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Trent, Judith S.; Ballard, Sandra; Osborn, Michael; Kendall, Kathleen E.; Thomas, David A.; Jablonski, Carol J.; Shedletsky, Leonard J; Seeger, Matthew W.; Frey, Lawrence R.

doi:10.1080/03634528609388343

Cited by 3 publications

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In Defense of Symbolic Convergence Theory: A Look at The Theory and Its Criticisms After Two Decades

1994

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This paper argues that not only is theory-building often unfashionable, but the spurious assumption that the presence of scholarly disputes signifies the need to abandon theory-building efforts adds to the difficulties of those willing to develop and expand general theories of human communication. We argue that the time is at hand to provide a new response to the published criticism of the symbolic convergence theory (SCT) and its attendant method of fantasy theme analysis (FTA). Since 1977, critics have made a number of charges about the usefulness of the symbolic convergence theory. We have collapsed the more frequently mentioned and argued points into four indictments of SCT: ( 1 ) SCT's proponents have not clarified the basic presuppositions that undergird the theory;(2) SCT is Freudian-based and therefore applies only to small group communication;(3) SCT's insights are researcher-dependent not dependent on the theory; (4) SCT is a relabeling of old concepts with ttivialjargon that lacks precision and clarity. This paper explains and refutes each indictment. The paper concludes with a discussion of constructive criticism and the harms resulting from indiscriminate and unjustified criticism on theory building in general.

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