Television Violence; Cultivation Theory

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Cultivation Theory is an excellent model that helps in understanding television violence which has emerged to be a destructive element in consideration of the people’s social status. The cultivation theory is efficient in illustrating the long-term effects of watching television among the young people as well as the adults. It postulates that the more time people spend in the world watching TV, the more the possibility of these their social status will be influenced making them believe in the reality depicted in the TV. According to the theorists of this model, television violence is a growing concern in the nation that plays a significant role in shaping the societies social status as well as defining the reality in the media world. It is inquisitive when it comes to an understanding and satisfaction of the cultivation to as whether it shape the American social culture instigating violence or it is an essential element in eradicating brutality in the society. It is right that the theorists of the cultivation theory have related vast watching of television with violence, but on the other side, the critics opposing the model claims it is one of the best social media that brings cohesion in the nation as well as updating and educating people about numerous emerging issues. Hypothesis; I feel violence is a big part of society and television in shaping and showing how Americans view society. More time people spend living through the television more than the reality.

In carrying out the survey, the secondary research methods used in getting the relevant information regarding cultivation theory and television violence included both qualitative and quantitative technique. Among the qualitative techniques applied to the data, collection procedure provides face to face interviews, journals, books, regular observations, scholarly articles as well as online surveys (Shrum, 2017). Furthermore, the variety of quantitative methods used include focus groups, in-depth interviews, and hands-on observation. The research was not selective as every member of the societal participation was valid regardless the gender and age. The primary objective of the study is providing the collect picture of the television the primary cause of violence in the society as well as shaping the social perspectives of human in the American culture. Application of both the qualitative and quantitative research techniques is essential as it enhances efficiency during the process giving the correct illumination of the American community.

The secondary methodology was used in collecting the data where the quantitative and qualitative techniques are applied efficiently. Group discussion, face to face interviews, journals, books, regular observations, scholarly articles, observation and an online survey, are the vast applied techniques in establishing the required data. In itemizing the people’s findings regarding cultivation theory, the quantitative research tools are significant as there is the possibility of presenting the numerical data into valuable statistical approaches (Potter, 2014). The opinions, attitudes as well as the behaviors are efficiently quantified with the application of quantitative analysis approach which is also vital in grouping the findings of huge groups. Primary explanatory research modus operandi is the other name for qualitative research method where its tools are excellent in acquiring information from the central bases. It is more efficient in providing in-depth information than the quantitative approach. Qualitative research tools help in developing ideas as well as provide insights which are valuable to the application of the primary sources. The research supports in getting into the depth of the first and trending perception of the cultivation theory and television violence in the society today. In consideration of the focus group as a tool for obtaining profound data, the small group focused on the act as an illumination of how the American society and their perceptions regarding cultivation theory.

Today, almost the whole American society have access to the television where people keep track of the news and other emerging as well as trending issues in the world. People watch television as a conventional media but what matters when it comes to understanding cultivation theory is how often and the time one spends in watching the TV set. People spending five hours and above a day watching television were the primary elements of the target during the research.

In carrying out the interview, the main point was the effects of becoming a television manic with regards to the violence incurred daily as well as the experience and feeling of getting used to the media lifestyle. It was essential in determining whether the effects that the extreme watching instigates to changing person’s personality as well as the ethical conducts in the society. The participatory and systematic observations as a bit in the qualitative and quantitative research methods respectively were used in analyzing the television content as well as looking at the production process (Shrum, 2017). The focus group survey was essential in carrying out comprehensive range research regarding the impacts of prolonged television viewing in the community. With regards to the online study done, the people’s reviews towards the cultivation theory and its appropriation in eradication the nation’s culture were scrutinized, and their responses were noted well. According to the research done regarding cultivation theory, people are differently influenced by television violence depending on the gender, parental status, and the age. Many enjoy watching television but it is alarming that they are not aware of it instigates to human psychology that have enormous effects in future.

The young people tend to be the higher victims of watching television for a long time. It is because that many are free during the holidays as well as during other free time while on the other side many adults are busy and engaged in work to enhance family satisfaction. Therefore, they end up watching the TV sets for a limited time to get enough rest as well as preparing for the next day’s duties. Children do not understand that these television programs and other related media dramatically affects their psychology not having direct but slow effects. Most of this media component is fitted and made to the required standards through fiction. Hence, the young people developing with a mentality of television world will at many times get involved in violence as well as trying to do the impossible things as seen on the TV set. It is hazardous as the even at the adulthood the same perceptions will persists making the victims deprived of social behaviors with a high possibility of getting engaged in violence or other delinquency.

It is interesting that in consideration of gender, males tend to be affected by the television violence more than the female counterparts. It is because of their masculine nature which instigates the mentality that they are capable of doing extraordinary things as it is done by the major characters in the over exaggerated programs in the television. Women are also influenced as they portray human traits but not to a greater extent as men. The impacts of television violence on the adults are much lesser to that of the children as they have already developed cognitive that helps them in determining the right and the wrong. In many instances, adults who suffer television violence have some bases at their young level where they were exposed mainly to television viewing. At adulthood, long time viewing of television programs evokes exaggerated aggressiveness that at the end makes the person get involved in violence (Jamieson & Romer, 2014). The fact the children’s minds are developing and have a high capability of enormously holding new thing puts them at the risk of being victims of television violence. Such children will grow in the television world, and he or she will be contrary to the reality making it difficult to associate as well as surviving in a different kind of environment.

From the above discussion, it is true that high viewing rate of television leads to violence in the society as well as shaping the social status of the American community. Violence is a big part of the society and television shape and shows how people view society as they spend more living through TV set than the reality. In the modern society, almost all the children in the nation are raised in families where they have access to television making them adopt its world at a tender age. It is right that the television, on the other hand, is essential in updating people, sharpening minds as well as being significant in the education field. It is through guidance and counseling that the violence product of television and well as immorality can be curbed in the society. It is the responsibility of the public in general and parents at the individual level to educate the children about the significant effects of television in causing brutality as well as how it shows and shape the American culture.

References

Jamieson, P. E., & Romer, D. (2014). Violence in popular US prime time TV dramas and the cultivation of fear: A time series analysis. Media and Communication, 2(2), 31.

Shrum, L. J. (2017). Cultivation Theory: Effects and Underlying Processes. The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects.

Potter, W. J. (2014). A critical analysis of cultivation theory. Journal of Communication, 64(6), 1015-1036.

Shrum, L. J. (2017). Cultivation Theory: Effects and Underlying Processes. The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects.