The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media

This article examines the specifics and perspectives of the information and communication universe theory for the analysis of the mass media. The aim is to explain the application of the concept of affordance in the context of media theory. The term was introduced by psychologist James J. Gibson to...

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Main Author: Iosif M. Dzyaloshinsky
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2021-12-01
Series:RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/26081/19233
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author Iosif M. Dzyaloshinsky
author_facet Iosif M. Dzyaloshinsky
author_sort Iosif M. Dzyaloshinsky
collection DOAJ
description This article examines the specifics and perspectives of the information and communication universe theory for the analysis of the mass media. The aim is to explain the application of the concept of affordance in the context of media theory. The term was introduced by psychologist James J. Gibson to describe the specific inviting nature of objects and events, which, through affordances, suggest an algorithm for subsequent actions. From this point of view, the information and communication universe makes it possible to use it for some important purposes for the subjects of communication. However, the quality and options for implementing the possibilities of affordance depend on the goals, interests and skills of the subject who is trying to work with this affordance. To use an analogy, the same axe could invite some people to chop wood for an old lady, and others to use it as a weapon against her in order to seize her pension benefits. The thesis on the functional usefulness of the category information and communication universe for the analysis of processes in the media system is put forward. Traditional ideas about the specifics of the production and consumption of texts are corrected. The author analyzes the affordances of the Internet as a subsystem of the information and communication universe. It helps to explain the radical differences in the assessment of network digital technologies by representatives of different research schools. The article outlines further prospects for the identification and use of hidden affordances.
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spelling doaj.art-9f38b5d978324d2187a7f930fd1f689b2022-12-21T23:35:24ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism2312-92202312-92472021-12-01261929810.22363/2312-9220-2021-26-1-92-9819924The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass MediaIosif M. Dzyaloshinsky0HSE UniversityThis article examines the specifics and perspectives of the information and communication universe theory for the analysis of the mass media. The aim is to explain the application of the concept of affordance in the context of media theory. The term was introduced by psychologist James J. Gibson to describe the specific inviting nature of objects and events, which, through affordances, suggest an algorithm for subsequent actions. From this point of view, the information and communication universe makes it possible to use it for some important purposes for the subjects of communication. However, the quality and options for implementing the possibilities of affordance depend on the goals, interests and skills of the subject who is trying to work with this affordance. To use an analogy, the same axe could invite some people to chop wood for an old lady, and others to use it as a weapon against her in order to seize her pension benefits. The thesis on the functional usefulness of the category information and communication universe for the analysis of processes in the media system is put forward. Traditional ideas about the specifics of the production and consumption of texts are corrected. The author analyzes the affordances of the Internet as a subsystem of the information and communication universe. It helps to explain the radical differences in the assessment of network digital technologies by representatives of different research schools. The article outlines further prospects for the identification and use of hidden affordances.http://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/26081/19233mediamedia textinformation and communication universeaffordance
spellingShingle Iosif M. Dzyaloshinsky
The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism
media
media text
information and communication universe
affordance
title The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
title_full The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
title_fullStr The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
title_full_unstemmed The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
title_short The Affordances of the Information and Communication Universe, or Who is Behind the Mass Media
title_sort affordances of the information and communication universe or who is behind the mass media
topic media
media text
information and communication universe
affordance
url http://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/viewFile/26081/19233
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