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Observe factsSpeculate about processes that might have produced such a resultDeduce other implicationsTest the predictions and produce new models if necessaryWhat is a speculative abduction?Study Guide 1COMM 402 Study Guide for Exam 1This is only a guide to aid in your studying for Exam 1. You could potentially be tested on anything we covered in discussion, lecture, or chapters 1-3, even if it is not on this guide.Be able to define and identify types of logical thinking: abduction, induction, deduction.Abduction:From a known axiom (theory) and some observation, derive a premise.All humans are mortal (theory)Socrates is mortal (observation)Therefore, Socrates must have been a human (diagnosis)Induction:Derive a general rule (axiom) from background knowledge and observations.Socrates is a human (background knowledge)Socrates is mortal (observation/ example)Therefore, I hypothesize that all humans are mortal (generalization)Deduction:Derive a conclusion from given axioms “knowledge” and facts “observations”.All humans are mortal. (axiom)Socrates is a human. (fact/ premise)Therefore, it follows that Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)How do arguments relate to theory and data?- Theories are arguments, formulated through abduction, induction and deduction- Results shouldn’t rely on investigator, data should be made public in order to make comparisonso Theory offers premises o Data can test and extend the premises o Conclusions are the new theoryo Example Theory says A causes B- Data says A causes B, but only for males- Conclude: need a theory that includes A and B and also distinguishes male from female experience of A and Bo Theory and data should be of high quality in order to asses the theoryo Theories are structured as arguments and conclusions are argumentative based on reasons Define procedures, methods, observations, predictions, syllogism, premise, falsification, control groups, test verification,random assignment, comparison group, pre-tests, validity. ethos, credibility.- Procedureso Data and procedures must be public o Research procedures are nothing more than a codification of the principles of critical thought - Methodso We try to falsify, not prove/verify o The more falsification efforts something survives, the more confidence we have in it - Observationso Theories are arguments- summarize evidence/observations- Predictions- Syllogismo If H (hypothesis) is true, data will show X.o Do study and see that the data does show X. So H is trueo This is invalid (affirming the consequent) If P, then Q (if you’re rich then you’re happy) Q: you’re happy, P: you’re rich Theories change, data gets interpreted, tentativeness- Premiseo Theory offers premiseso Data can test and extend the premises- Falsificationo The more falsification efforts something survives, the more confidence we have in it - Control groups- Test verification- Random Assignment- Comparison Group- Pre-testso Two-group no-pretest experiment is better than first one shot case study o Comparison vs. intuitive sense; control/comparable groups - Validity- Ethoso Credibility-“those qualities of a speaker that make him/her believable”- Credibility- Why are teen sexting and risky sexual behaviors connected? – Forces the “why?” o Finding out high credibility speakers are more persuasive doesn’t prove mucho Example  Observe: sometimes higher credibility doesn’t make a speaker more persuasive Under conditions of high motivation or involvement, the audience scrutinizes the message and isn’t affected by speaker characteristics Sometimes there’s a ceiling effect, so more persuasion isn’t possible Sometimes there’s a cellar effect, so that no persuasion is possible at all  Ceiling: already believed in what you are trying to promote, more credibility may not work Cellar effect: basement effect-filter out any information they get, only believe in themselves not others (Sex & Perceptiveness)o Observation women are more perceptive about interpersonal matters than men Generalization, not stereotype Evidence on interpersonal construct differentiation, other- adapativeness, politeness and faceworko Example 2 (Possible explanations)o Maybe it’s actually genetic- DNAo Maybe it’s a survival thing:  Men could survive by fighting well but women had to be able to foresee dangero Maybe it’s a cultural thing: Women expected to do family maintenance Women always in charge of intimate relationships, so have more experienceo Notice that this example dealing with delicate issues of sex and gender, raises questions of morality and justiceo Would we consider a model that implied that women should stay at home? That men have no family maintenance responsibilities?  Would we be willing to sayOur goals for communication theoryo Accuracy: a better understanding of our worldo Aesthetic: some theories are “cooler” than otherso Morality: social science should aim at making a better worldBe able to identify the general methods that would commonly be used in quantitative research, qualitative research, and critical research.Quantitative research – survey, experiments, Qualitative research – interviewing focus groups, participant observationCritical research – archival, text based, analyze a text, and critique it In terms of argument quality, what is the difference between two-group no pretest studies and one-shot case studies?Two group no pretest studies – easier to find results, control group, One shot (one time) case studies – easier for people to dispute your findings, point is to confirm or disconfirm - Give one group a message and you have no comparison- Argument quality based on research How do researchers report their success or failure in supporting hypotheses after analyzing the results of their experiments? Why is explaining whether their findings supported or refuted the hypothesis so difficult for researchers?- Importance of being wrong – not being bias - Problem is to avoid falling in love with our own models or prejudices – must evaluate them rather than defend them Why can several models describe the same situation?Several models can show the same thing because models show things that are complex. Different models show different components of the thing they replicate Ex. train shows speed, function money all in different models.What are the four general social science models that can help us understand what causes human


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UMD COMM 402 - Study Guide 1

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