Chapter 1 Launching Your Study of Communication Theory What is a theory and what does it do an umbrella term for all careful systematic and self conscious discussion and analysis of communication phenomena A set of systematic hunches about the way things operate Judee Burgoon o Informed hunches A set of Hunches Theory a set of systematic informed hunches about the way things work o We aren t yet sure we have the answer o Always involve an element of speculation or conjecture Theory is not just one inspired thought or an isolated idea o Offers explanation o Give some indication of scope o Involves multiple hunches Informed Hunches Before developing a theory o Articles to read People to talk to o o Actions to observe Experiments to run o Be familiar with alternative explanations and interpretations of the type of communication they are studying Hunches that are systematic Integrated system of concepts Images of Theory Theories as Nets o Multiple ideas and the relationship among them o Cast to catch what we call the world Theories are the tools of the trade The world everything that goes on under the sun o Different kinds of small nets to capture distinct types of communications in local situations o Raises questions about our freedom to choose some actions and reject others Theories as Lenses o o See theoretical constructions as similar to the lens of a camera of a pair of glasses as opposed to a mirror that accurately reflects the world out there Highlights the theories shape perception Focus attention on some features of communication while ignoring other features So dependent on the theoretical stance of the viewer that we abandon any attempt to discern what is real or true Theories as Maps o o Communication theories are maps of the way communication works Theories to guide us through unfamiliar territory A static theory can never fully portray the richness of interaction between people that is constantly changing always more varied and inevitable more complicated that what any theory can chart What is communication 120 definitions and more arising o There is little discipline in the discipline 1 Message We re trying to make the concept of communication do too much work for us Frank Dance There is no single absolute essence of communication that adequately explains the phenomena we study Such a definition does not exist neither is it merely awaiting the next brightest communication scholar to nail it down once and for all Jennifer Slack Communication the relational process of creating interpreting messages that elicit a response a Core of communication study b Communication involves messages in any medium or situation i Crossroads discipline other academic areas intersecting with the study of communication c Text a record of a message that can be analyzed by others for example a book film photograph or any transcript or recording of speech or broadcast i Anything that can be studied regardless of the medium 2 Creation of Messages a Content and form of a text are usually constructed invented planned crafted constituted and selected or adopted by the communicator b each term imply that the communicator is usually making a conscious choice of message form and substance c Rhetorical critic looks for clues in the message to discern the motivation and strategy of the person who created the message i There are many times when we speak write or gesture in seemingly mindless ways 1 Driving on cruise control preprogrammed responses that were selected earlier and stored for later use ii When we become more mindful of the nature and impact of our messages will we have the ability to alter them 3 Interpretation of Messages a The meaning that a messages holds for both the creators and receivers does not reside in b the words that are spoken written or acted out Words don t mean things people mean things i Humans act toward people or things on the basis of the meanings they assign to those people or things Herbert Blumer c Words and other symbols are polysemic they re open to multiple interpretations 4 A Relational Process a One cannot step into the same river twice i Illustrates the widespread acceptance among communication scholars that communication is a process Communication is always in flux never completely the same and can only be described with reference to what went before and what is yet to come ii b Relational process because it takes place between two or more people and it affects the nature of the connections among those people 5 Messages That Elicit a Response a If the message fails to stimulate any cognitive emotional or behavioral reaction it seems pointless to refer to it as communication i ii Falling on deaf ears Turning a blind eye understanding what is being communicated but resist response b Whether successful or not the whole situation surrounding the text and context of the message fits the working definition of communication Chapter 2 Talk About Theory Behavioral scientist A scholar who applies the scientific method to describe predict and explain recurring forms of human behavior Rhetorician A scholar who studies the ways in which symbolic forms can be used to identify with people or to persuade them toward a certain point of view Two Commination Scholars View a Diehard Fan It s something money can t buy For everything else there s MasterCard Peyton Manning commercials Glenn An Objective approach Objective approach The assumptions that truth is singular and is accessible through unbiased sensory observation committed to uncovering cause and effect relationships o Want to explain as well as predict Source Credibility perceived competence and trustworthiness of a speaker or writer that affects hoe the message is received o o Carl Hovland and Walter Weiss Experience and trustworthiness are two main ingredients of perceived credibility People we view as trusted experts will be more effective in their attempts to persuade use than sources we distrust Identification a perceived role relationship that affects self image and attitudes based on attractiveness of the role model and sustained if the relationship remains salient Even though a theory might sound plausible we can t be sure it s valid until it s been tested Marty An Interpretive approach Interpretive approach The linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communication texts assumes that multiple meaning or truths possible Burke s dramatistis pentad A five pronged method of rhetorical criticism to analyze a
View Full Document
Unlocking...