LIMITED MEDIA EFFECT THEORY - FCMSFaculty of ：有限的媒体效果理论- FCMS学院.ppt

LIMITED MEDIA EFFECT THEORY Media are no longer the tool of manipulation and oppression or fear. Only few people are open to psychological manipulation of media. Media are relatively powerless in shaping public opinion due to individual and group differences among people. The study of Paul Lazarsfeld claims that media effect is limited or minimal in changing or shaping people’s thoughts, attitudes and actions. Carl Hovland study indicated that, in parallel with Lazarsfeld, even in laboratory atmosphere media influence is found limited. Media may affect our lives if we allow them to do. Lazarsfeld and Hovland who are methodologists rather than theorists work on objective empirical media effect measurement methods. They both worked on how methodology in social sciences and humanities can be implemented to media studies. Between 1940s and 50s they both conducted researches in laboratories over thousands of people. They actually were testing the common assumption that gives media very powerful role in shaping people’s opinion. They demonstrate that education and social status are more influent over people. The Two-Step Flow of Information Lazarsfeld believed that social theory must be strongly based on empirical facts. Lazarsfeld conducted a survey in Ohio between May and November in 1940, before presidential elections. Reached 3000 people and made groups based on the changes of decisions of voters such as early deciders (53%), waverers (15%), converts (8%) and crystallizers (28%). Waverers and converts were media users but they did not say they were influenced by media but the people. They made their choice in line with their political opinion rather than with the influence of media messages. Media helped with existing party loyalties. Lazarsfeld divided those voters according to their media use into three: -Gate Keepers: people who screen media messages and pass on those messages that help others share their views. -Opinion Leaders: those who pass on inform