Influence of the social networks on the formation and development of the society

A. Zhunusova,

Master of Psychology, senior teacher of department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Pavlodar state university named after S.Toraygyrov

A. Nazymbek,

Masters student, Ineu,c. Pavlodar, Kazakhstan

In a modern world, we are constantly confronted with the media. It is so firmly entrenched in our everyday life that we even cannot imagine our existence without it. It has become pretty ordinary for us to watch the latest news on the favourite television channel, look for the results of a football match on sports web-site in the Internetand listen to the weather forecast for the day on the waves of beloved FM - radio station.Importance of mass media in life of modern society can hardly be overestimated. In fact in today's world media hasundertaken a number of functions in forming consciousness of the people, educating their tastes, attitudes, habits and preferences. Person, who has not previously faced with a particular problem himself, neverthelessis able to acquaint with the variety of social life manifestations, to get some idea about and build a certain attitude towards them due to the opportunities of the "Internet".

In contemporary globalized world and media culture that, last but not least, are transformed by the Internet, there is a strategic need for research of the Internet as a new means of mass communication. Factor of globalization, exposure intensity of mass communication have changed the communicative behaviour of the audience that ultimately actualizes the problem of development of subjectivity in modern society. Indeed, the possibility of its sustained development depends not only on the rate of introduction of market relations, highly efficient technologies and economic mechanisms into the economy of a particular country, but also on the extent of taking into account the fundamental interests of all social groups, and how successfully and positively resolved social contradictions on this basis. In this regard, influence of the "Internet" on the formation and development of the society appears to us as extremely relevant.

Economic development, technology, progress in science and changes in all spheres of public life served as a powerful impetus to systemic changes in society. Frontier 1980-1990’s can be indicated as the beginning of a new stage in the development of concepts of modern society, which is characterized by a large flow of information, new information technologies and new knowledge. In 2005, UNESCO has prepared a " World Report 2005: Towards a Knowledge Society», which justifies the need and importance of the transition from the information society to the concept of the knowledge society. [1] It drew attention to the fact that the capabilities and resources of the global information used only to a small extent in the production and dissemination of knowledge - most of them contribute to the flourishing of phenomena that has nothing to do with the knowledge society: vapid Internet's "chat ", "shopping" and etc. Therefore, the knowledge society cannot be formed from the information society itself, since the increase in the amount of information does not necessarily lead to the growth of knowledge. It is necessary that the means of selection, processing, interpretation and use of this information has also been adequate respectively to task production and use of knowledge for the development of human society in both fields: the spiritual and the material.

According to many foreign authors, the theory and methodology of mass communicationsociology are in the formation stage. There is still no conventional unified categorical conceptual apparatus of the theory of mass communication. [2]Sufficiently rich accumulated empirical material obtained in the course of numerous applied research processes of mass communication is generally used for practical purposes. Although, in our opinion, this material, primarily, is the basis for further theoretical analysis of social lawsdefinition, according to which the communication media is functioning in society. In other words, most of the empirical studies of modern mass communication do not fulfil its heuristic function. On the other hand, the absence of strong theoretical and methodological foundation sometimes casts doubt on the adequacy and quality of many applied researches,which in turn has a negative impact on the targeted development and improvement of the system of mass communication in society.

The emergence of new high-tech form of mass communication, particularly of the Internet(worldwide communicative computer network to which millions of users from around the world connected), requires appropriate descriptions and explanations - on the application and on a theoretical level as well. Empirical studies of the Internet (a) - according to linguists, in the modern Russian language it is entirely appropriate to decline this term - as a social, cultural, technical and technological phenomenon, a new form of mass communication acts as a basis for theoretical generalization of higher order. These generalizations can and should becomeponderable and important part of general sociological theory of mass communication. On the other hand, the analysis of the Internet at the application layer allows determining optimal paths of its practical development and functioning for the benefit of society.

Thus far, the question of identification of the Internet as one of the means of mass communication in the scientific community remains debatable. It is clear that in any case such a complex and essential communicative form as Internetwill find its place in the system of scientific disciplines, exploring communicative space. It is the Internet today which is, on the one hand, the fastest growing, and on the other - the least investigated form of mass communication.

Although, from the viewpoint of use and rewards, in these latter days studies of media were not prevalent in the literature dedicated to communication, they can be very useful and can provide a basis for the analysis of Internet communications. The same conclusion was drawn by the American scientists J. Walter and S. Rafaeli. Theory of use and rewards is based on functional analysis , which " derives from the sociological and psychological foundations of the needs that lead to different patterns of external and internal exposure of the media , bringingother consequences , in most cases to those that were not foreseen in advance " [3 ] .

Communication via the Internet is designed so thatprofessional source-manufacturerof informationacts at one extreme, and at the other is always a massive subject -beforehand undefinednumber of anonymous users. Even provider of information is often attracted byanonymity;this is the power of its nature in the media environment. No wonderthat there isso much information in the Internet, the origin of which is uncertain. It was recognised again with the advent of flash and smart mobs, where anonymity erected in principle.

Anonymity unfoldskingdom of fictional characters,exchangeable and sustainable masks. Certainly, various spoofing andanonymity of communication parties take place in traditional media as well.

Internet technology makes communicationboundless. Communication ceases to be tied to the location of communicating parties. On this basis, the Internet can fulfil socio-creative function that is to create new commonalities with a general information base and the value-normative foundation. The overall direction of media development lies in establishment of heterarchical(horizontal, egalitarian) order in place of the hierarchical order (vertical, with the dominance of one of the subjects of communication). The transition from one-sided to two-sided communication model occurs.

In the context of the internet audience can participate in production and exchange of information, even with each other. Audience stops (if they wish) to be only the recipient of messages. However, the use of interactive features can never overcome the natural division of roles.

In a networked interactivity there are three aspects: "the people and documents" (the ability for the user to generate and implement a request for information), "people and technology" (adaptability,convenience of information technology for users) and the most interesting aspect to the sociologist, "people and people".The latteris about the fitness of this mean to two-sidedcommunication,about social communication technologies that help in achieving positive social goals; about ways of realisation the possibility of communication between journalists, society, government and business - the main subjects allocated in analysis of modern society functioning [ 4].

Analysing the communicative function of the Internet, it is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of “interactivity” and "feedback", where the former is widerthan the later. Feedback is a reaction, the response of the subject to the informational impact. Actually this form is most often presented by "forum» function in the Internet. Attendance rates play role offeedback as well: they indicate whether web-site and its content have interested users. As for interactivity, itsuggests other opportunities, for instance: the user control over the content (query, assessment), participation in its formation through posing problems to illuminate and discuss, the initiative in discussing, authorship and exchange views with other users. Some features of this kind can be used in traditional media as well, butwhat really there never was - it is opportunity for horizontal communication, communication between users.

References

1. Ziryanov S.G.,Sokolova G.V., Sheremet A.N. Chelyabinsk Information space: media in the perception of viewers, listeners, readers (sociological feature article). Chelyabinsk: Eastern Gate. 2002.

2. Humanities research in Internet/ Ed. Voiskunsky A.E. - M., 2000.

3. Filatova O.G. Internet as a media / / Collection of scientific works "Actual problems of the theory of communication." - 2004. - p 232.

4. Lukina M.M.,Fomicheva I.D. Media in the Internet space. A series of "Internet-journalism."Issue 1. - Moscow, 2005. - p 61.