Cultivation theory
Cultivation theory is a sociological concept that posits that our perceptions of social reality are significantly shaped by the messages and depictions we encounter on television. Developed in the 1960s by George Gerbner, the theory suggests that the more time individuals spend watching television, the more likely they are to adopt its portrayals as reflections of real life. This phenomenon can lead heavy viewers to perceive their world as mirroring the often distorted realities depicted on screen, especially regarding issues such as violence or societal norms.
Cultivation theory identifies two types of effects: first-order effects, which involve general beliefs about the world, and second-order effects, which pertain to specific attitudes about aspects of society like family dynamics or the rule of law. The theory highlights that the impact of television is more pronounced for individuals with limited personal experience or knowledge about the topics portrayed. Researchers utilize a combination of content analysis and survey methodologies to explore the relationship between television consumption and public attitudes, aiming to determine whether viewers align their beliefs more closely with televised narratives than with actual reality.
In recent years, cultivation theory has also been applied to online media and social networks as viewing habits shift, revealing that heavy engagement with streaming services and platforms can influence users' values and perceptions in contemporary contexts.
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Cultivation theory
Cultivation theory postulates that real-world attitudes about society are shaped by the messages and depictions portrayed on television. The more time an individual spends in front of a television, the theory contends, the more influential the medium becomes in how that individual cultivates perspectives about the world at large. Over time, high-volume television viewers begin to perceive the world around them as a reflection of the world they see on television. For example, viewers who frequently witness violence on television eventually come to believe that the world outside their front door is just as vicious and dangerous as the scenes played out on television.
Overview
Cultivation theory emerged in the 1960s as part of a media-effects research project led by George Gerbner, a professor and dean at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School of Communications. The basic tenet of cultivation theory is that television is responsible for determining notions of social reality among viewers. Thus, media-derived cultivation of attitudes is founded on outlooks already present in society. The media simply repackage those positions to present to viewers, creating a kind of cultural norm. So rather than creating new perspectives, the media portrayals essentially cultivate the status quo.
The theory suggests that there are two tiers of cultivation effects brought about by television viewing. First order effects encompass general viewpoints about the state and behavior of the everyday world, such as perceptions of violence in society. Second order effects are those involving specific attitudes about certain aspects of society, such as rule of law or family relationships. Cultivation theory also distinguishes degree of the effect based on the amount of time a person spends watching television. The theory posits that individuals who watch television frequently are more likely to be influenced by televised portrayals of the world compared with viewers who spend less time watching television. Cultivation theorists assert that this phenomenon is particularly true when it comes to topics with which a viewer has little knowledge or personal experience. Infrequent watchers of television are more likely to get information from multiple sources than heavy television viewers, who tend to rely on broadcast programming for their frame of reference. Regardless of viewing habits, the cultivation effect is intensified when an individual sees something on television that echoes an experience they have had in their own life, according to the theory.
The main method of analysis in cultivation theory research includes a combination of content analysis and survey research. Typically, prevailing images from television are identified through content analysis and correlated with data collected through viewership surveys that address the influence of those images on public attitudes. For example, an audience may be polled about their perception of the level of violence in everyday life. Their responses are interpreted as being reflective of television reality or actual reality. Those perspectives are then evaluated in relation to the viewer’s level of television watching, his or her media habits and other sources of information, and specific demographic data such as the viewer’s sex, age, income and education. The goal of cultivation research is to determine whether television viewers come to believe the television version of reality versus real life based on the frequency and extent of their television watching practices.
Between the 2000s and 2020s, as more people turned to social media networks and online streaming media for news, communication, and entertainment, researchers used cultivation theory to study online media messages and their impact on users’ perceptions and attitudes. For example, a 2022 study found that people who were heavy viewers of streaming services, video games, and YouTube were more likely to endorse traditionally masculine values, such as emotional detachment and toughness.
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