Becky Ramirez
English 3
Prof. Andrade Tues/Thurs 7:30
Cultivation Theory
Professor of Communications and creator of the Cultivation Theory, George Gebner argues that
excessive television watching has progressive impacts on the viewers. These impacts become more
visible after an individual’s long terms of heavy exposure to television. According to Gerbner, long term
television exposure can distort an individual’s ability to asses danger, make an individual become
paranoid, and make a once well know individual seem like a complete stranger to their loved ones. Such
example can be seen in Edwin Lyngar’s article titled, “I lost my dad to Fox News: How a generation was
captured by thrashing hysteria”. Although Cultivation Theory has been criticized and discredited by
some scientist, Lyngar’s article creates a strong argument in support of Gerbner’s theory. Because of
Lyngar’s description of his father’s attitude, verbiage comparison to before and after television, and
comparison to his once known father, you are allowed to conclude Lyngar’s father has been cultivated.
Gerbner’s cultivation process is seen in Lyngar’s description of his father’s television viewing habits,
ultimately supporting the effects Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory.
An essential piece of the puzzle to conclude that Lyngar’s father has been cultivated is a break
down of his father’s television consumption habits. These play a major to arriving at the conclusion
Lyngar’s father has been cultivated. Lyngar describes his father’s daily Fox News consumption as a “Fox
News addiction”. This addiction is so extreme, Lyngar states he shares the loss of someone who has lost
a parent to “Cancer or Alzheimer’s”. Moreover, Lyngar’s choice of words to describe his father’s
television addiction paint a picture of a son in desperation and helpless to his father’s disease. Since
losing a battle to a disease such as Cancer and Alzheimer’s can only result in death, Lyngar’s comparison
leads you to conclude he not only feels his father has changed so far from the person who raised him, he
Becky Ramirez
English 3
Prof. Andrade Tues/Thurs 7:30
does not feel there is a remedy for his father’s disease. In addition, Lyngar uses words such as “angry”
and “hostile” to describe the effects a decade of an addiction has had on his father. Lyngar goes on to
pin point Fox News as the reason for his father’s addiction and change in attitude his father has made.
Both correlate with Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory. Analyzing the clues Lyngar provides throughout his
article you are able to arrive at a strong argument that his father also holds another piece in the
cultivation theory: heavy user.
Cultivation theorist have provided a wide range for a heavy user’s consumption times. Heavy
user’s daily television consumption times range between four to eleven hours a day. Heavy user’s
effects are shown in two stages: first order effects and second order effects. Although Lyngar does not
mention a specific time his father spends daily watching television, he does clue you when he states his
father has a “daily diet of Fox News,” and that television is his father’s “addition”. These descriptions
allow you to speculate his father fits into Gerber’s description of a heavy user. Being a heavy user alone
however, is not sufficient to prove his father has been cultivated. Theorist have criticized cultivation
theory by studying the evidence and concluding “little indication of sizeable media effects on viewers”
(Shrum 50). Lyngar’s father’s change in attitude must be taken into consideration to prove he has been
cultivated. Breaking down Gerbner’s description of a heavy user, the first stage first order effects. In the
first order effects stage individual’s ability to asses risk is distorted. Gerbner’s studies have shown
minority groups were more at risk of victimization that that of Caucasians. Professor of Communications
Em Griffin describes this perceived risk as “equal violence, unequal risks”. The distortion of reality is
described by Lyngar as his father’s belief that “science is a political plot”. Furthermore, his father
believes “Christians are America’s most prosecuted minority”. Although Lyngar does not specifically say
his father is a Christian, his father’s attacks and conservational political standing lead you to conclude he
is a religious man. The paranoia of being prosecuted by Americans allows an insight of his father’s
Becky Ramirez
English 3
Prof. Andrade Tues/Thurs 7:30
unrealistic fear he feels. Additionally, he rebukes science all together accusing science as a “political
plot”. A plot against whom? He feels against Christians. Lyngar’s father’s heavy user tendencies only
deepen the effects crossing to the second stage, the secondary effects.
Ph.D. and Professor at the University of Texas in San Antonio, L.J. Shrum starts the article
“Media Consumption and Perception of Social Reality,” by paraphrasing Paddy Chayefsky’s movie
character Howard Beale: “ Don’t come to television for truth…we’ll tell you any shit you want to hear”
(Chayefsky 1976). In Lyngar’s father’s case, he needs to watch Fox News to stay tuned. To understand
the change in attitude individuals make during the secondary effect, you must understand social
cognition and the correlation it has with media effects. Shrum describes social cognition as the
“relationship between [information] and the [judgement outcome from that information]” (Wyer,
1980). As previously discussed, according to the stages heavy user’s symptoms show, Shrum writes that
individuals “construct judgements” (Shrum 52) by retrieving the information that mostly resonate with
their opinion. Thus, when Lyngar’s father vocalizes his opinions and beliefs he uses the information most
available. The information most available is the information he has retained, as Shrum states “sufficient”
(Shrum 52) to back up his judgement. More so, during the secondary stage of heavy users individuals
show signs of attitude change. Lyngar asks, “What has changed”? He describes his father as “angry,
hostile, and outraged”. Shrum uses Wyer and Srull’s study and second principle that deals with
accessibility of the content for the reason for the change. If the content Lyngar’s father needs is
available around the clock, such as Fox News, much of the material is rotated and repeated. Repeated
material enforces and justifies Lyngar’s father’s beliefs and judgements. If it is being shown, it must be
important. In his father’s mind, he is being reassured his opinions, beliefs and judgements are valid,
hence the change in attitude. He is spoon fed in a daily basis at the comfort of his home that he is right
in feeling the way he does. Fox news provides him with this comfort which is why he exclaims “I don’t
Becky Ramirez
English 3
Prof. Andrade Tues/Thurs 7:30
care to see any more of that liberal bullshit”. Anything different will contradict his beliefs and might
suggest he is wrong. He defends this comfort as Lyngar states with “stridency”. In turn, he progresses to
see the world not as it is, but as the content exhibited on Fox news. Available breaking news, tragedy,
killings, and violent attacks is no wonder why the world is a mean and dangerous place through Lyngar’s
father’s eyes.
Imagine walking out of your door with the unease feeling you are “the” target criminals have
been waiting for. Violence and danger loom around every corner. Gerbner describes this cultivation
effect as Mean World Syndrome. Gebner credits Mean World Syndrome to long periods of exposure to
television, hence it is an effect heavy user’s show. Lyngar’s father thinks he is under constant attack. He
