It sugests that audiences passively receive information transmitted via a media text without any attempt, on their behalf, to process that data.
Two-step flow
The Two-step flow suggests that the information does not flow directly from the text into the minds of the audience, but is filtered through "opinion leaders" who communicate these ideas to less active associates - who they have a huge influence over. This shows that social factors are very important in the ways in which audiences interpret texts and is sometimes referred to as the limited effects paradigm.
Uses and Gratifications
Uses and gratifications is a theory suggesting that audiences do not all consume media texts for the same reasons; they are thought of and interpreted in various ways which others may not be able to undersatnd, however, each person relates to texts in different ways. Some theorist expanded this and stated that individuals may use/ choose texts for the followin purposes:
1) Diversion - To escape from everyday routines and problems.
2) Personal relationships - Using the media for emotional interaction; for example, substituting soap operas for family life.
3) Personal identity - Finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour and values.
4) Surveillance - Useful information used in everyday life; for example, weather reports and financial news.
Reception Theory
This is the way in which audiences receive and interpret texts and how their individual circumstances, such as, gender, class, age, ethnicity and disability, affect their points of view. It is based on Stuat Hall's encoding/decoding model of the relationships between audiences and texts: The text is encoded by the producer and decoded by the consumer.
