Cultivation analysisBased on the article by M I C H A E L M O R G A N

Which woman is a homosexual?

Well, you should certainly watch less TV!

Just a taunt taunt or a bonafide piece of advice

… consult cultivation analysis

Survey on viewing habits

Cultivation analysis, an approach to studying media effects originally developed by George Gerbner

The Cultural Indicators research paradigm is based on the assumption that understanding the role and impacts of the media in society requires a holistic view that takes into account the institutions that produce media messages, the messages themselves, and the audiences who consume those messages.

institutional process analysis - policies that shape the production of the massive flow of media messages, comparing media structures across countries or political-economic systems

message system analysis - describe "the world" as it is constructed on television

What are the dominant and most consistent patterns of the television world?

distribution of characters by age, race, ethnicity, class, and occupation, among other things—and how do those patterns fit with or diverge from those of the "real world“

The goal - not to describe any particular program illuminate the aggregate, overall patterns of casting, actions, stereotypes, representations, images, and narrative structures that emerge across all programs and that dominate the constructed world of television

We want to determine whether those who spend more time watching television are more likely to perceive social reality in ways that reflect the potential lessons of the television world than are those who watch less television but are otherwise comparable (in terms of important demographic characteristics) to the heavy viewers.

Young people are an especially important focus on cultivation research because they are in evolving and formative stages, undergoing dramatic transformations in their understandings of society and themselves, highly susceptible to external influences, and likely to have fewer real-world experiences to bring to bear in their interpretations of what they see on television.

Storytelling

The most general hypothesis of cultivation analysis is that those who spend more time "living" in the world of television are more likely to see the "real world" in terms of the images, values, portrayals, and ideologies that emerge through the lens of television.

The concept of "storytelling" is thus central to the theory of cultivation. Gerbner (1967) contends that the basic difference between human beings and other species is that we live in a world created by the stories we tell.

• only humans communicate by the manipulation of complex symbol systemswe have never personally or directly experienced great portions of what we know, or think we know; we "know" about many things based on the stories we are told

In earlier times, the stories of a culture were told face-to-face by members of a community, parents, teachers, or the clergy, but now TV – what are some implications for storytelling, how has it changed?cultural process of storytelling changed into a centralized, standardized, market-driven, advertiser-sponsored system

Gerbner points out, the cultural process of storytelling is now in the hands of global commercial interests who have little to tell but something to sell, and who in effect operate outside the reach of democratic decision-making

3 types of stories:how things work - fictionhow things are – news - tend to confirm the visions, rules, priorities, and goals of a particular society stories of value and choice, of what to do – the olden days - sermons, law – commercials

- children today grow up in a world where the third kind of story pays for the other two

The world of TV shows life—people, places, striving, power, fate, and family life as well as the good and bad, the happy and sad, the powerful and the weak, and lets us know who or what is successful or a failure

TV is special and powerful because:- targets all classes, groups and ages- images presented in the form of entertainment (line between

information format and entertainment is thinner – news)

- cultivation analysis emphasizes the consequences of long-term exposure to the entire system of messages

- the more people watch the less selective they can be

Images of Violence

the goal of cultivation analysis is to see if heavier and lighter viewers have different beliefs about the world, and if the beliefs of heavy viewers are closer to the way things are presented on television

Consider how likely people on television are to encounter violence compared to the rest of us. Half or more of television characters are involved each week in some kind of violent action - an average of five or six acts of violence per hour (Signorielli, 2003; Wilson et al., 1997). any one year well under 1 percent of people in the United Statesin 2004 there was one rape or sexual assault, and two assaults with injury, per 1,000 persons age twelve or older there were about six murder victims per 100,000 persons in 2003 Violence is therefore immensely more common on television than it is in the "real world“

Cultivation theory suggests that heavy exposure to television violence will contribute to people's beliefs about the amount of violence in the real world.

Cultivation analysis shows that heavy viewers are more likely to give the "TV answer”

All of us learn many such "facts" from watching television cultivation is a continuous process and not a one-time learning event, as regular viewing serves to refresh our images and remind us of many cultural lessons. In this way, cultivation involves the symbolic transformation of such "facts" into more general beliefs, values, and assumptions.

the "mean-world syndrome“

The Social Lessons of Violence

Gerbner - television violence - a scenario depicting social relationships - power hierarchy winners and losers

As for fictional stories are to make visible and clear that which in the real world is often hidden, blurred, or opaque – clearly state who is an aggressor and victim.

Do you think you can learn to be violent (become aggressor) from watching TV?

Can you learn to be a victim and what does it exactly mean?

Escalated fear, danger, and apprehension - bolster demands for greater security - greater legitimacy of the authority that can promise to meet those demands

insurance companies, lawyer firms, you need a stable, powerful partner, questions etc. can soothe your fear so you do not need to worry anymore, but soon replaced by other source of fear and there is an authority which claims that it can make it subside.

• cultivates authoritarian attitudes

Heavy viewers were more likely to give the authoritarian response to such statements like:

"There should be clear limits on what people are allowed to say in public," "The government should do what it thinks is right, even if it's not what the majority wants,"

Beyond Violence

traditional gender rolesstereotyping

Heavy viewers – different understanding of roles for chores for boys and girls. What understanding?

Ambivalence – marriage, homosexuals and lesbians, people with piercings, tattoos etc…

International Comparisons

Australian and Israeli students watching US TV shows

Adolescents will be most vulnerable to cultivation when they live in countries dominated by commercially supported television systems that feature many U.S. programs - cultivation is less pronounced when television is controlled by the state and offers fewer U.S. imports (public-service TV)

THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF CULTIVATION ANALYSIS

Gerbner referred to cultivation differential rather than media effects – reason

Positive correlation between TV viewing and fear of criminal victimization

Perceived activity of police

General mistrust of people

“Most people are just looking out for themselves.” “In dealing with others, you can’t be too careful.” “Do unto others before they do unto you.”

The stupid husband

That’s 70s ShowEverybody Loves RaymondAccording to JimTwo and Half Men

The stupid girl (often but not limited to blonde)

The Big Bang TheoryTwo Broke GirlsThe 70s Show

The bad cheerleadersGlee

Gay characters on Glee and arts (dancing, singing etc.)

Weak weird Asians

Two Broke Girls – HanThe Big Bang Theory – RajRules Of Engagement - Timmy

Geeks

Jewish mothers

News and current affairs

All young people are wild

Roma people are lazy uneducated and smelly

Israel is one dangerous country

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Think about how much violence there is in society. Now think about what came to mind when you thought about that. On what did you base your ideas?

Most of us have vivid images about places such as courtrooms, police stations, and hospitals—but how do we know about them? From where do we get these images? Slovak vs. American?How many other things can you think of that you "know" about that you haven't experienced directly?

How do the assumptions and methods of cultivation analysis differ from other ways of studying media effects?

What are some of the long-term social consequences of media violence on young people?

Discuss television's portrayals of certain occupations with people who work in those jobs in real life.

Cultivation analysis argues that overall amount of viewing is more important than what particular shows people watch, and that many important messages that are relevant to cultivation cut across all kinds of programs. Choose some major dimensions of content (for example, the portrayal of violence, or gender, or class) and see how similar or different they are in different types of programs.

Compile a list of as many occupations held by your parents, relatives, neighbors, and others you know well. Compare that to a list of occupations shown on television on a given night. How similar or different are they, and what might account for the differences?

Select three or four dramatic television programs you regularly watch. Count the number and types of violent acts depicted' in the program. Make note of who commits each act of violence (by gender, age, race, and so on) and who is the victim. Is the violence rewarded or punished? What are its physical consequences? What might people learn from watching these portrayals?