Advance Search

Western-Type Communications Research in the Third World: A Critical Appraisal

A Critical Appraisal

Keywords:
Copyright and Licensing:
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Share:

How to Cite

Western-Type Communications Research in the Third World: A Critical Appraisal. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 4(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v4i1.2136
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
  • Articles
  • Submited: November 14, 2022
  • Published: November 21, 2022

Abstract

RESPONDING to the complaint that a great deal of the communications research in the Third World is Western-biased, this article, using sources and examples from many parts of the world, looks at the past, present and future of social science research as applied to mass communications. Among complaints have been that the research grew up promoting business-industrial and military-psychological warfare aims (mainly of entities in the United States), and pushing for the status quo and homogenization of cultures. Much of the research was ethnocentric, myopic, culture- and timebound. To avoid some of these problems, cross- cultural and cross-national research should seek to determine equivalence levels (functional, conceptual, linguistic and metric): relevance and worth of the research, especially to the country being studied: and degree and type of methodology.

pdf
pdf

Article Metrics Graph

Article Views | PDF Downloads
Chart Graph | Range Graph

References

  1. AMIC. (1974) "Cooperative Research in Mass Communication." Workshop of AMIC, Quezon City, Philippines, Aug. 5-10, 1974. Singapore: AMIC.
  2. AMIC. (1975) "Cooperative Research in Mass Communication." Workshop of AMIC, Los Baños, Philippines, Dec. 16-22, 1975. Singapore: AMIC.
  3. Appleton, Sheldon. (1976-77) "Survey Re- search in Taiwan." Public Opinion Quarter- My. Winter, 468-481.
  4. https://doi.org/10.1086/268333
  5. Awa, Njoku E. (1978) "Language and Cross- Cultural Research." Presented at International Communication Association, Chicago, Illinois, April 25-29.
  6. Beltran, Luis Ramiro. (1976) "Alien Premises, Objects, and Methods in Latin American Communications Research." Communications Research. April, 107-134.
  7. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365027600300202
  8. Berrien, F. Kenneth. (1972) "A Super-Ego for Cross-Cultural Research." In Larry A. Samovar and Richard E. Porter, eds. Inter- cultural Communication: A Reader. Belmont, Ca.: Wadsworth.
  9. Blumler, Jay. (1978) "Purposes of Mass Comunications Research: A Transatlantic Perspective." Journalism Quarterly. Summer. 219-230.
  10. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769907805500201
  11. Brown, Julia S. and Brian G. Gilmartin. (1969) "Sociology Today: Lacunae, Emphases, and Surfeits." The American Sociologist. 4. 283-291
  12. Brown, Rogber. (1958) Words and Things. Glencoe: The Free Press. Chu, Godwin C. (1964). "Problems of Cross- Cultural Communication Research." Journalism Quarterly. Autumn, 557-562.
  13. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769906404100409
  14. Cohen, Ronald. (1973) "Warring Epistemologies: Quality and Quantity in African Re- search." In Willian M. O'Barr, David H. Spain and Mark A. Tessler, eds. Survey Re- search in Africa: Its Applications and Limits. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1973, 36-47.
  15. Cook, Bruce L (1978) "Understanding Pictures in Papua New Guinea, 1975: An Experiment Comparing Style and Content in Sociological, Epistemological and Cognitive Context." Ph.D. dissertation, Temple University.
  16. Davidson, Andrew R. (1977) The Etic-Emic Dilemma: Can Methodology Provide a Solu- tion in the Absence of Theroty?" In Ype H. Poortinga, ed. Basic Problems in Cross- Cultural Psychology. Amsterdam: Swets and Zeitlinger B.V.
  17. Drake, H. Max (1973) "Research Method or Culture-Bound Technique? Pitfalls of Sur- vey Research in AFrica." In William M. O'Barr, David H. Spain and Mark A. Tessler, eds. Survey Research in Africa: Its Applications and Limits Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 58-69.
  18. Drenth, Pieter J.D. (1977) "The Use of Intelligence Tests in Developing Countries. In Ype H. Poortinga, ed. Basic Problems in Cross- Cultural Psychology. Amsterdam: Swets and Zeitlinger. B.V., 249-258.
  19. Eapen, K.E. (1979) "The Cultural Component of SITE. Journal of Communication. Autumn, 106-113.
  20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1979.tb01751.x
  21. Esayas, Menkir (1976). "Some Problems in Communication Research in Africa." In Communication Research in the Third World: The Need for Training. Geneva: Lutheran World Federation, 25-33. Feliciano. Gloria D. (1973) An Overview of Communications Research in Asia: Status. Problems and Needs." Honolulu: Paper of East-West Communication Institute, no. 6.
  22. Feliciano, Gloria D. and Benjamin Lozare. (1976) "Using Western Social Research Methodology in Rural Asia: Problems and Prospects." In P.R.R. Sinha, ed. Communication and Rural Change. Singapore: AMIC. Risher, Hal. (1973) "Interviewing Cross- Culturally Survey Research in Political Science." In Robert Holt and John Tumer, eds. The Methodology of Comparative Research New York, 173-294.
  23. Grenfell, Newell (1974) "Market Research Comes of Age." Media for Asia's Communications Industry. April, 7-11.
  24. Gudykunst, William B. and Joseph E. Wright (1980) "Methodology in Intercultural Communication: Toward a Logic of Inquiry." In Nobleza C. Asuncion Lande, ed. Ethical Perspectives and Critical Issues in Inter- cultural Communication. Falls Church, Va.:
  25. Speech Communication Association, 38-43. Gunaratne, Shelton A. (1975). "Some Re- search Problems in Rural Sri Lanka." Media Asia, 2:3.
  26. https://doi.org/10.1080/01296612.1975.11725855
  27. Guthrie, George M. (1979) "A Cross-Cultural Odyssey: Some Personal Reflections." In J. Marsello, Robert G. Tharp and Thomas J. Ciborowski, eds. Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Psychology. New York: Academic Pres, 349-368. Halloran, James D. (1980) "The Context of Mass Communication Research.' Paris: UNESCO International Commission for the of Communication Problems, No 78.
  28. Hamnett, Michael (1980) "Ethics and Expectations in Cross-Cultural Social Science Re- search." In Nobleza C. Asuncion-Lande, ed. Ethical Perspectives and Critical Issues in Intercultural Communication. Falls Church, Va.; Speech Communication Association, 44-61.
  29. Hoffman, Michael. (1963) "Research on Opinions and Attitudes in West Africa." International Social Science Journal. 15:1, 59-69. Inayatullah. (1976) "Reconsideration of the Western Model." In Wilbur Schramm and Daniel Lerner, eds. Communication and Change: The Last Ten Years and the Next. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 57-59.
  30. Institute of Social Studies, The Hague. (1980) "Communication Research in Third World Realties." The Hague: Institute of Social Studies.
  31. Isomah, B.I. Chukwumah. (1973) "Some Prob- lems of Quantitative Research in Africa. In William N: O'Barr, David H. Spain and Mark A. Tessler, eds. Survey Research in Africa: Its Applications and Limits. Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 48-57.
  32. Jones, Emily L. (1963) "The Courtesy Bias in South-East Asian Surveys." International Social Science Journal. 15:1, 70-76.
  33. Kent, Kurt. E.M. (1980). "Ethical Issues in Inter- national Communications: The Contribution of Research. In Nobleza C. Asuncion- Lande, ed. Ethical Perspectives and Critical Issues in Intercultural Communication. Falls Church: Speech Communication Association, 38-43.
  34. Lassey, William R. (1968). "Combining Be- Research Methods in Under- developed Communities. Rocky Mountain Social Science Journal. Oct., 106-118.
  35. Lonner, Walter J. (1979a) Issues in Cross- Cultural Psychology Anthony J. Marsello, Robert G. Tharp and Thomas J. Ciborowski, eds. Perspectives on Cross- Cultural Psychology. New York: Academic Press, 17-45.
  36. Lonner, Walter J. (1979b) "The Search for Psychological Universals." In H.C. Triandis and W. Lambert, eds. Handbook of Cross- Cultural Psychology. Vol. 1. Rockleigh, N.J.: Allyn and Bacon.
  37. Lowry, Dennis T. (1978) "Communication Re- search in the '70s: An Evaluation of Empirical Studies Reported in Seven Journals." Unpublished paper, Temple University. Media Asia. (1976) "What Happens to Third
  38. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769907905600205
  39. World Research?" 3:1, pp. 22-23 Pausewang, Siegfried. (1973) Methods and Concepts of Social Research in a Rural Developing Society. Munich: Weltforum Ver- lag, 105-155.
  40. Pedersen, Paul. (1979) Non-Western Psychology: The Search for Alternatives." In Anthony J. Marsello, Robert G. Tharp and Thomas J. Ciborowski, eds. Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Psychology. New York:
  41. Academic Press, 77-98 Pelto, Pertti and Gretel H. Pelto. (1978) Anthropological Research: The Structure of inquiry. 2nd Ed. London: Cambridge University Press.
  42. Pomorski, Jerzy Mikulowski. (1978) "The Per- spectives of Media Research on International Communication. Presented at Inter- national Association of Mass Comunication Research, Warsaw, Sept.
  43. Rudolph, Lloyd and Susanne. (1958) "Surveys in India: Field Experiences in Madras State." Public Opinion Quarterly. 22, 235-244 Schiller, Herbert I (1974) "Waiting for Orders
  44. https://doi.org/10.1086/266789
  45. Some Current Trends in Mass Communications Research in the United States. Gazette 1, 11-21 Sechrest, Lee. (1977) "On the Dearth of
  46. Theory in Cross-Cultural Psychology: There is Madness in Our Method." In Ype H. Poortinga, ed. Basic Problems in Cross Cultural Psychology. Amsterdam: Swets and Zeitlinger B.V.
  47. Szecsko, Tomas. (1973) Dilemmas of Climb- Ing Steps." Presented at Press Foundation of Asia, One Asia Assembly, New Delhi, Feb. 5-8.
  48. Tafoya, Dennis. (1980) "Ethics and Intercultu- ral Communication Research: Obligations of the Researcher." In Nobleza C. Asuncion- Landa, ed, Ethical Perspectives and Critical Issues in Intercultural Communication. Fall Church, Va.: Speech Communication Association, 62-28.
  49. Tapp, J., H.C. Kelman, H.C. Triandis, L. Wrightsman and G. Coelho. (1974) "Continuing Concerns in Cross-Cultural Ethics: A Report." International Journal of Psychology. Vol. 9, 231-249.
  50. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207597408247108
  51. Van den Berghe, Pierre L. (1973) Social Sci- ence in Africa: Epistemological Problems. In William N. O'Barr, David H. Spain and Mark A. Tessler, eds. Survey Research in Africa: Its Applications and Limits. Evans- ton: Northwestern University Press, 25-35.
  52. Wilson, Elmo C. (1958) "Problems of Survey Research in Modernizing Areas." Public Opinion Quarterly, 22, 230-234. Wilson, Elmo and Lincoln Armstrong. (1963) "Interviewers and Interviewing in India." International Social Science Journal. 14:48-58.
  53. https://doi.org/10.1086/266788
  54. Wuelker, Gabriele, (1963) "Questionnaires in Asia" International Social Science Journal. 15, 35-47.
How to Cite
Western-Type Communications Research in the Third World: A Critical Appraisal. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 4(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v4i1.2136

Send mail to Author

Send Cancel

Custom technologies based on your needs

  • ORCID
  • Crossref
  • PubMed
    • Clarivate