Opozycja swój / obcy a skuteczność komunikacji – wybrane zagadnienia
The US – THEM opposition and communicative efficiency

Summary/Abstract: The US – THEM opposition is significant for the efficiency of communication, for a successful realization of each speech event. The opposition can assume various forms and the author attempts, on the basis of contemporary Polish advertising and political discourse, to present the most important ones. Starting from Krech, Crutchfield and Ballachey’s (1962) hypothesis that effective communication is possible above all among people of common observations, desires and attitudes (i.e. among US, not THEM), as well as referring to Bralczyk’s (1991) work on propaganda in communism, the author discusses the strategies used by the speaker in communicating messages to US about THEM, to THEM about US and to US about US. He is especially concerned with the means of identifying oneself with a group of US by accepting their style and communicative rituals. In social communication (advertising, public relations, mass media, politics) one continually comes across new means of using the US – THEM opposition, not always successful. In order to achieve communicative success, speakers use a specific speech genre, refer to the common experience of mass recipients, pander to (or in fact sincerely accept) the tastes, attitudes and views of the recipients.

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