Symbolic convergence theory (SCT) is a communication theory developed by Ernest Bormann proposing that the holding of fantasies in common transforms collections of individuals into cohesive groups. SCT offers an explanation for the appearance of a group's cohesiveness, consisting of shared emotions, motives, and meanings. Through SCT, individuals can build a community or a group consciousness which grows stronger if they share a cluster of fantasy themes. Symbolic convergence theory provides a description of the dynamic tendencies within systems of social interaction that cause communicative practices and forms to evolve. This theory allows theorists and practitioners to anticipate or predict what will happen and explain what did happen. One thing SCT does not do is allow for control of human communication. It attempts to explain how communication can create and sustain group consciousness through the sharing of narratives or fantasies.
To foster this cohesiveness, dramatizing or using fantasy stories are significant types of communication involved in SCT. SCT explains that meanings, emotions, values, and the motives for action are in the communication contexts by people trying to make sense out of a common experience. It explores the human tendency of trying to understand events in terms of the people involved, who have certain personality traits and motivations, and have agency over how the events unfold. SCT was first proposed by Ernest Bormann in the Quarterly Journal of Speech in 1972.
Bormann and his colleagues at the University of Minnesota introduced SCT as a framework for discovering, describing, and explaining the dynamic process by which humans come to share symbolic reality. Bormann defines the basic communicative dynamic of symbolic convergence theory as, "the sharing of group fantasies which bring about symbolic convergence for the participants" (p. 4). It is a process through which collectives create and share a consciousness and develop a common symbolic reality.
Symbolic Convergence Theory is related to attribution theory in that it deals with the human tendency to attribute meaning to signs and objects in order to make sense of them. The process of symbolic convergence resembles empathic communication.
SCT has a three-part structure: elucidation of the recurring forms of communication involved in a shared group consciousness illustration of why group consciousness begins, rises, and is maintained explanation of the process of how an individual begins to share (or stops sharing) a common symbolic reality
Anatomy
Basic concepts
Dramatizing
Dramatizing messages involve members introducing brief examples of humor, wordplay, and figures of speech (metaphor, simile) or elaborate analogies, fables, narratives, stories, or other creative expressions. Dramatized messages explain events that happened elsewhere or in the past or might occur in the future within the group. When in a group, someone cracks a joke, describes a movie, or starts discussing plans for the weekend or vacation. Dramatized messages help the speaker and listener make sense of a confusing situation or clarify an uncertain future.
Fantasy themes
Unlike the traditional ideas of what fantasy means, Bormann uses the word to refer to "the creative and imaginative interpretation of events that fulfills a psychological or rhetorical need." Fantasy themes are used to construct a rhetorical vision or to dramatize messages embraced by the whole group. They are the means through which interpretation is accomplished through communication. SCT isn't concerned with finding the truth but with the reaction from the group when these fantasies are shared. Most of the time, these fantasies trigger a chain reaction within the group where they will contribute more and more to the conversation or fantasy. Bormann sees these fantasy themes fulfilling a psychological or rhetorical need through creative and organized interpretations of events.
Fantasy themes are broken down into the following three forms: Setting themes depicting where either the action takes place or where the characters act out their roles Character themes describe the agents or actors in the drama, assigning qualities and motives to them, implying that they have specific characteristics Action themes or plot lines dealing with the action of the drama.
Symbolic cues
A symbolic cue is a word, phrase, slogan, or nonverbal sign or gesture that triggers previously shared fantasies and emotions. Images, symbols, dramatizations, and narratives can draw people into a shared symbolic world. An example of a symbolic cue would be a bumper sticker, which actuates the observer into a larger shared reality. Symbolic cues can heighten a group's cohesiveness.
Fantasy types
A fantasy type is a fantasy theme that has currency across many rhetorical visions. By providing known references, they help make sense out of a new phenomenon.
An example of a fantasy type would be when Richard Nixon was campaigning in his home state of California in 1952. Some wealthy Southern California businessmen put a fund together on behalf of Nixon. The newspapers picked this up and ran headlines such as "Secret Rich Men's Trust Fund Keeps Nixon in Style Far Beyond His Salary." The purpose of this fund was to help Nixon pay for expenses he could not otherwise pay for out of his income. National newspapers were two to one in favor of dropping Nixon from the ticket after this, and his only hope was to find a way to regain public trust and support. Six days after the crisis, Nixon addressed the public by radio to respond to the charges against him. A fantasy theme emerging from this story would be Nixon presenting himself as the American dream. During his speech over the radio, he emphasized how he made his own way in the world and had to work for a living. He also said, "How does a candidate pay for political expenses not covered by the government? First is to be a rich man, which I am not. I feel it is essential in our country that a man of modest means can run for President." He offers autobiographical references, allowing him to appear as the average man. This is an appropriate fantasy theme because it develops a response to the allegations that he is not a rich man who is getting money from everyone but a hard-working man who started from the ground and worked upwards.
Saga
A saga is the telling and re-telling of the accomplishments and events in the life of an individual, group, organization, or larger entity such as a nation. For instance, examples of American sagas include "the spirit of entrepreneurship" and "the power of the ballot box." Symbolic convergence theorists argue that the Soviet Union had difficulty maintaining the cohesion of the fifteen republics due to the weakening of the communist rhetorical vision and dwindling sagas.
Structural concepts
Rhetorical vision
A rhetorical vision is a composite drama that unifies people in a shared symbolic reality.
A rhetorical vision has five elements:
Dramatis personae – the actors and players who give life to the rhetorical vision Plotline – provides the action of the rhetorical vision Scene – details the location of the rhetorical vision Sanctioning agent – legitimizes the rhetorical vision Master analog – the reflection of a deeper structure within the rhetorical vision
Critical evaluation concepts
Shared group consciousness
A shared group consciousness must exist within a rhetorical community for a fantasy theme to chain out, a rhetorical vision to develop, a saga to exist, or a symbolic cue to imbue meaning. Some terms that portray a shared group consciousness are common ground, mutual understanding, created social reality, meeting of minds, and empathic communication. Once a group has reached shared group consciousness, they no longer think in terms of "I" or "me" but in terms of "us" and "we." After all, communication is the drive that allows groups of people to move toward their goals. A shared group consciousness also reduces uncertainty by allowing groups to develop an identity that shapes their culture. Shaping their own culture can influence norms, roles, and even decision-making.
Rhetorical vision reality link
A rhetorical vision reality link allows for a viable rhetorical vision that includes an authentic account of the phenomena and tangible evidence. The lack of a rhetorical vision reality link, with no clear observational impressions of the facts, may lead to disprovable fantasies characterized by rumor, innuendo, gossip, and even paranoia.
Fantasy theme artistry
Fantasy theme artistry is the rhetorical ability to present situations in a form that appears attractive to people so that they will share them. By presenting situations in a form that appears attractive to an audience, or showing that you have an understanding of the stories that group shares, you can speak to their stories and turn their opinions into your favor.
Life cycle
Stage 1: Emergence or creation
A dramatic event or series of events leads to uncertainty and a need to develop rhetoric to explain the current state of reality. In the case of the Cold War, the emergence of a fantasy vision was necessary after Stalin's speech clarified his belief that capitalism and communism were incompatible and that war was inevitable. With the Truman Doctrine speech, emerging fantasies of Red Fascism (e.g., communism vs. democracy), Power Politics (e.g., containment strategy), and the Hot War vision (e.g., make the world safe for democracy), crystallized into the yet unknown concept of "the Cold War."
Stage 2: Consciousness-raising Fantasies begin to chain out among a collectivity of people over a common interest. As they co-create a new vision, their lives take on new meaning and emotion, and their behavior changes. The principle of critical mass, when a rhetorical vision begins a period of rapid growth, is central to consciousness-raising. Also key to this stage is the principle of dedication, which asserts that when planned events inspire individuals to act according to the key emotions present in the rhetorical vision, their consciousness is raised.
Stage 3: Consciousness-sustaining At this stage, communication is focused on maintaining the commitment of people who have shared the rhetorical vision. The principle of shielding asserts that visions often remain fundamentally unchanged by containing motivation to quash counter messages. The principle of rededication asserts that visions may be sustained through severe criticism of counter-rhetoric and strategic positive dramatizations to maintain the visions' vitality. The principle of reiteration asserts that rhetorical visions may be sustained by restating the key fantasy themes and types in new manners that fit within the dramatic structure of the vision, along with framing new information within the old rhetorical forms to maintain explanatory power.
Stage 4: Vision-declining Situations in a rhetorical community can change so rapidly that the vision cannot adapt successfully. The principle of explanatory deficiency asserts that when a rhetorical vision loses its explanatory power, it begins to decline. Another possible reason for the decline is explained by the principle of exploding free speech where a deluge of counter-rhetoric follows a significant period of censorship. Along similar lines, the principle of resurfacing competitive rhetorical visions asserts that competition from alternate rhetorical visions increases with opened channels of communication.
Stage 5: Terminus The end of a rhetorical vision. The principle of rapid implosion asserts that an inflexible rhetorical vision will not decline incrementally but will implode on itself when the combination of problems, inability to explain the rapid change, and contradictory motives become too much for the vision to deal with.
Real world uses