Biting the Magic Media Bullet: Powerful effects of media and how it sways public opinion

The Magic Bullet Theory and the research behind media psychology points to media's immediate, strong, and uniform effects on the masses.

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It is undeniable that media is influential. It possesses power so incredible and occasionally unfathomable in the grand scheme of things. Channels of media over the years have contributed to the formation of the public's thoughts and opinions. Though extremely grand in the extent to which media can 'affect' public opinion, it can be objectively measured through different dependent variables in communication research.

The ways in which media disseminates into the psyche of users, and the general individuals is direct. The powerful effects lens is the view that this exchange of influential reworking of public opinion through media is immediate. The effects of media, news, or information being circulating to large groups is often direct in nature. This mindset was primarily adopted in the earlier years of the 20th century. It came to the forefront of media research as the rise in propaganda and brainwashing - thus, this amplified researchers' views of media being hard to refute, or reject.

The 30s to 50s saw the early adoption of the magic bullet theory, where associations between a gun or needle was drawn to media: targeting peoples' heads. Essentially, the theory remains borderline faultless if one deems every audience, mass of people, or groups as being consistently passive. This dismisses the complexities of the individual - pushing forth worries on 'mass society' ideologies. The freedom to think seemingly is overlooked, which does not account for the anomalies that form opinions despite the power effects of the media, and the theory.

Significant counter theories evolved from the magic bullet theory. From the Limited effects perspective, to the development of agenda-setting theory, or priming effects, newer research considers the intricacies of media, and its undeniable base-line of influence.