James Watson and Anne Hill looked at Functional Theory as a component of the Hypodermic Needle model of communication.  This model states that the media has an  immediate and powerful effect on the audience as is "injects" information directly into the minds of the masses (1997, p.105).  This model looks at the Media as a powerful force while the audience naive and inexperienced ready to absorb any message given to them.  

This theory of communication was viewed as too simplistic and was criticized quickly. Not accepted by the experts as reliable or valid, Functional Theory evolved from this point.  While rooted in Sociology, Functional Theory offers both psychological and sociological explanations concerning how a message is conveyed and reaches the audience.  It refines the Hypodermic Needle model of communication to the extent that it describes the audience as not only influenced by the powerful effects of media, but instead through the role of opinion leaders.  These leaders come from various segments of society and represent the "information filters and culture brokers" to conflicts among the masses (161).

It is interesting to note that this theory does not focus on the        individual but rather on groups of people, and the emphasis rests on the receivers of the information instead of the senders or mass media.   Hirokawa,  suggests that in a Functional Theory of group communication, the group will go through a series of decision making steps (Carrier, 1999).  

1.  They will identify and assess the problem or conflict.

2.  They will gather information and evaluate the situation.

3.  They will come up with alternative solutions to solve the problem.

4.  They will isolate objectives that they desire to accomplish

5.  They will evaluate their solutions.

Through these steps, Hirokawa cautions that groups my assess the problem improperly and not have idealistic goals and objectives.  They may also have conflict with their alternative solutions, mistaking positive qualities for negative possibly based on inadequate information from the beginning.  As a group collects information from the media, they assess the information and generate various solutions.  The group structure or emphasis of an opinion leaders in the group will determine if there is improper negative or positive qualities attached to the solutions.