Uses and gratifications theory focuses on understanding why people actively seek out specific media to satisfy needs like relaxation, entertainment, inclusion, affection, sociability, and escape. It is an audience-centered approach that examines what people do with media rather than what media does to people. The theory draws from Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which proposes that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs and then progress on to fulfilling psychological and self-fulfillment needs.

1. Media
Theories
By Lewis Howard

2. Uses and Gratifications
Theory
• Uses and gratifications theory
(UGT) is an approach to
understanding why and how
people actively seek out
specific media to satisfy
specific needs.
• UGT is an audience-centered
approach to understanding
mass communication.
Diverging from other media
effect theories that question
"what does media do to
people?", UGT focuses on
"what do people do with
media?"
Relaxation
Entertainment
Fashion
Inclusion
Affection
Sociability
Escape

3. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
theory
• Maslow (1943) stated that
people are motivated to
achieve certain needs. When
one need is fulfilled a person
seeks to fullfil the next one,
and so on.