How does the channel affect the symbols?

(The following is a short post by WVU Communication Studies MA student Betsy Ditrinco, in reflection of our earlier class on media violence research)

In Albert Bandura’s chapter on the Social Cognitive Theory, he describes how mass media and the human brain interact to develop an understanding of our culture. In defining three human functions (symbolizing capability, self-regulatory capability, and self-reflective capability), Bandura explains how humans process information derived from mass media. The symbolizing capability “provides humans with a powerful tool for comprehending their environment and creating and regulating environmental events that touch virtually every aspect” of our lives (p. 122). The self-regulatory capability is the function that controls our motivation, emotion, and behavior through evaluations of our own behavior. Finally, self-reflective capability is how we cognitively verify our accurate thoughts against our flawed thoughts.

When we consume different forms of media, we are constantly assigning meaning to symbols and developing an understanding of our culture. The question is if media channels affect the symbols that are sent. In the aftermath of 9/11, how did we interpret the symbols that a local TV >news reporter sent differently from the messages sent by radio personalities? I would argue that radio may offer more room for visual imagination and potentially a longer connection to the image. Instead of watching the anchor tell you a story from behind a desk, you are only listening to the radio host, potentially visualizing ground-zero the entire time. There are clearly countless variances that can affect the messages sent across different forms of media; what are some that come to mind for you? Can you argue the opposite side of the radio/television example? Along these lines, there are even differences within the same medium on different channels. There are some organizations that produce extreme liberal or conservative views. Depending on the channel (or blend of channels) an individual subscribes to, this can impact the way the person views the world and verifies his or her own way of thinking. In the early 1900’s, mass media created a fear based on this idea- limited channels, limited thoughts. Now we face the reality of inconsistent symbols with varying interpretations. I would argue this leads to broader thinking and stronger critique but could you argue any negative effects?