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4. MEDIA CONSUMPTION AND PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL REALITY 91

cognitive process model to explain a particular media effect, the cultiva-
tion effect.
Some important shortcomings are worth noting briefly. First, the dis-
cussion of the application of process concepts to media effects other than
the cultivation effect, which was provided in the first portion of the chap-
ter, is necessarily impoverished. Not only do space limitations preclude a
more thorough discussion, but much of this work is discussed in more
illuminating detail in other chapters in this volume. Second, the model
presented in the second portion of the chapter is very much incomplete.
In arguing for the importance of this research perspective, I may have
mistakenly given the impression that the model can successfully account
for all, or even most, research on the cultivation effect. This is far from the
case. The model is mute with respect to such things as so-called second-
order cultivation judgments (e.g., attitude judgments; Hawkins & Pin-
gree, 1990; Shrum, 1995). Similarly, it does not address in any detail such
things as question wording (e.g., fear of victimization vs. likelihood of vic-
timization, Sparks & Ogles, 1990; societal vs. personal judgments, Tyler,
1980) or the moderating influences of direct experience associated with
mainstreaming and resonance (Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, & Signorielli,
1980). Although the social cognition principles of accessibility and heuris-
tic/sufficiency have been applied to these areas of research as well (cf.
Shrum, 1999b; Shrum & Darmanin Bischak, 2001), they are not included
in the model.
Hopefully, the general theoretical perspective put forth in this chapter
will serve as an incentive to further investigate process issues, with the
aim of reconciling the corpus of research that has accumulated, rather than
simply adding to it. In order to move an area of research forward, it
would seem useful to develop general theories that can account for the
majority of findings to date. Simple input/output models are typically
insufficient in this regard. Rather, focusing on the mediating processes
and understanding the conditions that both facilitate and inhibit a partic-
ular effect may provide a fruitful path.

REFERENCES

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