Copycat (Modelling Theory)
This theory suggests that people will imitate what they see in the media. The powers of this approach is that it feeds off the types of concerns parents have about their child's media use.
In response to my investigation, this theory helps me understand how the audience seem to consume violent video games, as a result, they seem to become more violent and re enact scenes in the game, as evident in Smack down vs Raw (2008), where players often reenact the wrestling moves, as a result of playing these games.
Reception Theory and Ethnography
Audiences are seen as active producers of meaning , rather than consumers of media meanings. They make sense of media texts according to their social position. This theory measures the specific, personal and contextual responses of groups or individuals.
This theory will be used in my investigation, as it looks at audience responses to violent video games. Moreover, I will look at the oppositional readings of texts by parents, as they are active campaigners of violent video games.
Desensitisation
If we are exposed to violence or sexuality, we will become less sensitive to real life violence. This theory looks at how violence and sex are in the media and how audiences witness it.
Most importantly, this theory is crucial in my investigation, as it looks at how children seem to play violent video games and don't seem to distinguish real life violence from video game violence.
Hypodermic Needle Theory
The media 'injects' messages directly into the minds of viewers/ listeners/ readers.
Good!! Might the reception theory suggest that some audience members may by affected negatively by violent games while others might not be? Which groups might be negatively affected?
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