Cultivation theory
Cultivation theory is a social theory with a look to the long term effects of television on American audiences.
George Gerbner and Stephen Mirirai assert concern about TV viewing stems from the unprecedented centrality of television in American culture. They posit TV as a mass medium has become a common symbolic environment. Diverse communities are bound, people socialized into standard roles and behaviors. Comparing TV to religion, TV is to modern society what religion once was.
They regard audiences as passive, presenting ideas to society with a meaning that is open to little or no interpretation. Passive audiences often accept ideas, large groups conform behind ideas and the media exerts much influence over audiences. The audience seen easily manipulated, vulnerable.
Cultivation theory looks at media having a long term passive effect, starts small, but with a compound effect. For example, the body image and the bombardment of images.
The effects of a passive medium on the make up and structure of the symbolic environment are subtle, complex and interconnected with other influences. This perspective assumes the interaction between the medium and its 'publics'.
Cultivation theory suggests exposure to TV, over time, subtly cultivates viewers perception of reality. Gerbner says TV is the medium of socialization of the most people into standard roles and behaviors. Its function, in a word, enculturation.
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