Communication Theory
Lecture One
Dr. Mary Jackson Pitts
Arkansas State University
Definitions of Communication
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Defleur and Dennis
is a process in which professional
communicators use mechanical media to disseminate messages widely, rapidly and
continously to arouse intended meanings in large and diverse audiences in
attempts to influence them in a variety of ways.
Definitions
of Communication
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Stanley Baran
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The process of creating shared meaning between the mass media
and their audiences.
Definitions
of Communication
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James Carey
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Communication is a symbolic process whereby reality is
produced, maintained, repaired and transformed.(Carey, 1975, p. 10)
Definitions of Communication
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Gerbner
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mass communication is the technologically and institutionally
based mass production and distribution of the most broadly shared constant flow
of public messages in industrialized society.
Levels of Communication
1. Intrapersonal
2. Interpersonal
3. Group Communication
4. Mass Communication
Basic Mass Communication Model
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Sender message
receiver.
Lasswell’s Narrative Model of Communication
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Who says what?
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In which channel?
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To whom?
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With What Effect?
Evolution of mass communication theory
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Industrialization ‑
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Urbanization
‑
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Modernization ‑
Mass media with a mass society
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Print
‑ newspaper peak 1910‑1920
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Film
‑ golden age 1930‑1940
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Broadcasting 1950s-1990s
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Radio
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TV
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Cable
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Satellite
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Digital
delivery 1990s-2005
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WWW
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Search engines
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Phone
Significance of the Mass Media
Industry
Power resource
Public affairs are played out
Cultural developments
Dominant
source for definition of social
reality
Development of theory and research
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psychology and sociology
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Measurement tools
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Quantification
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Attitude scales
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Content scales
Some of the early researchers
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1920 R.
R. Burgess. Field work and social
statistics. (quantitative approaches to the study of human
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behavior).
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1929 L.
L. Thurstone. The measurement of
Attitude.
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1939 A.M.
Lee and E.B. Lee. The fine art of
propaganda (the magic bullet theory).
What is theory?
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A guess
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Ideas
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A theory is a set of interrelated laws or
general principles (hypotheses) that have been repeatedly verified about some
aspect of reality.
Theory is :
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statements about the
relationships among abstract concepts or variables
(Hocking, Stacks, McDermott, 2003, p. 29).
What does theory do?
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Explain
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Predict
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Discover
Theories tell us:
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Why independent variables cause dependent variables to take on
particular values.
Why study theories?
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Foundation for research
Changing mass media theories
Should theories change?
What factors have influenced mass com. Theory?
Regulation
Urbanization
Technology
What next for theory?
Factors influencing what theory will become from
today and 25 years into the future.
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Homework for August 31
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Read articles and book chapters as indicated
in the syllabus.
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Bring a typed one page paper describing the
differences between mass communication theory and physical science theory.
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