COMM 305 1st Edition Lecture 3 Outline of Last Lecture I Lay Theory vs Formal Theory cont II What do theories typically include III What should a theory do for us IV What questions should we ask about theory V Key Theoretical Assumptions Outline of Current Lecture I Key Theoretical Assumptions cont II Key Communication Assumptions III Initiating and Developing Relationships IV Social Penetration Theory SPT V SPT in Practice Small Talk Current Lecture Key Communication Assumptions o Epistemology related to the questions of the nature of knowing what counts as knowledge How is knowledge produced How should knowledge be judged Is knowledge accumulated or not Objectivist stance the real world can be systematically known we can and should try to observe without bias Subjectivist stance the real world can t be separated from our perceptions of it The goal should be to admit that and try to learn as much as we can about each of our subjective self of knowing o Axiology value or worth treats questions of how our own values sense of what s worthy or not should or shouldn t influence our thinking about the world Comes down to 2 things Awareness to what degree can we be aware of our values Control to what degree can or should we control those values The faucet problem if you re laying in bed and can hear the faucet dripping objectivist would simply turn it off They think they can and should be in control Subjectivist think that it s broken They are painfully aware but they can t control it These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute The slab leak stance is when we not only can we not control but we can t be aware Radical Axiology fire hose Instead of worrying about keeping values out of your research embrace them What you re looking for is determined specifically by what you think is important Key Communication Assumptions o Communication as a process Communication unfolds over time Understanding a given exchange is helped and aided by past conversations You can t study communication in isolation you have to know what s happened before to really understand it Communication is complex o Communication as transactional To say communication is transaction is to remember that communication involves feedback Communication is no longer seen as a linear process since it involves feedback o Communication as symbolic It involves the use of signs What s being exchanged is symbols nothing tangible Symbols are arbitrary fuzzy For example when you hear the word dog some may think of the idea of a dog others a picture of one some their dog The fuzziness is useful since fuzziness can allow for multiple meanings The use of symbols isn t straightforward o Communication as social To say that communication is social is to limit the phenomena to at least 2 people or more Controversial since intrapersonal communication exists For this class we will only focus on communication with 2 or more people o Communication as intentional One can not not communicate Watzowick The newspaper example We have to decide is communication something we decide to do You must distinguish between sender and receiver intentionality For senders communication is often automatic but always strategic So it s always intentional ex an interview being pulled over by a cop first date Communication is strategic in the sense that it s intentional For receivers anything can be read as communication Initiating and Developing Relationships o Essential Questions Why do some relationships develop from first meetings but others don t How does this development take place if it takes place o First meetings are important since relationships are important and we know this since so many people have trouble with first meetings People in relationships are happier healthier they live longer and are generally more satisfied with life o We need a theory as to why direct lines are more successful than lines such as Please pass the ketchup Social Penetration Theory SPT o Relationship development process of sharing more and more information There are 4 steps also called the onion model of communication Orientation scripted conversation Exploratory Affective relating to emotion Exchange going beyond the scripted conversations The information exchanged will be more intimate and cover in more depth Affective Exchange Stable Exchange marked by openness and richness in information o According to SPT it takes time to move from one stage to another with no skipping of other steps o The principle measure of SPT is disclosure o Early on our disclosure is guided by the norm of reciprocity meaning if I tell you something you tell me something of equal value o In making a cost benefits analysis on a relationship you think about the other options you have Think am I getting what I want from this relationship Comparison level based on past experiences Comparison level of alternatives based on other relationships we think could develop Social Penetration Theory in Practice Small Talk o When you first meet someone what you re first engaging in is small talk o Characteristics of Small Talk Small talk seems to be safe and scripted It s safe because you talk about safe topics topics that won t start arguments or disagreements It s also safe because the conversation won t be too in depth It s scripted because it s in a simple question answer conversation It s parallel in the sense that I ask you ask There are ritualized opening and closings