著者

余 偉

出版者

日本メディア学会

雑誌

マス・コミュニケーション研究 (ISSN:13411306)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.98, pp.87-105, 2021-01-31 (Released:2021-05-18)

参考文献数

21

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The attribution of responsibility is a daily sight in the mass media and oneof the roles expected of journalism. While reporting on responsibility is perceivedas a routine event, this paper considers the next issue: the plurality of“responsibility” in the mass media. If the attribution of responsibility is determinedby certain rules, then the same result should always be achieved. However,more than one “responsibility” may be presented for a particular agendathat is controversial. The paper focuses on the plurality of “responsibilities” and conducts a theoreticalresearch of epistemology and methodology. The paper begins withShanto Iyengar’s work on the attribution of responsibility and identifies theproblems with this research. Next, the paper discusses the attribution theorydeveloped by Fritz Haider in social psychology to which Iyengar referred.Finally, in order to shift the perspective away from attribution theory, thepaper argue for the need to interpret the plurality of “responsibility” in a socialconstructionism way. The paper will explore specific methodologies from thisposition; for example, rhetorical analysis and framing analysis. As a result, the attribution of responsibility in the mass media is not simplydetermined by existing social norms and legal systems, but rather is a definingmovement of responsibility that is constructed through various interactions. Inthe defining movement of responsibility, the process of justifying specific attributionsof responsibility is an important subject of research. In terms of influencingthe attitudes of the audience, both rhetorical and framing analyses needto be conducted at the same time.