Orson Wells Cultivatio Limited Effect Theory

Cultivation theory is a theory founded by George Gerbner that explains whether or not the audience of a television program will be affected by watching it. Ways that the audience could be affected by television viewing are by becoming more violent, more sad, or happier after viewing. Television is the use of the study for cultivation because people tend to watch more television than listen to radio or read media sources. Also, television is used for the study because it is the most accessible and many people get the same perspective from a program that they are viewing rather than listening to radio or reading a news article. Most analysis’ deal with the immediate reaction of viewers after they complete watching a television program; cultivation theory is based on a long term basis that sets it apart from other theories according to Signorielli. “Cultivation implies that some viewers may develop new conceptions of social reality though viewing for others may result in the maintenance of existing conceptions of social reality” (1).

Orson Wells’ program is one main reason that theorists believe in the limited effects theory because not everyone who listened to that show had the same outcome or effect. In my opinion limited effects is a stronger theory to explain television viewing and its effects because not everyone, light or heavy viewer, will have the same outlook after watching something on television. Cultivation suggests that heavy viewers are more likely to be violent than light viewers and Signorielli suggests that political ties people have can be based off of the amount of television that is viewed. If this were the case I feel that many more college students would be more conservative in their political views according to Signorielli’s argument that heavy viewers are more conservative. In this situation I feel that viewing television strictly has limited effects on its