The hypodermic needle theory comes off the basis of the media, drip-feeding the masses,

information, without them questioning the sources. The hypodermic needle is a form of passive
consumption by viewers, Because the news and newspapers are considered to be reliable sources.
and thus viewers will not bring the information at hand into question. In this article I will be
investigating this theory as well as, The uses and gratification theory, the reception theory as well as
active /vs/ passive consumption as well, and weather or not videogames lead to violence, and is it
due to these different theories? I do not agree.

The Hypodermic Needle Theory is a very linear communication theory in which suggests that the
messages we receive from the media are injected directly into the brains of a passive audience. It
suggests that we're all the same and we all respond to media messages in the same way, the
hypodermic needle theory implied that mass media had a direct, and powerful effect on the
audience. The mass media in the 1940s and 1950s were seen as a strong force and a powerful
influence on behaviour change of said audiences.

Some of the factors contributed to the effects mentioned came about when there was a fast rise and
popularisation of radio and television. The emergence of persuasion within the industry, such as using
adverts and propaganda. Such propaganda was used for the Nazi movement and the population was
drop fed information by Hitler to alter their views on Jewish people. Hitler's monopolization of the
mass media during WWII to unify the German public behind the Nazi party

In itself the theory suggests that the mass media could influence a larger segment of people, by
injecting them with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired response.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUhQW2dxkSw
Passive consumption
People seen as potentially passive and are seen as having a lot of media material injected into
them. They dont question information that is presented to them because people end up thinking
what they are told because there is not other source of information. A passive consumption is when
the audience doesnt engage or question the media message but just accepts it, this what media
outlets want to achieve when making a film or show as they want to view to except and not question.
To get the audience into this state the story has to be believable, it doesnt need to realistic as that
would make it boring and unrealistic would look rubbish.

Active consumption
Active consumption is when the audience will engage and discuss media messages, and question
weather or not they are being drip fed either false information or propaganda and some times
question the media messages through life experiences. Others may interpenetrate the message in a
different way or question it, by doing this the audience wont be as suggestible to tell them what to

think. Shows like Question Time like to get politicians and journalists on the show to discuss world
wide issues and domestic issues, the audience who ask the questions are more active due to the deep
discussions they have with the panel than people sitting at home. However people at home can
interact with Tweeter with the panellists and create debates, so Home viewers become less
suggestible and more active as they can get involved in debates.

Uses and gratifications theory- it could be argued that Lanza used the media ( Call of duty) for a
specific purpose, that purpose being escapism for whatever social problems he is living with as a
young person, either that or he could have used the meida to train himself to not feel the effects of
killing another human, used it to desensitize himself. This theory considers outside factors, while the
hypodermic needle only measures internal factors with the media. is an approach to understanding
how and why people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs of the audience. UGT is
an audience centred approach to understanding mass communication Diverging from other media
effect theories that question "what does media do to people?", UGT focuses on "what do people do
with media?"

Reception theory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJd1rkDoURA

Reception theory is understanding that the early theory of reception of text, the use of media content
analysis through the 1970s to the 90s and how audiences interpreted text.
The understanding of the environment and context as components of audience reception. Using
reception models such a celebrity, whilst also understanding that reception is also changing due to
neuroscience and new brain sciences. Reception theory is a version of audience response that
emphasises the audiences reception of text.

Now how does this effect the world of gaming you may ask? Well several factors of this theory point
towards the fact that violent video games may have conditioned certain individuals to act violently,
Now I personally dont believe in these facts, However It is interesting to discuss the apparent facts
that people tie connections to.

Incidents where gaming had been linked to violent acts: As you are probably aware, a 20 year old
male named Adam lanza arrived at a school in Connecticut and murdered 20 children before killing
himself. Now the media jumped at the chance to make a lot of money off the story, and focused
mainly on the details of the killer, rather than the people hurt. And glorifying this mass murderer.

Example of hypodermic needle : The hyperdermic needle effect suggests that the media is blaming is
video games, and violent movies for the outcomes of school shootings and other acts of violence
when really, outside factors are the cause of these things. The media think that we are passive in
the sense that we just copy what we watch in interactive media like videogames or just television.

Joseph Grenny is a behaviour

change expert, four time new York
times best selling author, and cofounder of Vitalsmarts. He said
that he has watched in horror with
most of America as the stories of
the chardon high school and okios
university shooting unfolded. But
his horror was twofold. The first
misery came as he heard the names
and numbers of victims and
thought about the paint that has
and their families will endure for
the rest of their lives, the second
dose came as he held his breath
hoping and praying the media wouldnt amplify the violence. But they did
They did exactly what was needed to influence the next perpetrator to lock and load
They named the shooter
The described his characteristics
They detailed the crime
They numbered the victims

They ranked him against other successful attackers.

Now onto the actual video game itself. Call of duty was the alleged inspiration for this madman. Lets
take a look at why some reporters and experts would think that simply because he played a
videogame, it was the sole inspiration for the murders.

Lanza killed 20 children aged six and seven and six adults at Sandy Hook elementary school having
previously shot dead his mother Nancy last Friday. He then shot himself dead. Police are still
searching for a motive.

It has emerged that Lanza spent his time in the basement of the familys four-bedroom home in
Newtown playing video games, such as Call of Duty and obsessing over guns and military equipment,
according to an interview in The Sun with plumber Peter Wlasuk.
Call Of Duty is controversial because of its violent content. The Advertising Standards Authority in the
UK banned daytime advertising of the game earlier this year.
-

--Businessinsider.com

Business insider.com draws the conclusion that obsessing over call of duty is cause for violent
behaviour. And while first person shooters could be viewed as an interesting form of relief and
relaxation due to its ability to let you kill without consequence, and while some gamers are a little
darker than others, who take pride in their score and their ability in the killing field, this massacre
could be seen as enthusiasm gone too far. This could be linked back to the hypodermic theory
because this damaged individual must have been fed approval of this type of activity through his
videogame, being rewarded and upgraded in rank each time he made a certain kill quota. Websites
such as

(write about censorship debate)