Uses & Gratification: Identification, Application, Elements and Problems

1. ZZeeeesshhaann QQaassiimm
UUSSEESS AANNDD GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONN

2. IINNTTRROODDUUCCTTIIOONN
 Uses and gratifications, also known as usage
and gratifications or needs and
gratifications, is not a single approach but a
body of approaches to media analysis that
developed out of many varied experimental
studies, begins in the mid 20th century
 Jay G. Blumler and Elihu Katz devised their
Uses and Gratifications Model in 1974

3. HHIISSTTOORRIICCAALL PPEERRSSPPEECCTTIIVVEE OOFF
UUSSEESS AANNDD GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONN
TTHHEEOORRYY
 In the beginning, it was only the media holding the top place and
kept on suppressing the public about its gratifications -- and then
came mass media, suddenly, out of the blue some sociologists
dreamed up a theory of the foundation behind the use of media and
the resulting gratifications of its users, and vice versa. To make a
long story short, the Uses and Gratifications Theory evolved
 Over the past 100 years communication theories have developed
through the disciplines of psychology and sociology
 The Uses and Gratifications Theory developed from the
Functionalist Theory by well-known sociologist researchers, including
Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz
 The functionalist paradigm seemed to insist on media effects towards
people, such as the frequently used model of the "hypodermic needle"
or a "bullet" aimed at a passive audience (Severin and Tankard, 1997)
 This model was used by practitioners from the 1920's to the 1940's,
but a shift occurred during the middle of the 20th century that lead
mass media gurus to further develop and understand the notion of
Uses and Gratifications

4. FFOOUURR AARREEAASS OOFF GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONNSS
 Escapism — a media text which provides escapism. When a
media text temporarily partially covers one's senses. For
example playing a video game
 Personal relationships — People create personal
relationships with the characters in a media text, they start
to feel they know them. For example, if one trusted a news
reporter too much they may take everything they say at face
value and not question it, this trust could then be abused
 Personal identity — When a person creates part of their
own identity from things they find attractive in people from
media texts, for example someone may have a haircut because
they liked the look of a similar one in a magazine
 Surveillance — The audiences gain an understanding of the
world around them by consuming a media text, for example
print and broadcast news

5. UUSSEESS AANNDD GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONN:
IIMMPPLLIICCAATTIIOONNSS
 Uses and gratification approach refers to the
usage of media by people rather than usage of
people by media
 The audience is conceived as active; this is an
important part of mass media use as it is
assumed to be goal directed
 In the mass communication process, much
initiative in linking need gratification and media
choice lies with the audience member
 The media compete with other sources of need
satisfaction (Severin and Tankard, 1997)

6. SSOOCCIIAALL AANNDD PPSSYYCCHHOOLLOOGGIICCAALL
FFUUNNCCTTIIOONNSS
In a 1973 study by Katz, Gurevitch and Haas developed 35 needs
taken from the largely provisional literature on the social and
psychological functions of the mass media and put them into five
categories:
1. Cognitive needs -- Acquiring information, knowledge and
understanding
2. Affective needs -- Emotion, pleasure, feelings
3. Personal integrative needs -- Credibility, stability, status
4. Social integrative needs -- Family and friends
5. Tension release needs -- Escape and diversion

7. UUSSEESS AANNDD GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONNSS::
EELLEEMMEENNTTSS
 In 1974, Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch realized
that most Uses and Gratification studies were
most concerned with:
1. The social and psychological origins of
2. Needs which generate
3. Expectations
4. Of mass media or other sources, which lead to
5. Differential patterns of media exposure (or
engagement in other activities), resulting in
6. Need gratifications and
7. Other consequences, perhaps mostly unintended
ones (Severin and Tankard, 1997)

8. UUSSEESS AANNDD GGRRAATTIIFFIICCAATTIIOONN::
PPRROOBBLLEEMMSS
 "The nature of the theory underlying Uses and Gratifications
research is not totally clear" (Blumler, 1979)
 The biggest issue for the Uses and Gratifications Theory is its being
non-theoretical, being vague in key concepts, and being nothing
more than a data-collecting strategy (Severin and Tankard, 1997)
 It seems that using this sociologically-based theory has little to no
link to the benefit of psychology due to its weakness in operational
definitions and weak analytical mode
 it is focused too narrowly on the individual and neglects the social
structure and place of the media in that structure (Severin and
Tankard, 1997)
 it goes too far in claiming that people are free to choose the media
fare and the interpretations they want
 Other motives that may drive people to consume media may involve
low level attention, a habit or a mildly pleasant stimulation