Uses & Gratification Theory, Study notes of Media Management

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Uses & Gratification Theory

By Matilda Koroma, Shan Ding, Eunseo Chung, Luyang Guo, Joshua Vliet

Definition

Uses and gratifications theory is an approach to “understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs’. UGT is an audience-centered approach to understanding mass communication” unlike certain other theories that focus moreso on how media affects people. Do you think UGT is competing with other theories or can it be considered complementary in certain ways?

The theory aims to highlight why and how people leverage media for their own personal “needs” or to gratify a consumer in ways they consider personally desirable. One type of media might fulfill one person in a way that repulses another- it is highly contingent upon the individual. So it about what people do with “their” media rather than what media does to them. Contradicts magic bullet theory.

Certain needs and gratifications can be broken down into categories. For example:

• Affective needs - Cognitive needs - Personal Integrative needs - Social Integrative needs - Tension free needs

Are there any other categories of needs or reasons why you think people use media? What is an example of a type of media one certain personality type would use that another would ignore or be repelled by? Can we extend that question to groups of people as well? (Group wise, for ex. it is interesting to consider why one demographic might choose one news channel over another.)

History or Development/changes in the theory

Stage 2

● 1969 Jay Blumler and Denis McQuail studied the United Kingdom 1964 election and categorized people’s motives for watching certain political programs on television. These audience motivations formed the foundation for their research in 1972 and led to Used & Gratification Theory later on. ● 1972 Jay Blumler, Joseph Brown, and Denis McQuail proposed four uses of media: diversion, personal relationships, personal identity, and surveillance. ● 1973-1974 Blumler, Brown, and McQuail were joined by colleagues Michael Gurevitch, Hadassah Haas, and Elihu Katz. The six conducted collaborative research on how people viewed mass media.

History or Development/changes in the theory

Stage 3

● Modern Days, Used & Gratification Theory has more relevance than ever as a tool for understanding how we as individuals connect with the technologies around us. These technologies span everything from the Internet to video gaming to mobile phones.

Examples (part two)

● Social Integrative Needs

○ The need to socialize with other people (family, friends, strangers) in order to feel like you’re part of society ○ Go to social networking sites like facebook, twitter, tumblr, etc to satisfy that need ○ Watching a particular show just for the sake of making conversation with everyone ○ Deleting uber because everyone deleted it

● Personal Integrative Needs

○ Self esteem need where people use media to reassure their status and credibility ○ Knowing the latest fashion trend, trying to obtain a large amount of followers on IG or Twitter, posting photos for likes

Examples (part three)

● Tension Free needs

○ The need to relieve stress or get rid of boredom by listening to music or watching tv or simply surfing the web ○ People may even use media to escape from various stressors in their lives ■ blogging