What are Some Mass Media Effects and How Do They Impact Society?

There is no question that mass media definitely has an impact on our society. There are many theories speculating what effects it actually has, but all agree that it influences people in some way.

One is the powerful effects theory. This is a theory that media has an immediate direct influence on the population. According to this theory, someone watching television would be directly impacted by what was happening on the TV and most likely believe everything that was being said.

Another theory, devised by W.P. Davison, is the third-person effect. This theory is when one person overestimates the effect of media messages on other people. So if someone were to blame a child's violence on the amount of violent movies they watch when their violence really derives from a social disorder they have, this person would fall under the third-person effect theory.

The minimalist effects theory is the opposite of the powerful effects theory. This theory is that media effects on society are mostly indirect. So the audience may not realize that the radio program they're listening to is influencing their views, but in reality it is.

The cumulative effects theory states that media influence is gradual over time. So if a woman watched Oprah every day for 5 years, the cumulative effects theory would most likely apply. Although the woman may not be influenced the first six months she watched the show, over time it would have an impact on her.

Overall, it is clear that there are many different theories based on media impacts. Even though they are all full of different opinions, they all have one thing in common: media has an effect on our society.