The television was invented in the late 19th Century and early 20th century (History of television, n.d.). Just like the Internet, it is a source of information and offers bundles of ideas and conception. Additionally, it is also a source of entertainment. But like all other things, it also has its downside.
The Cultivation theory, also known as the cultivation hypothesis or cultivation analysis, is one of the core theories of media effects (Cultivation Theory, n.d.). It was originally composed by George Gerbner and later expanded by both George Gerbner and Larry Gross in 1976. He began his research in the mid-1960s to study whether the television may influence the viewers’ ideas how does it do so. Thus, his research led him to this theory (Davie, n.d.). According to the theory, people who frequently watch television are more susceptible to be influenced by media messages. They are influenced to the extent that the way they view the world and their perception of it are reflecting what they see and hear on the television (Cultivation Theory, n.d.). However, it is mentioned that not everyone is fully cultivated by the television. This is because those who watch little television spend less time watching television when compared to the heavy viewers (Cultivation Theory, n.d.). Hence, this theory mostly affects the heavy viewers. But either way, the television is shaping or cultivating the viewer’s conception of social reality. Yet, the social reality it perceives may not actually reflect the reality but instead the “television reality”. In addition to that, cultivation theorists would argue that the television has long-term effects which may be small, gradual and indirect. However, they are cumulative and significant (Cultivation Theory, n.d.).
Now, the cultivation theory has three core assumptions. The first assumption focuses more on the medium used. It states that the television is fundamentally different from other forms of mass media. This is because, unlike the newspaper or print media, it has a lower threshold for consumption. This means that regardless of literacy or film, anyone can understand it. Additionally, the repeating pattern of the television mass produced messages and images forms the mainstream. According to George Gerbner, the television has become the “central cultural arm of our society”. The second assumption focuses more on the audience. It states that the television shapes the way individuals within a society think and relate to each other. George Gerbner and Larry Gross wrote that what it cultivates is not so much about the specific attitudes or opinions, but rather more on the facts of life. In simplest terms, the realities are not really base on real facts but rather on speculations. An example would be the stereotypes we have today such as women are not as smart as men and all Asians are good at math. I believe the stereotypes we have today is an effect the television has on us. Nowadays, we try to change this kind of thinking. However, there are still many who think this way. The third and last assumption deals with the medium’s functionality on a larger audience. It states that the effects of television are limited. However, its effect is still consistently present (Cultivation theory, n.d.).
One of the main conclusions of the theory is the “mean world syndrome”. It was first coined by George Gerbner himself to describe an occurrence where the violent content of mass media makes the viewers belief that the world is actually more dangerous than it looks (Mean world syndrome, n.d.). We have seen Facebook videos and news reports where people just walk past when there is a conflict. I also remember watching a video when a man was suddenly stabbed but no one bothered to call the ambulance. This is because acts of violence, which you can see in programs, make the viewers de-sensitize to the violence and they become less emphatic to the suffering of others. The normalization of violence makes us more jaded to the things we see (ChallengingMedia, 2010).
This theory has been widely used in the study of violence in television. It has been used to explain the behavior of children who became violent from watching violent shows. As we know, repeated exposure to the television strengthens the idea that violence is the normal response to conflicts (Cultivation Theory, n.d.).
References:
ChallengingMedia. (2010, February 18). The Mean World Syndrome – Desensitization & Acceleration (Extra Feature). Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfu8YCCc8Q
Cultivation theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultivation_theory
Cultivation Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from Communication Theory: http://communicationtheory.org/cultivation-theory/
Cultivation Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from cmm: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/theory/cult.html
Cultivation Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved from University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20Clusters/Mass%20Media/Cultivation_Theory/
Davie, G. (n.d.). Cultivation Theory. Retrieved from Mass Communication Theory: https://masscommtheory.com/theory-overviews/cultivation-theory/
History of television. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_television
Mean world syndrome. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_world_syndrome
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