Cumulative Class Study Guide Communication Information 101 Rutgers University Chapter 1 Communication and me Why would I want to study communication Personal Theories v Scholarly Theories Personal theories based on experience take for granted you don t question them it s just how things are were rarely asked to defend them private often not voiced stable often hard to change Scholarly Theories Based on systematic observation and testing like using the scientific method to create a theory questioned studied tentative theories people may say this is not right and test it out usually public Measured by Validity accuracy does it actually describe the world in an accurate way Reliability you can reproduce the results Utility how it applies to the situation is it useful applicability subject to modification if it s wrong they ll try fix it Personal theories about communication Examples it s self explanatory that it s easy to communicate that if you can t communicate properly there s something wrong with you common sense culturally influenced there are different ways to communicate it s subconscious Scholarly communication theories search for systematic ways to study communicative behavior in order to describe explain sometimes predict sometimes control What is Communication Information passed from one place to another Procedures by which one mind affects another Transmission of information ideas emotions and skills via symbols letters logos symbols Transmission of a message from a source to a receiver with conscious intent to affect the latter s behavior Fundamental characteristics of communication 1 Communication is a process rather than a single act a if you say hi to someone and they don t respond you may just think they didn t hear you but if they keep ignoring you the meaning of their behavior changes 2 Essential for individuals relationships groups organizations and societies 3 Involves creating and responding to messages a message a symbol or collection of symbols that has meaning or utility words walking away you interpret them in a particular way b message reception process of interpretation how we attend to attach significance to and use messages 4 A way of relating to the environment and other people Definition of Communication textbook Human communication is the process through which individuals in relationships groups organizations and societies respond to and create messages and create and use information to relate to the environment and one another Chapter 2 Hello Hello is there anybody there Just what do we think communication is What influences models of communication Paradigms broad framework that guides the work of scholars over a long period of time as they conduct research and develop specific theories basically how you see the world as a particular scholar impose limits on what is to be studied if you re taught comm is conversation you will study conversation questions asked and how they are answered study comm you will ask how its organized and how people present themselves questions are shaped by paradigm you re working in what kinds of studies are conducted paradigms in daily life imagine you re a guy you have a best friend Matt what is in the paradigm of a best friend similar interests trust helpful close relationship girlfriend linda paradigm physical intimacy emotional connection share things other people don t know about you attraction trust haven t seen her since winter break can t get in touch with her she s there with matt at a student center Anomalies an inconsistency or discrepant observation that challenges the paradigm not being able to get in touch with your girlfriend who is supposed to want to be with you usually make up excuses like oh her phone is broken because people like to stick to their paradigms Paradigms in everyday life in science in business paradigms seem like schemas Important paradigms and anomalies in communication communication paradigms S M R E communication anomalies MS is not equal to MR Definition as an activity are definitions objective or neutral who are the definitions written for the goal why are they defining things to agree on what a concept means influence a discussion look at the author different disciplines consider communication different things which results in different definitions choose words that have certain associations that convey certain attitudes when you define communication a certain way you get to pick what is part of the communication but also what is NOT communication you want to say what x is but also what x is NOT definition is influenced by what you think x is and is not definition is like a political debate except its more subtle a rhetorical device Language of Definitions use communication language to define communication sound objective or scientific construct the object of the study Communication as an academic discipline draws on many disciplines communication and social sciences sociology psychology anthropology communication and liberal arts philosophy of language linguistics literary theory what messages are effective and not effective feminist theory communication and the professions law learn a lot about law by looking at how people communicate in legal context Paradigms in Science Geocentric cosmology everything revolved around the earth world view that people had for a long time heliocentric cosmology everything revolves around the sun Paradigms in Business Swiss watchmakers Prior to 1970s had 80 of the watch making market later had 10 of the watch making market watchmakers in switzerland did not want to adapt to digital watches and wanted to stick to traditional watches and they lost their lead in the business paradigm the right kind of watch is the mechanical watch anomaly digital watches are more liked Paradigms and Anomalies in communication communication paradigms S M R E Sender message receiver and effect One way transfer of information communication anomalies MS does not equal MR Message sent does not equal message received Directional Flow one way two way interactive communication is a two way process Presidential Address one way or two way it seems one way because he delivers a speech but really in a more complex way you realize the audience responds by applauding or not applauding etc Sign Language interpreter at Mandela s memorial one way because the guy was not a real interpreter nobody could respond to what he said because he was signing nonsense Chapter 3 A Model Class
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