The Cultivation Theory

The cultivation theory is essentially a more refined version of the hypodermic needle model which stats that repeated exposure to a text will desensitise the audience.
This theory shows the long term effect of media on an audience. Films such as "The Exorcist" and "The Hills Have Eyes", are examples of texts which over time would desensitise the audience. A person who has seen many horror films before watching "The Exorcist" would not be as effected as a person who has not watched many horror films before. This is a clear example of the cultivation theory.