Uses and gratifications theory suggests that people actively seek out specific media to fulfill certain needs. It identifies five main categories of needs that media can satisfy: cognitive needs for knowledge, affective needs for emotional connection, personal integrative needs for self-esteem, social integrative needs for social interaction, and tension-free needs for escape. Different forms of media are better suited for some needs over others, such as television excelling at affective needs and social media satisfying social integrative needs.
2. Definition
Uses and gratifications theory is an approach to
understanding why and how people actively seek out
specific media to satisfy specific needs. UGT is an audience
centered approach to understanding mass communication.
3. The 5 categories
• Cognitive needs
• Affective needs
• Personal Integrative needs
• Social Integrative needs
• Tension free needs
4. Cognitive needs
• intellectual needs to acquire knowledge
• want to gain more knowledge
• newspaper, magazines, TV, internet, etc.
• People who read/watch to increase knowledge can feel
accomplished after.
5. Affective needs
• emotional needs
• television is the best form of media to please affective
needs
• relating to the people on TV or in a magazine/book.
• something bad happens to them we feel sadness or when
something good happens we feel happiness.
6. Personal Integrative Needs
• also known as the self esteem need
• advertisements on TV and in magazines fulfil our
personal integrative needs
• People will change their lifestyle to be like the people
they see on TV and in magazines.
• This can give people goals in life if they want to aspire to
be like someone, but can also have a negative impact if
the goals are unrealistic.
7. Social Integrative Needs
• Facebook, Twitter and Instagram satisfy social integrative
needs
• On these social sites people can see what there friends are
doing.
• People can interact online quickly and easily.
• People can read up on new trends.
8. Tension Free Needs
• People use tension free needs as an outlet to escape from
problems and everyday life.
• A person can relax while listening to their favourite song
or artist or watching their favourite show.
• Good way to calm/wind down.