The Knowledge Gap Hypothesis is an idea put forth by scholars Tichenor, Olien and Donahue. They claimed that an ever-increasing gap in knowledge develops between ‘elites' and the ‘less fortunate' as media and its channels evolve. Those who have access to this media due to their social or economic position have a higher quality of information available to them. As a result, they are able to make more informed decisions that ultimately lead to a better quality of life.
However, there is another side to this equation. It can be found where the lack of access to media is not due to social or economic reasons, but because of unwillingness to change. For a brief period, I unwittingly resembled one of the ‘statistics' outlined by the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis. It wasn't due to social or economic issues but out of sheer stubbornness.
It all began the summer of 2007. I was a newly minted Ph.D. in Mass Communication and I was without a job. While waiting or should I say hoping for invites to campuses I had a lot of free time. During this period I began to explore different forms of media and discovered one that would significantly alter my horizons. That "one" was Apple's iTunes.
It was love at first listen. I had resisted owning an iPod for a long time and in my hesitance I never learned about iTunes. I quickly realized that I had placed myself at an extreme disadvantage. I had always associated owning an iPod with the idea of trying to find more extreme ways to enjoy music or comedy. I didn't realize that owning one would allow me to explore my academic interests at a level I never thought possible.
The breadth and depth of subjects available was astounding. I immediately felt the remorse many people experience when they realize how they ‘missed out' on fantastic opportunities due to their own ignorance sponsored by stubbornness.
Once I was in the loop though I spent that entire summer listening to pod-casts dealing with communication and telecommunication issues, online journalism and higher education. I listened while working out, while running errands, taking care of household duties and just in general. My knowledge base exploded as I listened to experts discuss issues from all different angles.
The Payoff
Later that summer invites began to trickle and then pour in to interview for positions and to visit campuses. However, a campus visit is not like a regular interview where you sit down with your potential boss and after 15-30 minutes of discomfort you're on way. It is often a 3 to 15 hour (in some cases multi-day) process that requires all the mental stamina you can muster. Giving a lecture, lunches and dinners, Q&A sessions with future colleagues as well as meetings with deans and presidents are often mandatory parts of these visits. Each aspect of the visit, no matter how benign, is an attempt to see how much you know and how well you will fit into the organization.
I already had the academic package ready to go since I had the Ph.D. But I also had a secret weapon. I could discuss many issues in depth due to my immersion in pod-casts found in iTunes. I felt ‘razor sharp;' knew the latest information; and could discuss many issues backward and forward because I had heard them discussed from so many different angles.
It paid off in the campus visits when there was 'small talk' while I was being escorted from place to place, in meetings with faculty and in talks with deans and presidents. Whether the questions were softballs or knuckle balls I often knocked them out of the park. In the end, I had three job offers that summer and I believe that my academic use of iTunes' pod-casts contributed to my performance.
Final Thoughts
By insuring that we always seek out the best forms of media (read information) staying in the loop is much easier and the ‘gap' in the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis can be avoided.
Bakari Akil II, Ph.D. is the author of Super You! 101 Ways to Maximize your Potential!
