Today, we live in a world where communication is essential for success. From business to personal relationships, having the ability to effectively communicate with others is key. That’s why it’s important to understand the medium theory—a concept that examines how people communicate through various media outlets and platforms.
Medium theory is an essential concept in communication studies, which states that the medium of communication has a powerful influence on how messages are interpreted and understood. This theory was first proposed by Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan in his 1964 book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. In this book, he argued that “the medium is the message,” meaning that it’s not only what we say but also how we say it – through which media or platform –that shapes our understanding and interpretation of messages.
To illustrate this point further, let’s look at an example from everyday life: texting versus face-to-face conversation. When communicating via text, there may be specific nuances to the language used (e.g., emojis) or even abbreviations (LOL). However, when talking face-to-face with someone, you can read their body language and facial expressions to gain more insight into their feelings about what they’re saying, something you don’t get from a text message exchange alone! Moreover, people tend to be less inhibited when speaking directly as opposed to sending texts because they feel more comfortable expressing themselves without fear of judgment. Therefore, while both forms have advantages for different purposes, Medium Theory suggests that one form might provide greater understanding depending on context.
Medium Theory helps us understand why some forms of communication work better than others for conveying particular types of information, whether it is emotions like love or anger or complex ideas like those found in academic research papers. Each type requires its own unique approach based on considerations such as audience size/demographics and purpose/intentions behind sharing said content. By recognizing these differences between various platforms available today, organizations can make informed decisions about where best to distribute their scope so as to maximize impact and reach desired audiences effectively!
You did well on discussing how the medium theory helps us in communication starting from explaining the background information, “the medium is the message” by Marshall McLuhan, to including real-life examples, such as, texting and face-to-face, and with the video link for further explanation.