The Social Context for Communication is a section of the book Perspectives on Family Communication by Turner and West, and its title reflects the author’s central idea. The section’s main theme is the social component of family communication, but three main aspects are discussed within the topic. Firstly, it is the mass media, as the information boom has become one of the most important factors in forming personal characteristics. Even the simple use of the TV remote control affects communication within the family. Moreover, themes such as the social movements promoted by women and men and public policy were brought up.
To support the arguments, the author uses the findings of multiple theorists. Of particular note is Rhyse Williams, who argues about men’s desire to redistribute roles. It is equally important to mention Mary Madziyam and Robert Blue as some of the first defenders of the dominant male role. No less interesting are the thoughts of Priya Elan, who masterfully characterized family relationships on television programs.
The section makes several key statements about each of the aspects discussed. One of the most important is that social media is a dangerous twenty-first-century phenomenon. On the one hand, it can bring people together, but on the other, it can cause complete isolation for people close to each other. Moreover, the author’s key claim is that men’s aspirations are diverse and range from the need to redistribute power in favor of women to traditionally patriarchal movements.