The merger of mass and interpersonal communication via new media : integrating metaconstructs

Abstract

The convergence of mass and interpersonal communication requires integration of underlying processes, or theoretical metaconstructs, that originated in formerly separate research domains. Several previous efforts to integrate mass and interpersonal communication fell short in this regard, and correspondent empirical work provides limited explanations. The article nominates 9 metaconstructs: distribution capacity, message persistence, audience, channels and cues, relationships, temporality, interactivity and mutual influence, message characteristics, and social goals. It suggests how these metaconstructs, in manifestations afforded by new media, can affect communication in important ways, with examples of studies that benefited from their inclusion. Consideration and integration of these metaconstructs, in individual studies or in streams of research, can expand the explanatory power and precision of research involving new media.