uses and gratifications

uses and gratifications

Uses and gratifications theory is an approach to understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs. Uses and gratifications is an audience-centered approach to understanding mass communication. Diverging from other media effect theories that question "what does media do to people?", Uses and gratifications focuses on "what do people do with media?"

Modern applications of uses and gratifications research
Mobile phone usage

Mobile phones, a comparatively new technology, have many uses and gratifications attached to them. Due to their nature of mobility, constant access, and options to both add and access content, this field is expanding with new research on the motivations behind using mobile phones.

In general, people use mobile phones for the following uses and gratifications

• Affection/sociability
• Entertainment
• Instrumentality
• Psychological reassurance
• Fashion/status
• Mobility
• Immediate access

Social media usage

Recent research has looked at social networking services, personal and subject-based blogs, and internet forums put together to study the U&G in posting social content, the relationship between gratifications and narcissism, and the effects of age on this relationship and these gratifications. Users have motivations of the following overall:

• Social and affection
• Need to vent negative feelings
• Recognition
• Entertainment
• Cognitive needs 

Music magazine contents page analysis

The Uses and Gratifications Theory can be used to describe why some people would want to look at a music magazine. We could say that someone would want to look at a music magazine because they are interested in music. Another example could be more specific, such as someone might be interested in reading about the band oasis or another example would be someone who is interested in reviews on concerts or radio shows, or tour recommendations.