The New Media and Capacity Building: Frontiers

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to explore a psychological perspective to the use of the new media in capacity building. The new media refers to internet based avenues of exchange of information, news, knowledge and skills. Capacity is conceptualized in this paper as the ability of any individual to receive and/or retain knowledge and information which enables that individual to effectively undertake mental or physical tasks in an efficient and effective manner. Capacity building (as used in this paper) entails improving on already existing capacity, and this is done primarily through learning and restoration of biological integrity where there is defect. This expansion of horizon is most times dimensional and directed towards particular areas of need. Notwithstanding recent developments in the use of the new media in medicine and engineering, from the standpoint of the analysed theories, short comings of the new media seem apparent: the drive theory of social facilitation explains that sophisticated skills and complex information that require complex cognitive processing may be difficult to inculcate through the new media. Also the instrumentality theory as applied rests the potential of the new media to enhance capacity on the preferred reward system of media content generators, and their value orientations. These among others, strongly suggest that the value of the new media in capacity building is being over gauged. The paper opines that while the gains of the new media should be exploited to the fullest, emphasis should be stressed on capacity development which is significantly independent on the social media.