Uses and Gratifications Theory

Uses and Gratifications theory says that we all have different uses for the media and we make choices over what we want to watch. We are expecting something from our use of the media, and that could be one of the following:

1. Information:
We may want to learn about society and the world. So we use the media to satisfy our own curiosity or to complete work for school.

2. Personnel identity:
We may watch TV in order to get role models for our behaviour. We may find that we can identify with certain characters or with the situations in which they find themselves.

3. Integration and social interaction:
We use the media to find out more about the circumstances of other people perhaps through empathy/sympathy.

4. Entertainment:
Lots of people like to use different media as a source for their own personnel entertainment - whether that be for the thrills, so that they can relax and unwind or as a way to pass the time.