Audience Effects Models - Uses and Gratifications Model

Question 1

Which two sociologists are behind the Uses and Gratifications Model

Answer 1

Blumer and McQuail

Question 2

Which perspective of sociology is linked to this model

Answer 2

Functionalism

Question 3

What is the Uses and Gratifications Model

Answer 3

Audiences use media to meet own personal needs based on own characteristics (CAGE)
There are 4 basic needs that TV can satisfy

Question 4

What are the 4 needs that TV can satisfy

Answer 4

Diversion
Personal Relationships
Personal Identity
Surveillance

Question 5

How does TV satisfy the need of Diversion

Answer 5

Tv allows an escape from routine, problems and worries
Lack of satisfaction from daily life can be fulfilled in the diverse area of TV
Can create an avatar in metaverse - allows disabled to experience walking

Question 6

How does TV satisfy the need of Personal Relationships

Answer 6

TV can compensate for decline in community and relationships around someone
People can become attached to soap characters or watch sexually explicit films due to the lack of this in their real life

Question 7

How does TV satisfy the need of Personal Identity

Answer 7

TV helps make decision and modify own personal identity
People can use social media to construct ientity which they can control what others see (impression management)

Question 8

How does TV satisfy the need of Surveillance

Answer 8

Tv allows people to obtain info about the world and help them make thier minds up about certain issues
Social media crime watch pages to monitor neighbourhoods - collective intelligence with surveillance of the world around them

Question 9

What are two positives of the Uses and Gratification Model

Answer 9

Explains positive effect of media on audiences
Pluralists - plurality of choice allows audiences to actively use to satisfy individual desires

Question 10

What is one criticism to the positive point that this model shows the positives of media

Answer 10

Could be exaggerated - not all can use media to meet needs (digital divide) and media can damage groups identity

Question 11

How do Marxists criticise this model

Answer 11

Using media to divert/ distract is negative as it feeds into the false class consciousness and prevents revolts for fairer society - way of RC to control WC