Theories in Action
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Theories in Action
There are many different theories that have been created, used, and proven throughout the
years. These different theories can cover a very wide group of topics from the media to TV show
theories. Two of some of the most known theories that have to do with political effects and violence/aggression effects are known as the Social Learning/Cognitive Theory and the Cultivation theory. The social learning theory addresses hoe we learn from other things or other people, while the cultivation theory tackles the idea that the more time you spend with media the more you think it is accurate. The article, found on the Gallup, titled, “Update on What Americana Are Reading About Candidates,” shows directly how these two theories can be put to the test and proven.
The social learning theory can be best described as a theory in how we learn from others. According to the article title, “
Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory,” found in the Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media, it states that the theory was first developed by Albert Bandura, as he tried to explain how individuals learned from the environment (
Rhodes). The social cognitive theory discusses how from different experiences; people have different behaviors. For example, if a boy were to play with a “girls” toy he would get bad feedback, where if the boy played with a “boys” toy he would get positive feedback from
whoever. Thus showing that this theory is based off of that they do not need to experience everything, but instead they can experience different feedback and can learn by observing the actions of others and the consequences they receive (
Rhodes). Also, concurring to “A social learning theory of cross-functional case education” written in the Journal Business Research, the social theory “is this interdependent, evolving interaction among an individual’s cognition,
environment, and behavior that separates SLT from other person-situation frameworks,” (
Crittenden). The poll found on Gallup, titled, “Update on What Americans Are Reading About Candidates,” it talked about how between the dates of September 26
th
, when the first debate was held, all the way till mid-October, who the public had heard more about, Clinton or Trump. The poll findings also talked about why there were some drops with a certain candidate during a certain time period and why other times the polls were higher during other dates. For example, the poll said, “
Although polling data show that Americans believe
Clinton won
the Sept. 26 debate, Trump kept himself in the news thereafter, continuing to re-litigate some of the topics mentioned in the debate -- including past comments that a Miss Universe candidate was overweight and further thoughts on the subject that he famously tweeted late last Thursday,” (
Gallup
). Thus showing how some people may have heard more about Clinton because she had won the first debate, but others might have heard more about Trump because of the things that he
had said that had made their way into the headlines of major news companies. The social learning theory can also be shown through this poll, because is adolescents or teens were to have been asked which candidate they have heard more about recently their answer could have been based off of what they had heard around them and then that have influenced, like what their parents or relatives think about politics or how they talk about one candidate more over the other.
The Gallup poll shows how the social learning theory is in effect. It shows that when certain candidates have something happen to them whether it be something bad or something good, then the people start to talk about them. When people start talking about the candidates it shows how the other people they could be talking to could be affected by what they are saying.
Their political beliefs could easily influence someone else’s political beliefs if they were impressionable enough, which is an example of the social learning theory. The cultivation theory is a theory that generally states that the more time you spend with media the more you think it is an accurate representation of the real world. According to the Oxford University Press, in the Dictionary of Media and Communications, it was first created by
George Gerbner who claimed that “television viewing tends to cultivate attitudes towards the social world that are based on the world represented onscreen,” (Chandler). An article found in the Encyclopedia of Gender in Media title, “Cultivation Theory”, states that the theory is based off the belief that audience behaviors and attitudes are shaped by cumulative exposure to mainstream media (
Frechette
). The article then goes to talk about how the cultivation theory explains that the more audiences watch television, the more closely aligned their ideas and values are with those of television (
Frechette
). The cultivation theory uses outside influences like
the media or television to show how they directly impact the thoughts and ideals of people. The poll supports this type of media theory that is described above. The poll is based off of recalling if someone has read, seen, or heard anything about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump within the past few weeks. In which the cultivation theory states that the more time to spend hearing or watching things the more you believe that it is an accurate representation of the outside world and what is real. If someone was to mostly hear things about Trump then when asked to answer the poll, they would most likely pick Trump, not only for of having heard his name recently, but further believing what he said to be true, giving him more reasons to answer Trump in the poll. The poll goes on to talk about how the numbers went down for both candidates at different times because of their presence or little of in the media. That being said the cultivation theory shows how what people see and hear, are more likely to think is true, so if
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they heard things about both Clinton and Trump then whichever they heard of more is whichever
one they would more likely be in favor for and more likely to say that they had heard more of that specific candidate over the weeks the poll was conducted. The Gallup poll demonstrations how the cultivation theory is in effect. It shows that the more time they spend watching television or reading things found on the media, the more the person starts to believe that it is true and that is how the real world it. This theory ties into the poll, because the more someone hears about one candidate the more they believe what they are saying is true, the more likely they are to vote for that candidate when asked which one they have heard more about in the past few weeks. Between both of the different types of theories and how they are applied to everyday situations and how they function within a society, I believe that the social learning theory is the most compelling. I believe that it is the most compelling because at any age if you know the right
thing to say, many people are very impressionable. People’s views on certain topics and how they perceive things could be easily altered by someone else’s thoughts. Or the person could have been naïve and closed minded in the first place, where when the social learning theory comes into play. The social learning theory states that it is how we learn from others and that what they say can have impacts on us. Hence if people are having a conversation and the topic of
discussion might be about the upcoming political candidacy and then those same people had to take part in the Gallup poll they would be more likely to vote for whichever candidate they just got done talking about. While talking about the upcoming election it can be seen as an example of how people can learn from their environments. It can show how for example, if a teen is listening to their parents talk about their political beliefs and who they plan on voting for, it can influence the teen on who they might want to vote for. It can also have a negative effect, in that
that teen might only hear one side of the story, for example the teen would think that one candidate is better over the other just because that is what they have heard from their environment. Overall the social learning theory is more compelling when it is applied to the Gallup poll.
Works Cited Chandler, Daniel, and Rod Munday. "cultivation theory." A Dictionary of Media and Communication. : Oxford University Press, 2011. Oxford Reference. 2011. Date Accessed 1 Nov. 2016 <http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199568758.001.0001/
acref-9780199568758-e-0581>.
Crittenden, William F. "A Social Learning Theory of Cross-functional Case Education."
Journal of Business Research
14.5 (1986): 459. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
Frechette, Julie. "Cultivation Theory."
Encyclopedia of Gender in Media.
Ed. Mary Kosut. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2012. 47-49.
SAGE Knowledge
. Web. 1 Nov. 2016.
Gallup, Inc. "Update on What Americans Are Reading About Candidates." Gallup.com
. N.p., 07 Oct. 2016. Web. 01 Nov. 2016. <http://www.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/196217/update-americans-reading-
candidates.aspx?g_source=&g_medium=&g_campaign=tiles>.
Rhodes, Marjorie, Daniel W. Brickman and Brad J. Bushman. "Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory."
Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media.
Jeffrey J. Arnett. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2007. 781-782.
SAGE Knowledge
. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.
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