Cultivation Theory

According to Media Now, cultivation theory “argues that mass media exposure cultivates a view of the world that is consistent with mediated ‘reality’.”  In other words, people learn to think or act a certain way because of how the media portray a certain thing or idea. If the media portray something in the same way for long enough, people will come to accept that view as reality – even if it’s not real at all. This theory ties in with the concept of hegemony, in that someone with power in the media is choosing to portray something a certain way; cultivation theory expands on this, stating that people are highly affected by this portrayal, enough to engender or change their views on a topic that is being portrayed.

Cultivation theory explains the situation in Tough Guise where the portrayal of men as strong, tough, and violent in the media causes young men to think that to be a “real man”,  they need to be strong, tough, and violent themselves, even though the portrayal of men like this is made up or false.

  

One example Tough Guise gives that exemplifies cultivation theory is John Wayne. John Wayne was depicted in his movies as the epitome of masculinity; he oozed confidence, wore rugged clothes, was never afraid to fight, and never did anything even remotely considered “girly”. Cultivation theory would say that the constant images of John Wayne and people like him caused young men to think they had to act the same way to be considered a man. The problem with this train of thought in young men is that the portrayal of John Wayne, an example of the way men were supposed to act, was nothing like reality. The actor’s actual name was Marion Morrison, an admittedly feminine name. In addition, Marion dressed in tasteful clothes, something very different from the rugged John Wayne. Men everywhere idolized John Wayne, even though his character in the movies was totally made up; the real man was nothing like that.