Dr. Debilal Mishra
Theory has been defined in different ways by different scholars along different dimensions of the social reality. According to Baran and Davis, ‘theory refers to any organized set of concepts, explanations and principles of some aspect of human experience’.
According to Wimmer and Dominick, ‘a theory is a set of related propositions that presents a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relationships among concepts.’ A theory is also defined as a series of ideas and general principles which seek to explain some aspects of the given phenomenon. Whatever it is, a theory essentially involves the theorist’s own approach-based understanding and realization of a phenomenon; and its systematic explanation to the further understanding and realization.
The media-society relationship has always been a dynamic phenomenon. Viewing it broadly, the media and society share reciprocal effects. There are so many researches carried out on the various ways and aspects of the media especially after the Second World War. And every work accentuates how vital the media is for the society. Of course the media is vital for the society and the social conditions, but the other side of the truth is even more important.
The society also shapes the media depending upon the various levels of media literacy leading to interest, involvement, awareness, participation and effect. Without the positive reciprocal effects of the media and society, no progressive media or society can ever be conceived. There are so many social complications the media has to survive in course of its social performances since the society is a complex composition in itself.
With the ever-changing social perceptions of the people the social dynamism is sustained; and the media, at every step, has to function as part of this social dynamism. In a sense, the psychology of the society always affects the philosophy of the media; and in the process the nature of their relationship is determined.
The following theories explore the hidden realities involving the reciprocal relationship of the media and society. The theories originated from the inter-phase qualitative cross-perceptional analysis of the findings of a three-phase mixed-approach work on the reciprocal effects of media and society.
IDENTITY-ATTENTION THEORY
Here the basic proposition is that the media always gives attention to what carries a greater identity in a particular context. That is to say, the identity receives greater attention in the media agendas.
Identity leads to attention; and more identity leads to more attention and vice-versa.
RECIPROCAL EFFECT THEORY
Major propositions:
- RECIPROCAL EFFECT is caused by RECIPROCAL PARTICIPATION [Both the media and the society need to participate in each other’s contexts]
- RECIPROCAL PARTICIPATION is caused by RECIPROCAL AWARENESS [Both the media and society need to be aware of each other]
- RECIPROCAL AWARENESS is caused by RECIPROCAL INVOLVEMENT [Both the media and society need to be involved in each other’s context]
- RECIPROCAL INVOLVEMENT is caused by RECIPROCAL INTEREST [Both the media and society need to interest each other positively]
AUDIENCE-RESPONSE THEORY
- Here the basic proposition is that the media effort should interest its audience. Audience interest holds the basic mechanism of the audience response. And for generating audience interest the media needs to develop some closeness with them to work on their perceptions. Once the media knows the audience perceptions, it becomes easy to develop certain emotional agendas for creating the audience interest as central to the audience response.
- The Audience emotion is central to the audience interest, and the audience interest is central to the audience response.
AGENDA-MAKING THEORY
Major propositions:
- What matters for the media gets the priority.
- In Agenda-making, the media-worthiness is decided by the media only.
- Social usefulness may come from the agenda-making, but agenda-making is not all about the social usefulness.
- Sometimes the agenda-making and social usefulness may coincide.
PERCEPTION-IMPRESSION THEORY
Major Propositions:
- There can be no meaning without perception and there can be no perception without the contextual impression.
- I perceive you the way you impress me.
- The contextual impression is formed by ELAF- Experience, Learning, Awareness and Feeling.
- One’s own perception makes things meaningful to them.
- Perception is always individual. There can be nothing called universal perception since everyone is naturally unique and has their own individual ways of understanding things which in turn affect their Perception, Personality and Performance. Universal perception is something purely absurd and co-incidental.
- There are three distinct psychological processes- impression formation, perception formation and meaning formation- that are inter-connected in the realm of the social psychology.
Brief Profile of the writer:
Dr. Debilal Mishra is now an Asst. Professor, Dept of JMC, R avenshaw University, Cuttack.
– Did his Doctoral Research on Reciprocal Effects of Media and Society
– Fields of Specialization: Communication Theory, Media Effects, Communication and Social Psychology
– Developed some new theories in the field of communication and social psychology. 3 of his theories have been introduced into the syllabus of Ravenshaw University.
– Active as a Communicologist working on several psychological aspects of human communication. Works on areas like personality, consciousness, Vibrational Communication and communication behaviour.
– A poet, writer, columnist, TV Panelist and Behaviour consultant.
