The social functions of the media in Robert K. Merton in light of the digital turn

Abstract

This paper re-examines Robert K. Merton’s reflections on the social functions of the media as set out in the classic essay “Mass Communication, Popular Taste, and Organized Social Action”. It argues that the status-conferral function, the enforcement of social norms, and the narcotising dysfunction do not disappear; rather, they are reconfigured by today’s cross-media environment, the algorithmic operations of platforms, and the expansion of generative AI. Status conferral intensifies through the dynamics of the internet, which can grant visibility unconstrained by time and space. Norm enforcement is fuelled by forms of social surveillance enabled by digital technologies; however, phenomena such as hate speech and disinformation may consolidate deviant attitudes. The contemporary version of the narcotising dysfunction materialises via perpetual feeds, notifications, and the hyper-personalisation of information. Overall, Merton’s theoretical framework continues to offer a valuable map for understanding how social dynamics are reorganised amid the transformation of media and communicative devices.