Uses and Gratifications Theory

Hey Guys!

Today I'm looking at the Uses and Gratifications theory to understand what is the audience's motive or purpose to watching media.

Developed by Blumler and Katz, this theory simply asks "what people do with media".

In 1987, McQuail expanded upon this study, providing the following reasons:

Information/Education

• being able to acquire information and understanding about relevant events
• learning/self-education
• seeking advice and influence on decision making

Personal Identity

• seeking model behaviour
• gaining insight into one's self
• finding reinforcement for personal values
• establishing role model values similar to yours

Social Interaction

• finding a basis for conversation
• gaining a sense of belonging
• enabling one to connect with others
• social empathy (understand another's experience)

Entertainment

• escaping the stress of reality and relaxing
• emotional release
• receiving aesthetic enjoyment filling time
• sexual arousal

However, some may criticise this theory over the belief that people have no control over what the media produces. Secondly, this theory removes the possibility that the media influences our lives and how we see the world. The Hypothermic Syringe Model for example argues that audience merely take in what they are told by the media and see it as the absolute truth, thus having no control over how viewers use the media.