Communication Theories

Hypodermic Needle Theory

An example of a communication theory is the hypodermic needle theory.

Maslow's Needs Theory

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it has five stages: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem and self-realisation. In this hierarchy, the bottom is the most important, but you must have all of the section to 'move up' the hierarchy. 

For instance, to gain safety you must eat, sleep and, well, survive. To gain belonging, you must eat and sleep, but also have security of health and property, etc. To gain esteem you must sleep, eat, have security, but also have friendship and family, etc. And it goes on so forth, until you reach self-realisation with things such as morality, creativity, spontaneity, etc.

Uses and Gratification Theory

This is a theory where there are four uses of media for a person, and they are listed below:

1. Entertainment and Diversion 

This is when you watch videos or read articles for your own entertainment values, or to create a diversion from whatever might be happening in your life (e.g. procrastination).

2. Information and Surveillance 

This is where you want to gain knowledge and see what's going on in the world through media.

3. Personal identity 

This is where you read certain articles or like certain pictures and build a personality from it, like, for example, someone may like to read infographics whereas another may like to share cat memes.

4. Personal relationships 

This is staying in touch with certain people through social media, and it helps you connect with people more.

Music and my moods

I have three moods, generally, and in those moods my taste in music changes slightly.

1. Sad, upset.

Mayday Parade (Terrible Things, Stay, Miserable At Best), Watsky (Dedicated to Christina Li, Tiny Glowing Screens), Parachute (Always and Forever).

2. Angry.

Mayday Parade (Shot Across a Bow, and the really loud ones), Simple Plan (You Suck At Love), Go Radio (Go To Hell).

3. Really, really cheesy.

The Cab (Endlessly, Vegas Skies), Justin Bieber (Sorry, What Do You Mean), Kat Dahila (I Think I'm In Love), 21 Pilots (Can't Help Falling In Love).

Mostly, I just listen to Mayday Parade because they're awesome, and other random stuff depending on these (and other) moods.