Researchers interested in the effects of television exposure on viewers’ attitudes
and social perceptions have long relied on cultivation theory as a framework for
examining this relationship (see Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, Signorielli, &
Shanahan, 2002, for review). Despite its extensive application, however, the theory
has been heavily criticized for its lack of specificity in terms of how these cultivation
effects occur (Hawkins & Pingree, 1981, 1990; Potter, 1991a; Shapiro, 1991;
Shrum, 1996; Shrum & O’Guinn, 1993). Notably, such criticisms have given rise
to valuable research aimed specifically at explicating this process (Hawkins &
Pingree, 1982; Potter, 1991a; Shapiro, 1991; Shrum, 1996; Shrum & O’Guinn,
1993). However, although these studies advance researchers’ insights into the
subprocesses involved in learning from television (Hawkins & Pingree, 1982; Potter,
1991a,b).
Authors: Dana Mastro, Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz, and Michelle Ortiz
Source: MEDIA PSYCHOLOGY, 9, 347–365
