All information from this page taken form: Chandler, D. http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/cultiv.html
Developed by: Professor George
Gerbner in mid 1960's
(Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Pennsylvania)
Cultivation theorists argue that television has long-term effects which are small, gradual, indirect, but cumulative and significant
Heavy watching of TV is seen as "cultivating" attitiudes which are more consistent with the world of television programs than with the everyday world.
Watching TV may tend to induce a general mindset about violence in the world.
Gerbner argues that the mass media cultiate attitudes and values which are already present in a culture: the media maintain and propogate these values amongst members of a culture, thus binding it together.
Cultivation research looks at the mass media as a socializing agent and investigates whether TV viewers come to believe the television version of reality the more they watch it.
Cultivation theory presents TV as "not a window or reflection of the world, but a world in itself."
Heavy viewers tend to believe the world is a nastier place than do light viewers
