User:Dnp04/SCT

Symbolic Convergence Theory
Symbolic Convergence Theory also known as Fantasy Theme Analysis was a term originally coined by Ernest Bormann, a professor at the University of Minnesota. His theory is a study which is based solely on communication between small groups of humans. "Through communication human beings build a symbolic reality that provides meaning, emotion and motive for action." The meaning, emotion and motive for action are all part of a manifest content of a message. His theory states that "the sharing of group fantasies creates symbolic convergence". Symbolic Convergence Theory is basically the coming together of several individuals, usually unfamilar with one another, for the mere sake of reaching a universal goal. With any coming together of humans in a controlled environment there is going to be some sort of shared fantasies between the group members. Bormann's main concern is explaining how these shared fantasies actually come to be and cause the cohesion of individuals.

His theory is considered by many to be slightly unusual because it is scientifically related as well as humanistic, which is very uncommon for a theory to possess both traits. It fufills the "twin objectives of scientific knowledge".

Bormann's Fantasies: What Defines a Fantasy
According to Bormann in order for a group to be cohesive they must share fantasies with one another. Such fantasies include unrelated events in the individuals life that helps bring them closer to members in their group. Note fantasy in this case does not mean unreal, it can be either fictional or factual, merely it is a dramatization of an event. These events can be past events or something that is going to happen in the future, and are not by any means sexual fantasies (i.e. George is a CEO working with his team members in the office on a project, he states that after work he will be attending his son's baseball game, this could ignite unrelated conversation between him and at least one other team member whose son is also on a sports team, in turn creating a common ground between them, which Bormann defines as a fantasy)

Fantasy Chain Reaction
A fantasy chain reaction occurs when a group member reacts to a fantasy of another group member, usually in a positive manner. In the example above George sparked a common ground between him and another group member on his team. A single fantasy reaction is not a complete form of cohesion between group members, but it forces them to provoke conversation based on a common ground. Soon other members of the group may become interested in the particular fantasy, and become excited, resulting in their added fantasies, which eventually leads to a fantasy chain reaction among group members. Fantasy chain reaction is basically a form of group cohesion; it causes group members to become closer to one another. Note that in order to form complete cohesion in a group, it takes time, because group members recognizing similarities amongst themselves is a gradual process, that will eventually occur naturally. If the gradual process does not occur then the group is not cohesive.

Bormann's History
Ernest Gordan Bormann was born in Mitchell, South Dakota on July 28, 1985. He received his Bachelors degree from the University of South Dakota in 1949, he then continued his education at the University of Iowa where he received his Master's degree and Doctorate degree in 1953. He has taught at numerous schools including, University of South Dakota, Eastern Illinois University, Florida State University, and currently University of Minnesota. He has established many outstanding awards for his achievements including the following; outstanding teachers award of the College of Liberal Arts in 1986, the B. Aubrey Fisher Mentoring Award of the International Communication Association in 1988, the Distinguished Service Award of the Speech Communication Association in 1990, the Distinguished Scholar Award of the Speech Communication Association in 1992, along with various others. He is also the author to several books on Communication Theories. Currently Bormann is a professor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota in the department of Speech Communication.

SCT applied to real life situations
Symbolic convergence theory exists throughout the real world in almost every situation involving interaction between individuals, whether it is a group of students working together on completing a school project, members or a professional business unit, or members of a sports team or organization. Groups will either, share similar fantasies and adapt as a well functioning team, or they will fail to recognize similarities among them and not succeed as a cohesive group. If group members fail to adapt to one another, they usually will not last for long. Symbolic convergence theory is an important part of our every day lives, and many people fail to realize that.