The hedonist’s thesis - gratification

The third theory is called the hedonist's thesis (gratification) . It gives the audience the power to select what it wants from the media. So here no one is a recipient of all the media's message, or even some of the media's message selected by our friends or ‘leaders'. Instead, each individual determines the effect of the media on him/herself, through selectivity. In advertising, consumers are only affected by advertisements, which offer to satisfy needs and desires. For example, an advertisement might offer to meet one of Maslow 's higher needs so that it will only affect certain individuals or groups. This theory suggests the need for market research, so that advertisements will have an effect on a limited audience. This is probably the best theory so far – although it must be said that some advertisements do inject a desire into all of us due to the fact that the media have some power over the audience because we have similar needs.

Please see the other complementary articles to the hedonist’s thesis.