Wright receives ICA’s Innovation in Mass Communication Theory Award
Professor and Director of Communication Science Paul Wright has received the International Communication Association’s Innovation in Mass Communication Theory Award.
The award honors “unique advancements” indicative of “a leap forward” in mass communication theorizing. The award was presented at the 2024 ICA Conference at Gold Coast, Australia. Wright is an ICA Fellow and Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.
KU Leuven Professor of Mass Communication Laura Vandenbosch nominated Wright for the development of his script acquisition, activation, application model of mediated socialization (3AM).
Vandenbosch highlighted the cross-disciplinary scope of the 3AM, including testimonials to the model’s impact from scholars in the fields of medicine, public health, psychology, sociology, human development, and political science.
Vandenbosch also emphasized the model’s international influence, noting its utilization by scholars from (among other countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
“I am both humbled and honored by this award,” said Wright. “It would be difficult to think of a more meaningful recognition, as theoretical development is emphasized as goal #1 from the day we enter grad school.”
“I am deeply indebted to Laura for the nomination and to the review committee for considering my work.”
The original articulation of the 3AM was published in 2011 in “Communication Yearbook” (now “Annals of the International Communication Association”). Updates and refinements have since appeared in several outlets, including the most recent edition of “Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research.”