Chapter 18 Symbolic Convergence Theory PDF

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Chloe Beighley...

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COM 295 Communication Theory

Chapter 18: Symbolic Convergence Theory Dramatizing Messages: Creative Interpretations of There-and-Then  Ernest Bormann classifies cracking a joke, describing a movie, or talking about plans for the upcoming weekend as dramatizing messages. He believes that conversations about things outside of what’s going on right now can often serve the group well.  Dramatizing message: Imaginative language by a group member describing past, future, or outside events; creative interpretations of there-and-then. Fantasy Chain Reactions: Unpredictable Symbolic Explosions  Bormann used the term “fantasy” for dramatizing messages that are enthusiastically embraced by the whole group.  Fantasy chain: A symbolic explosion of lively agreement within a group in response to a member’s dramatizing message. Fantasy Themes—Content, Motives, Cues, Types  Fantasy: The creative and imaginative shared interpretation of events that fulfills a group’s psychological or rhetorical needs.  Fantasy theme: Content of the fantasy that has chained out within a group; SCT’s basic unit of analysis.  Think of a fantasy theme as the content of the dramatizing message that successfully sparks a fantasy chain.  Symbolic cue: An agreed-upon trigger that sets off group members to respond as they did when they first shared the fantasy.  Fantasy type: A cluster of related fantasy themes; greater abstractions incorporating several concrete fantasy themes that exist when shared meaning is taken for granted. Symbolic Convergence: Group Consciousness and Often Cohesiveness  Symbolic convergence: Two or more private symbol worlds incline toward each other, come more closely together, or even overlap; group consciousness, cohesiveness.  Symbolic convergence usually results in heightened group cohesiveness—members attracted to each other and sticking together through thick and thin. Rhetorical Vision: A Composite Drama Shared by a Rhetorical Community  Shared fantasies aren’t confined to a small-group context.  “Fantasies that begin in small groups often are worked into public speeches, become picked up by mass media and ‘spread out across larger publics.’”  Rhetorical vision: A composite drama that catches up large groups of people into a common symbolic reality.

COM 295 Communication Theory Fantasy Theme Analysis  Fantasy theme analysis: A type of rhetorical criticism used to detect fantasy themes and rhetorical visions; the interpretive methodology of SCT.  Four features that are present in all rhetorical visions: 1. Characters: Are there heroes to root for and villains to despise? 2. Plot lines: Do characters act in a way consistent with the rhetorical vision? 3. Scene: How do descriptions of time and place increase the drama’s impact? 4. Sanctioning agent; Who or what legitimates the rhetorical visions? Theory into Practice: Advice to Improve Your College Experience  No matter what your role in the group, Bormann has offered the following advice: o When the group begins to share a drama that in your opinion would contribute to a healthy culture, you should pick up the drama and feed the chain. o If the fantasies are destructive, creating group paranoia or depression, cut the chain off whenever possible. o To build cohesiveness, use personification to identify your group. o Be sure to encourage the sharing of dramas depicting your group history early in your meetings. o Remember that a conscious rhetorical effort on your part can succeed in igniting a chain reaction, but the fantasy may take an unexpected turn....