Resources by Type (9th Edition)Share: From the Instructors Manual. Overview. Launching Your Study(Chapter 1)What is a theory and what does it do? Ernest Bormann defined theory as “an umbrella term for all careful, systematic, and self- conscious discussion and analysis of communication phenomena.”This definition is purposefully broad, but may not be helpful in providing a direction for study. Judee Burgoon suggested that a theory is nothing more than “a set of systemic hunches about the way things operate.” Set of hunches.
If a theory is a set of hunches, it means we aren’t yet sure we have the answer. Theories always involve an element of speculation or conjecture. A theory is not just one inspired thought or an isolated idea. A theory offers some sort of explanation.
A theory offers some indication of scope. Informed hunches. A theorist’s hunches should be informed. A theorist has a responsibility to check it out.
A theorist should be familiar with alternate explanations and interpretations. Hunches that are systematic. A theory is an integrated system of concepts, laying out both relevant terms and their relationship to one another. A theory ties together ideas into a unified whole. Images of theory. Theory might also be understood using descriptive metaphors. Karl Popper described theories as nets, a tool used to grasp an elusive concept. Theories can be seen as lenses which help focus attention.
Theories serve as maps, guiding us through unfamiliar territory. What is communication?
Mapping the Territory (Chapter 4) Introduction. Communication scholars hold widely divergent views as to what communication is. Robert Craig suggests that communication should be viewed as a practical discipline; theory is.
No singular definition of communication is agreed upon by communication scholars. Frank Dance, who published the first comprehensive book on communication theory, concluded that we’re “trying to make the concept of communication do too much work for us.” Communication is the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a response. Messages are at the core of communication study. Communication theories deal specifically with messages. The term text is synonymous with a message. Communicators usually make conscious choices about a message’s form and substance.
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Messages are symbolically encoded and decoded by people based on the meanings they assign. Communication is an on- going relational process between two or more people, which both affects their interpretation of the messages as well as the nature of the connection between the people.
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Communication has an effect upon the people who receive it, provoking or eliciting a response. An arrangement of ideas to aid comprehension. The arrangement of the book’s chapters is explained. The 3. 1 theory chapters are divided into four major divisions, interpersonal communication, group and public communication, mass communication, and cultural context. Talk About Theory(Chapter 2)Introduction.
Theorists grounded in behavioral science approach communication using the scientific method. Theorists grounded in the humanities approach communication through interpreting texts. Communication theories reflect a variety of methodological approaches, desired outcomes or goals, and levels of investigation. Objective or interpretive: sorting out the labels. The objective approach and the interpretative approach to communication study differ in starting point, method, and conclusion.
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Scholars who do objective study are scientists. Scholars who do interpretive study are concerned with meaning and reflect a range of ideological and methodological positions. As a result, there is no single unifying or accepted label, although Griffin uses the term “interpretive scholars.” Ways of knowing: discovering truth or creating multiple realities? Epistemology is the study of the nature of knowledge. Scientists assume that truth is singular.
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Reality is accessible through our senses. Collectively, scientists can understand the world. Good theories are mirrors of nature, true as long as conditions remain the same. Interpretive scholars also seek truth, but they are more tentative about the possibility of revealing objective reality. Truth is largely subjective; meaning is highly interpretive. The knower cannot be separated from the known. Multiple meanings are acceptable.
Successful interpretations are those that convince others. Human nature: determinism or free will. Determinists argue that heredity and environment determine behavior. Scientists favor this stance.
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They stress behavior shaped by forces beyond our control or individual awareness. Behavior is the response to a prior stimulus. Free will proponents maintain that human behavior is ultimately voluntary. Interpretive scholars endorse this position. They focus on conscious choices of individuals, not on why choices are made.
They believe that significant decisions are value laden. As individual freedom increases, predictability of behavior decreases. The highest value: objectivity or emancipation? Social scientists value objectivity; personal values should not distort human reality.
Interpretive scholars seek to expand the range of free choice; knowledge is never neutral. Scientists seek effectiveness; interpreters focus on participation. The purpose of theory: universal laws or guides for interpretation? Scientists seek universal laws; interpreters strive to interpret individual texts. Scientists test theories; interpreters explore the web of meaning constituting human existence. Scientists seek prediction; interpretive scholars strive for meaning.
Objective or interpretive: Why is it important? You cannot fully understand a theory without knowing its assumptions about truth, human nature, the purpose of theory, and its values. It is helpful when thinking through theories to have a way of organizing them into objective and interpretive worldviews. Understanding objective and interpretive points can help you decide what direction to take your course work. Theorists in both camps believe their area of work will improve relationships and society. Plotting theories on an objective- interpretive scale: Objective and interpretive labels anchor end of a continuum, with many theories in between. Weighing the Words(Chapter 3)Introduction.
Not all theories are equally effective. The utility of a theory may be judged by applying the appropriate criteria used by behavioral scientists and a wide range of interpretive scholars to weigh the theories of their colleagues. What makes an objective theory good? Scientific standard 1: Explanation of the data. A good theory makes sense out of disturbing situations or draws order out of chaos.
It focuses attention on crucial variables and away from irrelevant data. It explains what is happening and why.
It explains both the process and the results. Scientific standard 2: Prediction of future events. Prediction in physical science is more accurate than in social science, where it is based on probability.
Scientific standard 3: Relative simplicity. The rule of parsimony dictates that all things being equal, we accept the simpler explanation over the more complex. Scientific standard 4: Hypotheses that can be tested. If there is no way to prove a theory false, then the assumption that it's true is mere guesswork.
Scientific standard 5: Practical utility. A good objective theory provides increased control. Don't dismiss a theory as impractical unless you understand it. Scientific standard 6: Quantitative Research Scientists favor quantifiable experiments and surveys. Through experiments, scientists seek to establish a cause- and- effect relationship by manipulating an independent variable in a tightly controlled situation in order to determine its effect on a dependent variable. Results are measured.
Surveys rely on self- report data to discover who people are and what they think, feel, and intend to do. It is difficult to support cause- and- effect relations with surveys, but survey data more closely resemble “real life” than experimentation does. What makes an interpretive theory good?
Interpretive standard 1: New understanding of people. Rhetorical theory elucidates texts. It helps critics clarify complex communication. It suggests universal patterns of symbol usage. Whereas science wants objective explanation, humanism desires subjective understanding. Klaus Krippendorff's Self- Referential Imperative: Include yourself as a constituent of your own construction.
Interpretive standard 2: Clarification of values. Theorists acknowledge their own values. They seek to unmask the ideology behind messages. Many theorists value individual liberty and equality. Krippendorff's Ethical Imperative: Grant others that occur in your construction the same autonomy you practice constructing them. Many interpretivist scholars value equality as highly as they do freedom. Interpretive standard 3: Aesthetic appeal.
A theory's form can be as captivating as its content. As an artist, the critic sparks appreciation. Interpretive standard 4: A community of agreement. A theory must have widespread scrutiny and usage.
Interpretive standard 5: Reform of society. Theory challenges cultural assumptions. It generates alternatives for social action. Interpretive standard 6: Qualitative research Interpretive scholars use qualitative textual analysis and ethnography. Textual analyses describe and interpret messages. Textual analyses refers to the intensive study of a single message from the humanistic perspective. Through ethnography, participant- observers experience a culture's web of meaning. Contested turf and common ground among theorists. Theorists from scientific and interpretive camps can be friends with guarded optimism.
It requires mutual respect for each other’s interest and recognition of their intellect. It requires a mutual appreciation that scientific theorists are comparing multiple messages or groups while interpretive theorists are analyzing a single message or group. The two sets of six criteria are not as different as they might seem.
An explanation can further understanding of motive. Both prediction and value clarification look to the future. Simplicity has aesthetic appeal.