Cultivation Theory
Cultivation theory is a communications and sociological framework that contends that long-term
media exposure shapes how media consumers perceive the world and conduct themselves in life
(Riddle,
2010). Cultivation theory (or cultivation analysis) was developed in the 1960s by Hungarian-
born American professor George Gerbner to investigate the impact of television on viewers
(Gerbner, 1969). Larry Grossman American screenwriter, later expanded and developed
Gerber’s findings. According to this theory, those who are exposed to media interpret social
realities based on how such realities are portrayed in the media.
Medialization or Digitalization
The procedures through which the mainstream media impacts other segments of society,
including democracy, industry, heritage, infotainment, games, religious doctrine, youth
development, etc.,
Digitalization and Politics
Political science explores questions about power: what it is, where it comes from, who exercises
it, how it is used and legitimized. Concretely, political scientists study the processes, policies and
institutions of different political systems as well as critical issues such as health care policy, civil
rights, origin of wars, the nature of democracy, the causes of authoritarianism, the meaning of
justice, and the genesis of terrorism. Global power politics is very impulsive. The shifts in power
between global leaders in politics have mainly occurred due to three major factors; wars,
economic shifts and technological advancements. Accessing historically, the digital advancement
as witnessed in the 21st Century has caused prominent changes in politics and the way
governments work at home.
The Power of Confirmation Bias
One of the hidden forces that operates on social media is confirmation bias. This is especially
powerful when it comes to controversial topics, including politics. If you’re like most people, the
majority of your friends and followers on social media probably share your outlook. This means
that the vast majority of tweets, Facebook posts, pins or other content you read on these sites
tend to express the same point of view, one that you already hold.
It’s natural for people to surround themselves with others of like mind. This is true both online
and offline. On social media sites, this can create the illusion that “everybody” thinks the same
way. If you have a few hundred friends on Facebook, for example, and 90 percent of them agree
on most political issues, the information you get will be filtered through this bias. People will
post links to stories that confirm your existing bias. They’ll repeat opinions you already hold.
For this reason, social media may reinforce our opinions and make it more difficult to entertain
alternative points of view. In politics, it can help to make people more opinionated and less
tolerant of others. On the other hand, if you make an effort to connect with an assortment of
people with diverse viewpoints, you can overcome confirmation bias and use social media to
make you more open-minded.
Social Media and the Future of Politics
Because social media is relatively new, we’re just starting to see its impact on society. There are
sure to be many political changes that come about due to social media. There are now proposals
for internet voting, which could lead to more people participating in elections. This could make
social media even more influential, as people could literally vote moments after reading the latest
comments or links they found on Facebook or Twitter.
Other advancements will also change politics. Polling techniques on social media will become
more common and, hopefully, more accurate. More virtual political rallies and town halls will
take place. As social media becomes ever more popular, its impact on politics will only increase
over time. It will be interesting to observe how this plays out.
Rumors, Fake News and Conspiracies
Political campaigns are now influenced by every story, whether true or not, that gets spread
around social media. It’s getting more and more difficult to separate actual news from fake news
online. Social media makes this distinction especially confusing. The constant stream of memes,
links and rumors about political leaders and candidates is a mixture of truth, lies, satire and
speculation.
There are now quite a few fake or satirical “news” sites that often post stories that sound
authentic. Some fake news sites are not even amusing but simply exist to post clickbait stories or
to troll readers who don’t do their own research.
There are also sites with political biases or those peddling various unsubstantiated conspiracy
theories. It’s easy to be influenced by misinformation posted by your friends and followers, even
if they don’t intend to mislead you. It’s therefore necessary to use a great deal of discernment
before believing anything.