Hypodermic Syringe Model and Media Literacy Essay

Introduction

Mass media plays an increasingly significant role in shaping public perceptions of important issues. Over the last century, several theories have been developed to explain how the media influences public opinion and how the audience uses media and responds to it. The hypodermic syringe theory, popular at the beginning of the 20^th century, has now acquired a new dimension in connection with the concepts of virality and media literacy education. Teaching media literacy is important in raising a generation that is not susceptible to media influences and can use critical thinking skills to evaluate the information (Jooyeun, 2017). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the hypodermic syringe model and its validity today, and the ways in which young people’s media literacy can be developed by teachers.

Hypodermic Syringe Model

The hypodermic syringe model, also known as the magic bullet theory, is a model of media effect that was popular at the beginning of the 20^th century. It likens the media to a hypodermic syringe that injects the audience with its messages. The theory claims that the mass media wields a direct and immediate effect over the audience, which is seen as relatively passive, unable to resist media messages (DeFleur and DeFleur, 2016). Within this theory, people are perceived to be the victims of external stimuli in the environment, and all human social actions are believed to be the product of these determined responses (Moore et al., 2009). People are helpless to the effects and messages of the media and unknowingly believe anything they see. The hypodermic syringe model was later developed and substituted with the two-flow of a communication model that claims that most people are not directly influenced by the media but rather form their views under the influence of opinion leaders.

For a long time, the hypodermic syringe model has been considered outdated. However, at the beginning of the 21^st century, it has been revived in the context of new media tendencies, particularly the concept of virality. It refers to the tendency of a piece of information to be circulated rapidly over the internet from one user to another (Thibault, 2016). When a news message goes viral, it is constantly reproduced, transformed, and sent from person to person, attracting the audience’s attention to an issue and encouraging public discussion. The study by Nwabueze and Okonkwo (2018) aimed to analyze the public’s reaction to a number of news messages showed that the audience’s response is mainly and uniformly “actively passive.” Based on the study, it can be suggested that the bullet theory is still highly relevant in the digital age. Although viral messages come to a user from different sources in a range of forms: memes, news messages, videos, or articles—they still work as a “magic bullet,” attracting their attention to a particular issue (Hilvert et al., 2016). The simple one-flow pattern is transformed into a model where one message, reproduced and recreated, still wields a direct and immediate effect over the audience.

Another modern development of this theory is the hypodermic model of media violence that claims that there is a strong correlation between violence on screen and adolescent antisocial behavior in real life. Young people are particularly susceptible to images of violence in films, video games, on television, and in rap lyrics, with these images acting like a “magic bullet,” causing them to act violently in real life (Valkenburg et al., 2016). It can be suggested that when the young audience is concerned, the hypodermic syringe model seems accurate in describing their behavior patterns.

Development of Media Literacy Among Young People

Nowadays, mass media and the internet shape young people’s perception of the world, making media literacy one of the most important aspects of education. The media “represents one of the most significant factors of upbringing and socialization, teaching children and young people and giving them information, while promoting norms and values, and introducing them to ways the world functions” (Petrovic, 2011, p. 383). A person’s media competence can be developed starting from an early age, and it is the responsibility of parents and teachers to control media influence on children and teach them to use mass media to their advantage.

Media literacy is connected with the concept of media competence and applies to all kinds of media-related activities. Media literacy education encompasses seven critical skills: analysis, evaluation, grouping, induction, deduction, abstraction, and synthesis (Tzu-Bin et al., 2015). As defined by the National Association for Media Literacy Education (2011, p. 1), “the purpose of media literacy education is to help individuals of all ages develop the habits of inquiry and skills of expression that they need to be critical thinkers, effective communicators and active citizens in today’s world.” In schools, the following aims should be considered and addressed when teaching media literacy:

1. Teaching children to use the media for educational purposes. It includes providing students with theoretical and practical knowledge on how to use search engines, how to determine the quality and credibility of sources, and how to use different educational platforms, tools, and resources.
2. Development of a critical attitude towards media content. It includes teaching students how to distinguish between bad and good media messages and understand when the media is trying to manipulate them (Ivanovic, 2014). Potter (2011) notes that it is crucial to provide children with basic knowledge about the media industry, forms of content, and its effects, and teach children to ask questions about what they read, watch, and hear. The most important aspects of critical analysis include identifying the author and their intention, evaluating their credibility, and detecting bias, propaganda, and censorship in news messages.
3. Teaching students to create their own content and express themselves using social media instruments. It is believed that “media literate people should be able to create and produce media messages and participate in public discussions” (Yildiz, 2015, p. 237). Young people should be taught to create content in a variety of forms using language, images, sound, and new digital tools and technologies.
4. Teaching social responsibility and ethical principles in the context of media culture. Students should be taught how to address and avoid media manipulation, gender, and racial stereotypization, sexualization, victim-blaming, and cyberbullying, and how to handle sensitive issues on social media. The principles of social responsibility include taking social actions, sharing knowledge, and solving problems in the family, workplace, and community instead of creating them. Media literacy education should be aimed at teaching children to be responsible and productive members of the community.
5. Teaching the principles of digital safety. It includes providing students with information on how to use social media safely, how to protect their personal data, and how to deal with breaches of privacy. Suparman (2019) claims that most cases of cybercrime among teenagers are caused by a low level of media literacy.
6. Development of social skills. It is important to teach students how to communicate and express themselves on social media both publicly and privately.

A comprehensive media literacy education program should include both theoretical and practical components. Hobbs (2010) claims that the emphasis of media education should be on developing a set of practical competencies necessary for a person’s full involvement in a modern digital society. It is recommended to include media literacy education into the school curriculum and incorporate its elements into other disciplines. The acknowledgment of media influence and role should be an integral part of every school subject. The issue of mass media influence should be addressed collaboratively by parents, schools, and communities in order to teach children to use social media as an instrument of communication without falling victim to its influence.

Conclusion

With the effects of modern mass media being more and more often characterized by the hypodermic syringe model, particularly affecting young people, media literacy education is becoming increasingly important. Children are most susceptible to negative media influence, including images of violence and viral messages intended to provoke a certain response. It is the responsibility of parents and teachers to come up with a comprehensive approach to develop the students’ media competence. Media literacy education should include theoretical and practical components aimed to develop critical thinking and self-expression skills, an understanding of the principles of digital safety and social responsibility, and basic knowledge about the media industry.

Reference List

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Nwabueze, C., and Okonkwo, E. (2018) ‘Rethinking the bullet theory in the digital age’, International Journal of Media, Journalism and Mass Communications, 4(2), pp. 1–10. Web.

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Suparman, A. (2019) ‘Students’ digital media literacy: Effects on social character’, International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering, 8(2S9), pp. 394–399. Web.

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