SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM

Social Construction refers to the processes by which events, persons, values, and ideas are first defined or interpreted in a certain way and given value and priority, largely by mass media, leading to the personal construction of larger pictures of reality. Here, the ideas of ‘framing’ and ‘schemata’ play their part. This concept is at the very center of thinking about processes of media influence. The unthinking, but increasing, promotion by media of nationalism, patriotism, social conformity and religion could all be interpreted as examples of social construction. The emphasis is on the media as a reproducer of a selective and biased view of reality.

As per Berger and Luckman, the notion of society as an objective reality pressing on individuals is countered with the alternative (and more liberating) view that the structures, forces, and ideas of society are created by human beings, continually recreated or reproduced and also open to challenge and change. There is a general emphasis on the possibilities for action and also for choices in the understanding of ‘reality’ . Social Reality has to be made and given meaning (interpreted) by human actors.