Cultivation Differential

Cultivation Differential refers to the idea that frequent TV viewers tend to perceive the world in ways that align more closely with televised portrayals. For example, heavy viewers might believe that crime rates are higher than they actually are because media often emphasizes violent incidents. This phenomenon suggests that sustained exposure to media content can shape or "cultivate" our perceptions of reality, making us see the world through a lens influenced by television narratives, even if those depictions don’t match actual social statistics or facts.