1

1. Regulation:
Theoretical Ideas
‘MEDIA EFFECTS DEBATE’

2. Research Activity:
TASK: Research the following theories relating to the
Media Effects Debate – Feedback next lesson.
O Cultivation Theory
O Uses & Gratification Theory
O Copycat Theory
O Desensitisation Theory
O Catharsis

3. OIt is unclear that there is any link between the consumption of
violent media texts and violent imitative behaviour.
OIt is clear that passive theories are flawed as many people
watch violent or troubling texts and appear to not be influenced.
OTherefore active theories are more easily applied to modern
day/contemporary texts.
Things to Consider:

4. Cultivation
Theory
Definition: The theory focusses more on how the media affects peoples attitudes rather
than actions. Over exposure to films/television shows can blur an audiences sense of
reality
the real world: George Gerbner
The theory, developed by George Gerbner, claims that “Persistent long term exposure to
television
content has minimal but measurable effects on the perceptual worlds of audience members”.
By comparing the attitudes of heavy, moderate, and light media users, Gerbner found that heavy
media users had an attitudinal misconception called mean world syndrome. Overestimating how
much violence actually occurs in their communities and the rest of the world, especially when
compared to less media users ‘realistic’ world.
The more exposure to TV over time, TV will eventually "cultivate" viewers perception of reality.
The
theory assumes that the audience is passive in nature, therefore the media has a big influence on
their ideas and life choices and that eventually our views of the world will come to resemble that
of
The medias. People's choices and values will mainstream.

5. Cultivation Videos
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyggB
5WoR30 (Charlie Brooker)
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw9Ds
OA1Y-w (Video Gaming)
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d4sS
7NLC4I (Family Guy Stereotyping Activity)

6. APPLY THE THEORY
CULTIVATION THEORY

7. Uses & Gratification
Theory
Definition: “Uses and Gratification model/theory suggests that people use the media and
its many
texts, to their advantage and in order to meet their individual needs. – Denis McQuail
(1972)
Cognitive Needs (Surveillance): People access the media (newspaper, magazines, TV,
internet, etc.) to acquire specific information. They want to gain more knowledge, on a certain
event or topic.
Affective needs (Personal Identity): People use the media to satisfy their emotional needs. In
most cases, television is the best form of media to please affective needs. We find ourselves
relating to the people on TV. We sympathize when something bad happens to them or we
celebrate their victories with them.
Personal Integrative Needs (Relationships): Media such adverts on TV fulfil our self esteem.
People will change their lifestyle to be cool as according to the media and advertising help them
do this.
Social Integrative Needs (Relationships): Social networking sites such as Facebook and
Twitter satisfy social integrative needs. These sites let you know what their peers are up too,
relationship statuses etc.
Tension Free Needs (Diversions/Escapism): People may use tension free needs as an outlet.
The media can help a person escape and relieve tension. A person can relax while consuming
their favourite song/show/film etc.

8. Uses & Gratification Video
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y-
h5lNol-0 (Theory Overview)

9. APPLY THE THEORY
USES & GRATIFICATION THEORY

10. Copycat
Theory
Definition: Audiences will copy what they see in a media text. It refers to the how the
media
can influence and affect the audiences behaviour and how they think.
Strengths:
The influence of this theory is how it psychologically prays off the fears and concerns of parents
as
well as many independent commissions and engages their parents to more actively monitor the
Media that they use. This not only covers movies, but also video games, especially with
underage
gaming on the rise, with games such as GTA & COD being predominantly played by young
people.
Weaknesses:
The main weakness is the opinion of the people regulating their children, as the preconception of
danger varies from person to person, so one person's horror movie is another's comedy.
Additionally,
while short term effects of the media are easily monitored, the long term are not so easily
monitored,
and therefore the theory cannot be proven correct.
Examples:
The most notable example as discussed earlier is the Jamie Bulger murder case (Blamed on
Child

11. TASK!
O Head into the Mac Room and research
any:
O FILMS
O TV SHOWS
O VIDEO GAMES
O That have been blamed for individual
public actions (Murders, attacks etc.)

12. APPLY THE THEORY
COPYCAT THEORY

13. Desensitisation
Definition: The desensitisation theory believes that the more violence viewers are exposed
to in the
media over a period of time, the less sensitive we become to it. The violence no longer
seems to
bother them or bothers them less than it did before.
The theory continues on from the copycat theory, it is a behavioural state and people may
experience
desensitisation after being exposed to so much violence in the media, it may not have a strong
emotional impact on them anymore in the media world.
The issue is that this desensitisation may occur when something violent happens in real life, the
viewer can become immune to the general shock of these action, making them too comfortable
and
possible able to perform these acts as they are no longer affect emotional by them anymore.
1973 – The Exorcist
1974 – Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2010 & 2011 – Human Centipede 1 & 2
Banned films that are now available due to social change, this is known as
‘RATINGS CREEP’.

14. Desensitisation - Video
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj0ybg
DDIpg (Violence in the Media)
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiqBZ
pfNQf8 (CBN Interview)
O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN4pz
aOi6Oo (Comedy Sketch)

15. APPLY THE THEORY
DESENSITISATION THEORY

16. Catharsis
Theory
Definition: Catharsis is an emotional effect experienced by people who use the media to
purge or cleanse negative emotions, such as fear or anger.
Is Viewing Violence Cathartic?
The large amount of violence in the mass media is often justified by the concept of catharsis. The
word catharsis comes from the Greek word ‘Katharsis’, which literally translated means ”a
cleansing
or purging." The first recorded mention of catharsis occurred more than one thousand years ago,
in
the work Poetics by Aristotle.
Aristotle:
Aristotle taught that viewing tragic plays gave people emotional release (Katharsis) from negative
feelings such as pity, fear, and anger. By watching the characters in the play experience tragic
events,
the negative feelings of the viewer were presumably purged and cleansed. This emotional
cleansing
was believed to be beneficial to both the individual and society.
As a result, watching aggressive media output, it is proposed, does not make viewers more
aggressive; quite the contrary -- since the vicarious aggression experienced through the media
purges
the viewer of aggression, the result of watching violence is less aggression.

17. APPLY THE THEORY
CATHARSIS THEORY