THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION (MCM-511)

THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION (MCM-511)

Assignment No 2

Q No.1            Discuss the major assumption of Social Cognitive Theory. Explain four uniquely human characteristics of Bandura’s theory with the help of examples. (Marks: 15)

SOLUTION:

Social cognitive theory is a hypothetical standpoint in which learning by determining the behavior of others is the emphasis of study. The theory is stranded through various elementary assumptions. One of the assumptions is that individuals can learn by perceiving the behaviors of others. People can obtain new behaviors and knowledge through merely observing a model.      Theory is utilized in communication, psychology and learning clenches that parts of an entity's knowledge procurement could stand straight concomitant to observing others inside the perspective of social communications, understandings, and exterior media inspirations. Social cognitive theory of Albert Bandura is centered on the reconnaissance of representations, whichever in animate or emblematic arrangement. The three elementary aspects on which theory depend on are the collaboration within the environment and the individual, an agreed actions, and interior observant elements. The communication among three characteristics is acknowledged by means of reciprocal determinism. In broad-spectrum, an individual observe a model intermingle with the surroundings and notice the consequence to comprehend in what way one ought to riposte once retained in a similar condition. The individual need hence pay deep concentration towards model and ensure respectable cognition abilities to be capable to remember the events at far along period. Social Cognitive Theory has numerous assumptions and principles:

§  Humans are social beings who learn by judgment of the conduct of people and the results (cavalries and penalties) related with that conduct.

§  Judged behaviors which are compensated will be reiterated

§  The individual with being imitated behavior is entitled as the role model and the procedure of imitation is known as modeling.

§  Learning can seldom happen without any amendment in behavior. This behavior might happen at a future stage, or it might not ever happen.

§  Cognitive processes perform a significant part in learning. Certain of these cognitive processes comprise consideration, recall, preparation, inspiration and anticipations of reinforcement or punishment.

FOUR UNIQUELY HUMAN CHARACTRISTICS OF BANDURA’S THEORY

Social cognitive theory of Bandura accentuates the significance of these four uniquely human characteristics which are appended below:-

§  Symbolizing capacity

§  Self-regulatory capacity

§  Self-reflective capacity

§  Vicarious capacities (Bandura, 1994)

Symbolizing Capacity

Humanoid communication is grounded on a structure of shared meaning acknowledged as language which is created of many symbols. These symbols happen at more than on intangible level. Alphabetical letters are signs utilized in manufacturing of word. Words function as symbols to characterize particular things, views, or philosophies. The ability to comprehend and utilization of these symbols permits populaces to accumulate and process and transmute perceived understanding into cognitive models that direct them in imminent actions and conclusions.

Self-Regulatory Capacity

The self-regulatory capacity contains the impressions of motivation and assessment. Individuals have the aptitude to encourage themselves to accomplish particular objectives.  Peoples predispose to assess their own behavior and react accordingly for their self-motivation for the purpose of accomplishment certain objectives. Through this process behavior is self-directed and self-regulated.

Self-Reflective Capacity

Self-Reflective Capacity encompasses the course of thought corroboration. This is the aptitude of an individual that how to carry out a self-check to certify his or her thinking is right. Bandura acknowledged four diverse self-reflective “modes” utilized in thought corroboration:

§  Enactive Mode

§  Vicarious Mode

§  Persuasive Mode

§  Logical Modes

1. Enactive Mode

 An individual considers the agreement between assumption and the consequences of actions in enactive mode. Actions of individuals validate his/ her thought and deliver corroborations.

2. Vicarious Mode

            In vicarious mode Judgments of experience of someone other and the results of those practices assist to endorse or contradict the authenticity of thoughts. Instance—let's assume a lady considers that womenfolk are prone to inferiority complex and the TV comes in the watches Xena and then her opinions regarding feminine lowliness might be stunned into certain type of reevaluation.

3. Persuasive Mode

A potent ad functions as the great demo of the persuasive mode, expressly a commercial in which an individual on the thoroughfare is satisfied to alter product. Notwithstanding the supplementary price, the viewer may be influenced by the choice of the individual for buying the brand promoted.

4. Logical Mode

            It embroils corroboration by which hitherto assimilated procedures of inference. Perchance the individual who was influenced to experiment the fresh brand liked it so far that he finalized to utilize the greater price brand of the other categories of goods.

Vicarious Capacity

Vicarious Capacity is the skill to gain deprived of straight experience, highlights the prospective societal effect of mass media for good or bad. For instance, of affirmative societal effect the vicarious capacity permits a individual to acquire entire categories of advantageous things through merely reading of watching a TV show demonstrating these pro-social actions. Moreover, on the adverse prospective, persons might observer and seek definite disruptive attitude to which they might not else have been exposed.

Q No.2            Do you think that violence in cartoon programs like Ban-Ten and Tom and
Jerry is increasing aggressive behaviors among children? Discuss in the light
of any such child from your family or surroundings. (Marks: 05)

SOLUTION:

Regular engagement in watching the television usually encompasses cartoons, and nowadays, numerous cartoons such as Ban-Ten and Tom & Jerry etc are platforms of violence and due to frequent watching of these types of cartoon creating the aggressive behaviors in the children even in my surrounding most of the kids specially my nephew Kashif Mehmood is involved to much in watching these type of violent cartoons. Once I asked him about these cartoons and he was confidently be capable to tell me lot of thing regarding his favorite cartoon character. He reveals painful obstinacy as a result of viewing violence in cartoons and instigates to find himself with characters and start acting like them. Many times I have observed that some children in my family who are also interested to frequently watch cartoons on TV have adopted aggressive and ferocious behavior and specially Kashif has adopted a very antagonistic attitude and always tried to copy the actions of Tom & Jerry cartoon. He often plays rough and attempt to fight with same cartoonish mode. His parents are too much worried about his adaptation of negative attitude due to continues watching of violent cartoon. Moreover, Several times in my surrounding, children found fighting each other and shout louder with aggressive manner.  Subsequently, children who are involved in watching too much of violence on TV can is very possibly to have emotional and behavioral complications.

As a natural we have the aptitude for motivation, understanding and learning, and owing to this our thoughts are very easily influenced. As a result, our brains’ growth is a dynamic combination of nature and nurture. Accordingly it is imperative to select healthy surroundings for all toddlers. This means cartoons with violence like Ban-Ten and Tom and Jerry will be harmful for a kid because in generalized prospective, being collaboration with any atmosphere increases the growth of the mind. Consequently, a incredible aggregate of infancy engagement with the electronic media could edge social collaboration and might hinder the growth of a intellect’s societal roles.  According to researchers claim huge levels of violence in cartoons such as Ban-Ten and Tom & Jerry could make kids violent. They initiate that animated programs targeted at adolescents frequently have more violence than show broadcast for common spectators. Investigators claim kids copy characters just as far as they would with actual performers. The researchers likewise highlights that children inclined to mimic the adverse behavior they observe on TV such as rumor, scattering, nattering and eye-rolling. There are situations where kids take cartoons to a dangerous level. This is critical as parents occasionally just allow their kids consume time by watching TV as are busy in routine official activities. While parents tolerate their teenagers to watch cartoons, they must confirm that these cartoons are suitable and reasonable to watch. In case parents discover blasphemy or unambiguous language and scenes in a cartoon, they must not let kids to watch.