The Uses and gratification model looks at the motives of the people who use the media, asking why we watch certain programs.Researchers began to describe the effects of the media from the audiences point of view, as the audience themselves choose what they want to consume and are not forced into consumption. The theory argues that audiences have social and psychological needs which generate certain expectations about the mass media and what they are exposed to.
The idea behind the uses and gratification model is that people are motivated by a desire to fill or gratify certain needs, the model is broken down into four different needs:
Surveillance- This is based around the idea that people feel better having the feeling that they know whats happening in the world around them, giving us the sense of both knowledge of security, for example watching real life police programs may make them gain the feeling of security.
Personal Identity- This explains how we position ourselves within society. An example is that pop stars often become big role models that inspire young children, this is why there is such an outcry when one of them does something classed as unacceptable.
Personal Relationships- In media, many people use the T.V. as a a form of companionship, these can often be intimate experiences that make us feel close to characters, meaning we may grieve if they leave the show. People also use the media as conversation starters and therefore helps them to build relationships with real people.
Diversion- We as an audience often watch T.V. as a way to forget about our real life problems and think about something else, making it a form of distraction. This also allows the audience to relate to characters if they are experiencing a similar problem to them.
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