Uses and Gratifications Theory examines why people use certain media and what they gain from it. Some key uses and gratifications include surveillance, where viewers feel safer knowing what is happening around them; escapism, which allows people to escape daily problems through media like comedies; and personal relationships, as shared media can foster connections between people. The theory was first introduced by Elihu Katz and seeks to understand how audiences are active in choosing and using media to fulfill various needs and desires.

1. Uses and Gratifications Theory
By Natalia Cotonou

2. What is Uses and Gratifications
Theory?
• An approach used to understand why people
use certain types of media and they will get
out of it
• It was first introduced by Elihu Katz as he
found out that many people use the media to
their advantage

3. Surveillance
• When the viewer feels more safe knowing
what is going on around them. For example, in
a horror film they know it’s not real and
they’re not in any real danger. They will feel
more relieved that it’s not happening to them

4. Escapism
• This allows people to escape from their daily
problems in their lives when watching the
film. A viewer could watch a comedy when
they’re feeling down to bring up their mood.

5. Personal Identity
• This is when a viewer compares their lives to a
character in the film. If they have a similar life
to one within the film they film like they can
relate to them. Also when a viewer has to
compare themselves to a character in the film
they tend to think about their differences.

6. Personal Relationships
• When people are together and watching the
same thing they would usually feel the same
emotions and this could create a connection
between the people, this could give the
people something to discuss and enjoy it more

7. Recognition
• The audience would be able to recognise the
genre of a film due to the conventions within the
film. An example of this would be close ups in
horror films, these are usually used to show the
scared and frightened emotions of the characters
faces. This makes it clear for the audience to tell
that our genre is horror. We will also be using low
key and dark lighting in our sequence to make it
look more mysterious. Another convention that
we will be using it a main female character at the
beginning.

8. Information in our film
• Curiosity and general interest
People would want to know what it going to
happen next and what happens to our main
character, Rachel next.