FSU SPC 3210 - Chapter 1: Launching Your Study of Communication Theory

Unformatted text preview:

Chapter 1 Launching Your Study of Communication Theory Set of Hunches Set of systematic informed hunches about the way things work Burgoon makes it clear that a theory is not just one inspired thought or an isolated idea Theory construction involves multiple hunches Images of Theory Theories as Nets Theories as Lenses out there o Karl Popper cast to catch what we call the world o Possibility that our freedom to choose some actions and reject others o Like the lens of a camera opposed to a mirror that accurately reflects the world o Theories shape our perception by focusing attention on some features of communication while ignoring other features o Do not lose what is real and true Theories as Maps o We need theory to guide us through unfamiliar territory o Static theory like a still photograph can never fully portray the richness of interaction between people that is constantly changing always more varied and inevitably more complicated What is Communication Messages o Communication is the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a response o Frank Dance first communication theory book o Core of communication studies o Robert Craig doing anything that involves messages in any medium or situation o Text is a synonym for message that can be studied regardless of the medium Examples this book conversation silent youtube video Creation of Messages o Communicator is usually making a conscious choice of message form and o Friend texts other than seeing face to face o Preprogramed responses speaking writing in mindless ways like on cruise substance control Interpretation of Messages o Messages do not interpret themselves o Words don t mean things people mean things o Herbert Blumer Symbolic interactionist o Words and other symbols are polysemic open to multiple interpretations Rational Process o Flow of communication is always in a flux never completed the same o Can be described with reference to what went before and what is yet to come o Communication is a relational process between two or more people and affects the nature of the connections among these people Messages the Elicit a Response o Needs cognitive emotional or behavioral reaction o Communication is the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a response Chapter 2 Talk About Theory Glenn An Objective Approach Source Credibility Theory Carl Hovland and Walter Weiss o Suggest that expertise and trustworthiness are the two main ingredients of perceived credibility o Central premise is that people we view as trusted experts will be much more effective in their attempts to persuade us than sources we distrust or regard as incompetent Identification perceived role that affects self image and attitudes Marty An Interpretive Approach Burke s dramatistic pentad 5 pronged method of theatrical criticism to analyze a speaker s strategy act scene etc o Peyton Manning MasterCard ad he is the agent Everyday scenes appear coaches people in proper attitude is what he does in each scene act Jargon and gestures of football coach is the vehicle agency The use of the MasterCard purpose Interpretive approach linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative texts assumes that multiple meanings or truths are possible Objective or Interpretive Worldviews Sorting Out the Labels Glenn is a social scientist who works hard to be objective Marty is a rhetorical critic who does interpretive study All rhetorical critics do interpretive analysis but not all interpretive scholars are Humanistic Scholarship study of what it is like to be another person in a specific rhetoricians time and place Ways of Knowing Discovering Truth or Creating Multiple Realities Epistemology the study of origin nature method and limits of knowledge Truth is singular and largely subjective Scientists consider good theories to be those that are faithful representations of underlying reality mirrors of nature Glenn believes the credibility of a message source can explain why other media messages succeed fail Human Nature Determinism or Free Will Determinism the assumption that behavior is caused by heredity and Active free passive determinism Behavioral scientists Glenn occurring because of forces outside the individual s Interpretive scholars Marty attribute a person s action to conscious intent environment awareness The Highest Value Objectivity or Emancipation Values are the traffic lights of our lives that guide what we think feel and do As a behavioral scientist Glenn works hard to maintain his objectivity strong moral and spiritual convictions but does not want personal values to distort reality Empirical evidence data collected through direct observation Marty aware of his own ideology and is not afraid to bring his values to bear upon a communication text and come under scrutiny o Creates an awareness that is more than a humorous feel good spot o Let s the evidence speak for itself Emancipation Liberation from any form of political economic racial religious or sexual oppression empowerment Stan Deetz general communication theory two principles effectiveness concerned with successfully communicating information ideas meanings and persuasion Participation concerned with increasing the possibility that all points of view will affect collective decisions and individuals being open to new ideas It also encourages difference opposition and independence Objective theorists effectiveness relegate participation Interpretive theorists participation downplay effectiveness Purpose of Theory Universal Laws or Interpretive Guides Glenn working to pin down universal laws of human behavior that cover a variety Marty strives to interpret a particular communication text in a specific context Example suits Glenn would sell one size fits all Marty would sell one of a kind of situations or custom Objective or Interpretive Why is it Important Metatheory Theory about theory the stated or inherent assumptions made when creating a theory Plotting theories on an Objective Interpretive Scale Imagine the objective and interpretive labels as anchoring ends of a continuum with theorists spread out along the scale pg 22 Chapter 3 Weighing the Words What Makes an Objective Theory Good An objective theory is credible because it fulfills the twin objectives of scientific knowledge Explains the past and present and it predicts the future Four criteria a theory must meet to be good relative simplicity testability practical utility and


View Full Document

FSU SPC 3210 - Chapter 1: Launching Your Study of Communication Theory

Documents in this Course
QUIZ #3

QUIZ #3

19 pages

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

14 pages

EXAM 2

EXAM 2

31 pages

Exam 3

Exam 3

22 pages

Exam 2

Exam 2

20 pages

Exam #3

Exam #3

31 pages

Exam #2

Exam #2

19 pages

Exam #2

Exam #2

20 pages

Exam 4

Exam 4

10 pages

Load more
Download Chapter 1: Launching Your Study of Communication Theory
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view Chapter 1: Launching Your Study of Communication Theory and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view Chapter 1: Launching Your Study of Communication Theory 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?