Cultivation Theory-

Cultivation Theory- Is the idea that the media shapes how people view the world.

George Gerbner stands as the creator and pioneer of the cultivation theory. It is a theory that basically stands for fairness and equality, and that with heavy exposure to cultural imagery, one may try to act out. The action or actions that many people worry about are violent crimes. Many parents think that there is way too much violence on Television and that video games are too realistic and violent. One might argue that too much exposure too any one of these things can be dangerous, potentially causing an individual to act out. Furthermore, the main argument that goes along with the cultivation theory is that everyone has a brain and can choose to do whatever he or she wants. This means that every individual has the power to make a right or wrong decision, and deal with either the positive or negative consequence. I agree with both of these different viewpoints on this theiry. For instance, I think it is totally possible for a young person to carry out a "Columbine" sized school shooting who plays very violent video games everyday. But the kicker is that there could just as easily be a mass school shooting by a young person that has never had a history of violence. This is why the cultivation theory, although very appropriate in many cases, cannot totally be proven.