Uses and Gratifications: Basic Concepts

Abstract

The uses and gratifications approach examines basic questions concerning why we choose the media we do, including our motives for choices (e.g., to learn, to pass time) regarding the medium itself as well as particular media content. As such, the audience is viewed as engaged and active. Early research examined typologies of motives for selecting various media (e.g., television); however, later theoretical clarifications resulted in differentiating media use motives into two related constructs: gratifications sought and gratifications obtained. Later research in the uses and gratifications tradition has not only considered why we use media but also examined predictors of media choice, such as personality characteristics, and has considered how our motives for media use may moderate or mediate the effects of various media exposures. This entry concludes with an analysis of how new media may offer an opportunity to clarify and synthesize the large body of uses and gratifications work and offers suggestions for future research.

A fine line between red and dark: Anti-communist film-induced tourism

“…This explains the degree of openness to a new experience that is related to movie attendance and reading pleasure. At the same time, voyeurism and personality seem to be related to selective exposure to media, selective exposure of content and content enjoyment (Krcmar, 2017). Hence, uses and gratifications theory is relevant to the characteristics of thanatourists and special-interest tourists.…”

Social media use in academia

“…6.2 Independent variableshedonic gratifications "Entertainment Utility", a content gratification, involves the use of content accessed, created and shared on SM as a means of entertainment for the end-user (Krcmar, 2017;Sundar and Limperos, 2013), like games, videos and humorous posts accessed on SM by faculty (Whiting and Williams, 2013;Landers and Callan, 2014). This utility has also been associated with internet (Papacharissi and Rubin, 2000) and Facebook (Joinson, 2008;Raacke and Jennifer, 2008), and is hedonic in nature (Nabi et al, 2006).…”

Spinning Religiously: A Study on the Predictive Power of Religiosity on Bahamian Online Gamblers’ Motivation and Intensity

“…Researchers (Krcmar, 2017;Blumler, 1979Blumler, , 2019 contend there is no theory that specifically names "uses and gratifications," while in reality there are "plenty of theories about uses and gratifications phenomena [may] well differ with each other over many issues" (Blumler, 1979, p. 11). Blumler adds that "the distinctive mission of uses and gratifications research is to get to grips with the nature of audience experience itself" (1979, p. 12).…”