Uses and Gratifications Theory
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Uses and Gratifications Theory
The theory claims that individuals typically use media to satisfy specific needs and requirements (Qiao & Zhu, 2011). This view is contrary to other media conceptions that consider users as passive. The uses and gratifications theory views media consumers as active agents who directly influence and chose what they consume. In this context, users have specific reasons for selecting various media types at specific consumption times. The digital age brought in new forms of media and access platforms that introduced unprecedented applications of uses and gratification research. For instance, increased social media use introduced new gratifications that form significant components of people’s lives.
History
Origins of uses and gratifications theory date back to the mid-20th century, when researchers investigated why people consume specific media forms. Gradually, the research narrowed down to particular gratifications sought by consumers. The 70s introduced a new direction of investigation where the most emphasis was placed on media use outcomes and the psychological and social gratifications of media content (Ruggiero, 2000). Today, the steady growth of technology has made uses and gratification research an integral element of understanding consumer behavior, specifically their media selection and the underlying gratifications.
Application
Uses and gratification theory investigates user behavior by leveraging two critical principles. One, it considers media consumers as active in their selection of specific media resources. In this context, the theory disregards assumptions that categorize users as passive determinants of media consumption. Second, the ideology affirms that consumers are aware of the underlying reasons for selecting specific media resources. In this view, they leverage the knowledge of various motivations to select media options that fulfill particular requirements and needs.
Gratifications
Users and gratifications research outlines various motivations and needs that people set for consuming media. The most typical ones include relaxation, information, vanishing, companionship, unwinding, and force of habit. Further, the research has also been improved to consider higher-order needs, like discovering meaning and contemplating values. Studies on gratification consider a broad spectrum of media sources, including radio, television, social media, mobile applications, books, and advertising. Most importantly, contemporary studies affirm that modern users have relatively more control over what media they consume. Consequently, there are numerous new gratifications that new media sources can satisfy (Kircaburun, Alhabash, & Griffiths, 2020). For instance, today’s users can select a media source for monetary compensation, relationship maintenance, visual experience, or connecting with a virtual community.
References
Kircaburun, K., Alhabash, S., & Griffiths, M. (2020). Uses and gratifications of problematic social media use among university students: A simultaneous examination of the big five personality traits, social media platforms, and social media use motives. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 18, 525-547.
Qiao, X., & Zhu, Y. (2011). A Review of Theory and Research Based on Uses and Gratifications in HCI. Communications in Computer and Information Science, 216, 232-236.
Ruggiero, T. (2000). Uses and Gratifications Theory in the 21st Century. Mass Communication & Society, 3(1), 3-37.