A Critical Analysis of Cultivation Theory
Potter analyses the cultivation literature and finds three conceptions of the term: Gerbner's macrosystem explanation of mass media processes and effects, a pattern of operational practices that search for relationships between television exposure and a wide range of cultivation indicators, and a general forum of explorations of media influence that departs from Gerbner's boundaries. Using the criteria of heuristic value, empirical support and precision, the essay evaluates what this large literature has contributed to understanding the mass media.
Potter analyses the cultivation literature and finds three conceptions of the term: Gerbner's macrosystem explanation of mass media processes and effects, a pattern of operational practices that search for relationships between television exposure and a wide range of cultivation indicators, and a general forum of explorations of media influence that departs from Gerbner's boundaries. Using the criteria of heuristic value, empirical support and precision, the essay evaluates what this large literature has contributed to understanding the mass media.
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Potter, W. J. (2014). A Critical Analysis of Cultivation Theory. Journal of Communication, 64(6), 1015-1036. doi:10.1111/jcom.12128.