Altercasting Theory


Manded Altercasting

Manded altercasting means that we ‘tell’ people who they are or how they are supposed to be, by making an existing role salient, by placing others in a particular role, by attributing a new identity or role to someone, or by asking people to play a role.

The best example of manded altercasting is in the television media.
* wherein a certain personality plays a role or performs a certain role, acts out a character that was assigned to them by their directors in this example the personality portrays a certain role that was given to him/her by his/her director.
* Another one, still under the television media, is the wrestling or popularly known as WWE, the characters sets a certain act that was directed to them to portray on stage in order for the viewers to gain pleasure in this example the wrestlers act as if they were truly fighting because it is the command from their producers to gain the interest of their viewers, therefore, the wrestlers follows a certain instructions on what to portray onstage.

Tact Altercasting

Tact altercasting means that we put ourselves as senders in a role that ‘evokes’ a natural counter-role for the other. Some common role sets are for instance expert-unknowing public, fool – normal, helper – dependent, scapegoat – sinners, etc.

One example of Tact Altercasting is the role of a Parent, since they are the models of their children, the children usually copies the attitudes of their mother and father. Example is when a parent says a bad word and the child hears it, the child will usually copy his/her mom/dad.
Another is a Lieutenant marching, if he performs a lousy march, surely his cadets will do the same since he only follows how the lieutenant projects a certain action.


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