2. Uses and Gratifications
There are 5 common uses and gratifications associated with Media, those being:-
escapism, entertainment, surveillance, personal identity and public relations. All of
these give and insight into how a consumer engages with the chosen medium.
• Escapism: Using a media outlet in order to create an alternative reality, this acts as
a distraction from their issues; this is present in a person immersing themselves in
the internet in order to escape
• Surveillance: People can view media as a way of gaining information on
surrounding world events such as reading a newspaper, learning through
reading/watching or even to satisfy your natural curiosity. (E.g. Gossip) The Two
Step Flow theory could also be influenced by this. Personal Relations: People often
form friendships based upon their similar preferences; likes and dislikes, this is also
present in media texts(music, film and celebrity) we can use these for social
interaction and to integrate into society and friendships. Personal Identity: Your
personality is made up of many inputs, a major one is that of media, your personal
identity can be construed from a particular celebrity or social group, viewing media
can help insight you on these aspects.
• Entertainment: the main form of interacting with media texts, this can include
filling in time, cultural enjoyment or perhaps escaping reality(escapism).

3. Media Dependency Theory
• Created by Sandra Ball-Rokeach and Melvin DeFleur in 1976 this aimed to
show the need for Media communications and its effect upon its
audience. This is done through incorporating psychological theories with
elements of the Uses and Gratifications Theory. Previously the theories
focused upon effects of the media but this tends to focus upon reception.
• Like the Uses and Gratifications theory this theory works on a basis that
Media helps with integration in society and achieving aspirations but the
need for the use of media is proposed as influenced upon the state of
affairs surrounding the person rather than a constant need for media
dependency.

4. Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs
Maslow’s Hierarchy of is a motivational theory
created in 1943. This theory argues that while
people aim to meet basic needs they also seek
to fulfil the higher of the hierarchy. Maslow felt
as though conditioning theories did not
adequately understand human behaviour and
presented his idea that human actions are
directed toward goal attainment with certain
behaviours satisfying several functions
simultaneously. Although, criticisms have been
made about the vagueness of what “deficiency”
is and that it varies from person to person
making this theory too obscure to be reasonably
recognised. This model also shows that we can
fulfil most needs other than basics through
social media. Supporting the theories of Web
2.0 but also the Uses and Gratifications theory.

5. The Hypodermic Needle
Theory
• The "hypodermic needle theory" created in the
1920s implies that media has a direct effect on its
audience and can easily influence large groups of
people by ‘injecting’ them with messages to alter
their opinions. This is done by the creation of a
link between the highly influential ‘Opinion
leader’ and the passive ‘Opinion Receivers’ who
cannot escape the effects of the media. After
analysis of the theory showed that the majority
of people remained uninfluenced by the
propaganda of the media and interaction
produced more influence than the media.

6. The Two Step Flow
The two-step flow was created by Paul Lazarsfeld in 1944
when he discovered that personal contact was much
more influential than that of media sources. This was
later developed into the two-step flow theory of mass
communication. First, opinion leaders receive and
interpret the information of mass media whilst mixing
their own opinions with the content and then pass on this
information to those less receptive of media influence.
The two-step flow theory has improved our
understanding of how mass media influence the
recipients to create more direct and successful media
campaigns.