Audience in theory

When we listen to CDs or sit in the cinema we become part of a mass audience. But also seperate because we are different.
There are theories to understand this.
The Hyperdermic syringe- it injects ideas and beliefs. The audience are a powerless mass, that have little choice but to be influenced.
The Culminstion Theory- One media text does not have too much effect, years and years of watching more violence will make you less sensiive to violence, so years and years of watching women being mistreated in soaps will make you less bothered about it in real life.
Two-step flow- Another arguement suggests that the "masses" will experience the media individually but then they will discuss that they have watched with others and it is the discussion which can then influence peoples opinions/behaviour.
Uses and Gratifications theory- We make choices about what we watch and we also have certain expectations; we expect to be gratified by what we watch.
Types of Gratification-
1) Information
2) Entertainment
3) Personal identity- We may wish to view models for behaviour.
4) Social- Empathy/sympathy and also personal interaction.
5) Escapism
One major critisism of "mass" theory that they assume that the audience will all read a text in the same way. In actual fact our individual reading of a text can be affected by our culture, gender, class, age etc.