Stuart Hall Reception theory

Stuart Hall - The reception theory

The reception theory is a theory that emphasizes on the audiences response and how they interprets a piece of text or film. its based on how the audience are feeling on that day or hour their watching a film or reading a text, their background, age and past experiences can all determine how the interpret a text and in what way. for example if your watching something telling you how good dying your hair but you had a past experience of dying your hair and hated it you might reject the enforced meaning completely (oppositional). however everyone decodes films differently on past experiences or you're mood and feelings on that day.

there are 3 types of audiences decoding text:

Dominant: how the producer wants the audience to view

Negotiated: mix of dominant and oppositional

Oppositional: audience rejects the enforced meaning