Meta theory 06 03 2014 11 29 00 What is meta theory What are meta theoretical assumptions questions How do meta theoretical assumptions drive theory building and What is the difference between a social scientist and a humanist What are the three major theoretical paradigms in the field of Communication the transactional process of creating meaning Theory an conceptual representation or explanation of a testing communication phenomenon goals of theory to describe understand to explain to predict to control create social change communication theory a way to describe explain predict and or control human communication behavior why so many communication theories Scholars have different assumptions about the nature of o Communication o Theory building and testing metatheory body of speculation about the nature of theory and research metatheoretical discussions debates answer the questions o what communication phenomena should be observed o How should it be observed research methods o What should be the goals of theory research 4 goals meta theoretical assumptions ontological epistemological axiological ontology branch of philosophy concerned with studying the nature of reality questions and assumptions o do humans make real choices is communication a matter of choice We can choose to communication or not intentional Use communication in order to reach goals Communication is stimuli to response action o Is human experience basically individual or social All individuals generally behave the same way Communication is generally social we work together in order to communicate o Is human experience communication in real world contexualized Does context matter Prediction context doesn t matter communication doesn t involve choice epistemology branch of philosophy that studies knowledge how do we know what we claim to know How do we acquire knowledge about communication questions and assumptions o can knowledge exist before experience Direct experience 5 senses vicarious experience books way We can innately know things o Can knowledge be certain Once we know something is it always going to be that o By what process does knowledge arise Mentalism retionalism sheer power of human mind Empiricism gaining knowledge in order to function pragmatically in life Social constructivism work together in order to create knowledge social norms o Is knowledge best conceived in parts or in wholes Sharing of knowledge Whole is more than sum of its parts Axiology branch of philosophy studying values Questions and assumptions o Is research value free Researchers own values should should not play a role in how they observe communication Values effect the things we re interested in o Does the practice of inquiry influence that which is studied Do questions and evaluations effect the participants o Should research attempt to achieve social change World view I empirical social scientist Knowledge based on observation Phenomenon are waiting to be discovered Reality is distinct from the scientist scientist discovers reality Structured steps to recovery Collectively scientists understand the world epistemology Behavior shaped by forces beyond our control Seek universal laws Goal of research is to explain and make predictions Test theoretical explanations using quantitative research methods World view II humanist rhetoricians All rhetoricians are humanist but not all humanists are rhetoricians Knowledge created by researcher epistemological Knower cannot be separated from the known Theories research explore the web of meaning constituting human Multiple meanings are acceptable Good interpretations are those that convince Human behavior is voluntary as free choice increases predictability experience decreases Goal of research is better understand of the phenomena being studied sometimes social change Qualitative research methods 06 03 2014 11 29 00 06 03 2014 11 29 00
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