Abstract

GUTIERREZ-CORTES, Fernando; ISLAS-CARMONA, Octavio  and  ARRIBAS-URRUTIA, Amaia. The New Laws of New Media and the Re-shaping of the Environment. Palabra Clave [online]. 2019, vol.22, n.2, e2229. ISSN 0122-8285.  https://doi.org/10.5294/pacla.2019.22.2.9.

This article aims to reflectively and analytically explore the relationship between information and communication technologies (ICT) and the re-shaping of the environment in the imaginary of media ecology. For this purpose, the method used is the theoretical review of concepts such as exaptation from evolutionary biology, passing through the development and evolution of media and technologies and highlighting the importance of the science-technology-society trinomial. ICTs facilitate the process of exaptation in contemporary societies, encouraging individuals to discover new possibilities for development and new forms of knowledge. Since the sixties, the importance of the study of media as instruments with unique characteristics has been underlined since they affect society for their design, form and structure. When a technology, medium or instrument successfully breaks into a society, it redefines it deeply. But the process of adaptation is not enough to explain the complexity of technological changes. Therefore, the concept of exaptation incorporated into the imaginary of media ecology helps to understand the evolutionary transformation of beings and technologies beyond their specific environments. The original contribution of this article lies in the incorporation of the concept of exaptation to the theoretical and conceptual imaginary of communicology, specifically media ecology. In this way, exaptation makes it possible to assess the relevance of Marshall and Eric McLuhan’s tetrad of media effects.

Keywords : Exaptation; media ecology; Marshall McLuhan; information and communications technology; ICT; communication impact; attitude change.

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