HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY:

The Hypodermic Needle Theory implies that mass media has a direct, immediate and powerful effect upon its audiences. The message for the media is directly received and fully accepted by the user. Within this theory, the audience is considered to be passive entities that are left at the mercy of the mass media. It essentially suggests that the mass media 'injects' its messages directly into the passive audience who are immediately affected by these messages, which were designed with the aim to trigger a desired response. It also suggests that the mass media is a dangerous means of communicating because the audience is powerless to resist the impact of the message. However, this theory has little place in contemporary analysis of audience reception, although it is possible for audience to be influenced by what they see, these instances are rare and don't carry a great deal of momentum. Also, the theory is argued to be too simplistic as changes to attitudes and beliefs are not always observable or easily measured. Different audience interpret media differently.