Technological Determinism and Cultivation Theory

Question 1

Who came up with Technological Determinism Theory?

Answer 1

Marshall McLuhan, a Canadian literary theorist and philosopher.

Question 2

Technological Determinism

Answer 2

Technology decisively shapes how individuals think, feel, and act and how societies organize themselves and operate.

Question 3

What are the 4 media epochs?

Answer 3

Tribal, literate, print, electronic.

Question 4

Tribal Epoch

Answer 4

Oral tradition of communication, cohesive communities, hearing is the dominant sense.

Question 5

Literate Epoch

Answer 5

Creation of phonetic alphabet changed communication away from face to face, diminished importance of storytelling, sight as primary sense.

Question 6

Print Epoch

Answer 6

Invention of printing press enabled mass production of written word, democratized access of information, sight even more dominant.

Question 7

Electronic Epoch

Answer 7

Electricity changed our ability to communicate across vast distances, revival of oral tradition, global village concept.

Question 8

Did McLuhan write about digital media?

Answer 8

No

Question 9

3 Meanings of McLuhan’s Aphorism: The Medium is the Message

Answer 9

1. The form of communication, or MEDIUM, is important.
2. “Massage” -Each medium produces a different effect on the human senses.
3. “Mass-age” -Mass communication is now the dominant medium of the electronic epoch.

Question 10

Complete sensory data, passive, doesn’t require interpretation or thought, lectures, radio, pop music…

Answer 10

Hot Media

Question 11

Cool Media

Answer 11

Less information is given, more participation required, requires mental activity and emotional involvement, rapping, crossword puzzles, class discussions…

Question 12

3 Critiques of Technological Determinism

Answer 12

1. Lack of empirical support
2. Hyperbolic speculation
3. Overly deterministic

Question 13

Cultivation theory is a theory of

Answer 13

media effects.

Question 14

Cultivation theory is spearheaded by

Answer 14

George Gerbner

Question 15

Cultivation

Answer 15

The Cumulative process by which television fosters belief about social reality.

Question 16

Refers to inaccurate view of the world resulting from long term exposure to television.

Answer 16

Synthetic Reality

Question 17

What are the two mechanisms that explain how cultivation works?

Answer 17

Resonance and mainstreaming

Question 18

The process by which heavy viewing of television affects viewers who have first-hand experience of violence.

Answer 18

Resonance

Question 19

Mainstreaming

Answer 19

The process by which heavy viewing of television results in a similarity of perspective among a diverse group of viewers. Television’s ability to stabilize and homogenize views within a society.

Question 20

How do the 3 Bs work for Gerbner?

Answer 20

Television BLURS the traditional distinctions in world views, BLENDS diverse realities into a single mainstream view, and BENDS the mainstream view to serve the institutional interests of television’s sponsors.

Question 21

4 critiques of cultivation theory

Answer 21

1. Weak support for the theory
2. Incompatibilities within theory
3. Neglects diversity of audiences
4. Confusing “correlation” and “cause”