cultivation theory

CULTIVATION THEORY

WEEK ELEVEN

LECTURE 24


CULTIVATION THEORY BY GEORGE GERBNER




Gerbner is Dean emeritus of Annenberg School of Communication

Cultivate-To foster the growth of something.

Heavy television viewers develop an exaggerated belief that is a "mean and scary world".

The violence they see on the screen cultivates a social paranoia that blots out notions of trustworthy people or safe surroundings

Gerbner, as McLuhan, regards TV as the dominant force in shaping society

But unlike McLuhan who viewed the Medium as the Message: Gerbner is convinced that the power of television comes from the symbolic content of the real life drama of society, what exists, what is important, what is related to what. And what is right.

Gerbner’s voice is only one of many that proclaim a link between communication media and violence.

For almost two decades, he spearheaded an extensive research program that monitored the level of violence on television.

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