into three categories;
• theories about culture and society, (hierarchical, individualist,
egalitarian, and fatalist).
• theories of influence and persuasion (rational model,
cognitive dissonance theory, social judgment theory,
elaboration likelihood model, narrative paradigm, theory of
reasoned action, and inoculation theory.
• media use theories (Uses and gratifications theory, Agenda
setting theory, Media dependency theory, Direct effects
theory, Social cognitive theory, Media Logic, Social learning
There are five fundamental theories of mass

communication:

1. The magic bullet theory,

2. Two-step flow theory,

3. Multi-step flow theory,

4. User and gratification theory,

5. Cultivation theory.
The magic bullet theory
• Also called the hypodermic needle theory - suggests
that mass communication is like a gun firing bullets
of information at a passive audience.
“Communication was seen as a magic bullet that
transferred ideas or feelings or knowledge or
motivations almost automatically from one mind to
another”
• This theory has been largely discredited by
academics because of its suggestion that all
members of an audience interpret messages in the
same way, and are largely passive receptors of
messages.
• This theory does not take into account intervening
cultural and demographic variables such as age,
ethnicity, gender, personality, or education that
cause us to react differently to the media messages
we encounter.
The two-step flow theory
• Suggests that mass communication messages do
not move directly from a sender to the receiver
(Katz & Lazarsfeld). Instead, a small group of
people, gatekeepers, screen media messages,
reshape these messages, and control their
transmission to the masses.
• In the second step, the opinion leaders filter and
interpret the messages before they pass them
along to individuals with shared ideologies who
have less contact with the media, opinion
followers.
Multi-step Flow Theory.
• This theory suggests that there is a reciprocal
nature of sharing information and influencing
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors (Troldahl; Troldahl
& Van Dam).
• The idea is that opinion leaders might create media
messages, but opinion followers might be able to
sway opinion leaders. Thus, the relationship to
media becomes much more complex.
• Some believe that the role of the opinion leader in
our changing culture is diminishing (Baran; Kang)
particularly with the ability for average people to
reach potentially millions of people through social
media.
• Social media de-bunks the notion of an all powerful
media but still recognizes that media have some
effect on the audience.
Uses and Gratification Theory.
• The uses and gratification theory suggests that
audience members actively pursue particular
media to satisfy their own needs.
• In modern mass communication, the audience is
not just a passive receiver of media. Instead,
media users actively seek out content and make
their own informed choices about what media to
consume.
• We usually avoid media that conflicts with our
values, attitudes, beliefs, or budgets. Schramm
said we choose which media to consume based on
how much enjoyment or satisfaction we think
we'll get from it.
Cultivation Theory.
• This theory questions how active we actually are
when we consume mass communication. For
example, the average American views between
three and five hours of television a day for an
average of 21 hours per week (Hinckly).
• The theory has been extended to address the
more general influences of media on human
social life and personal beliefs (Lowery; DeFleur).
Media present cultural realities such as fear of
victimization (Sparks & Ogles), body image,
promiscuity, religion, families, attitudes toward
racism (Allen & Hatchett), sex roles, and drug
use.

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