Uses and Gratifications Perspective of Media Effects

Uses and gratifications (U&G) perspective has been widely used in research to study media audiences. The perspective is grounded in the idea that consumers are motivated to use media to satisfy certain needs or wants and that they receive certain gratifications from this use. Uses and gratifications is a psychological perspective that positions media consumers as active participants whose choices are goal-directed and purposive. These choices can be affected by personal characteristics, social roles, and interaction. Research on U&G has branched out in many different directions, including links among motives, attitudes, and behaviors; motives associated with different media use; social and psychological variables associated with media use; gratifications sought and obtained; links among personal characteristics, motives, and outcomes; theoretical connections between U&G and other perspectives; ...