7 TRADITIONS IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION THEORY
- Communication theory: the questions/answers communication scholars seek in order to understand human interaction.
- Professor Robert Craig
- Communication theory : unrelated theories //diff. starting point, method, conclusion. - But, theories make sense if communication is seen as a practical discipline. - Proposes a field of communication theory (7 traditions of communication theory -vocabulary --> communication problems and practices).
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7 TRADITIONS
1. SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL TRADITION
2. CYBERNETIC TRADITION
4. THE SEMIOTIC TRADITION
5. SOCIO-CULTURAL TRADITION
3. RETHORICAL TRADITION
1. SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS INTERPERSONAL INTERACTION AND INFLUENCE
- KEY:
- There are communication truths (universal laws of communication) that can be discovered through observation (surveys, controlled experiments). ---> cause-effect relationships = results/how ppl communicate. - Prolific tradition (many theories) Ex. Study to predict survival of college friendship (majors, frequency of communication, communication efficiency) after 19 years. Result: long-lasting friendship-->shared academic interests and good communication.
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2. CYBERNETIC TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS A SYSTEM OF INFO PROCESSING
- CYBERNETICS: Study of info processing, feedback and control in communication sys.
- KEY:
- Communication is the link that connects parts of a system (computer, family, media sys.)--->How does the sys work? What could change it? How can we eliminate the bugs? Ex. Study of personal relationships through their social networks. How social networks´ links are established within and between both friends. Feedback received from those support sys. Result: long-lasting friendship-->shared academic interests and good communication.
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3. RETHORICAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS ARTFUL PUBLIC ADDRESS
- RHETORICS: Art of using language to persuade, to be effective (spoken and written delivery) .
- KEY:
- 20th century: rethorical theory (Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintilian and other greco-roman rethors) was the main source of wisdom around public speaking. CHARACTERISTICS OF RETHORICAL COMMUNICATION- Speech differentiates humans from animals.- Public speaking is more effective to solve political conflicts in a democtratic forum than trying decrees and force .- Setting: one speaker tries to influence listeners through persuasive discourse. - Oratory: basics of a leader's education.- Language: its power and beauty-move crowds into action.- Oral public persuasion: male field. Ex. Aristotle's analysis of friendship (20 qualities that make ppl get attracted to us as friends) +characteristics above = Philosopher Garver's conclusions: -Aristotle's objective of that analysis of friendship wasn't describing Greek's relationships, BUT the creation of goodwill through language. Goodwill=friendly speaker --> listeners open to the message.
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4. SEMIOTIC TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS THE PROCESS OF SHARING MEANING THROUGH SYMBOLS
- SEMIOTICS: study of V/NV signs - diff. interpretations --> impact to society.
- SYMBOLS: arbitrary words/NV signs whose meaning is culturally learned.
- SIGNS: anything that can represent something else.
- KEY:
- Words: signs - symbols. Arbitrary symbols (no natural connections)- Richards (literary critic) railed against the "proper meaning superstition" = words have a precise definition. - Richards: meaning is not in words, it is in people. Ex. Professor Monsour: study of meaning "intimacy" - 7 meanings (variables). Word: multidimensional - polysemic linguistic sign, but it can generally be understood according to context. d
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5. THE SOCIO-CULTURAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS THE CREATION AND ENACTMENT OF SOCIAL REALITY.
- SAPIR-WHORF HYP: Structure of a language shapes what we think and do --> social construction of reality.
- KEY:
- Through talking we create what then exists --> produce and reproduce culture.Other socio-cultural theorists: "through communication, reality is produced, mantained, rapaired and transformed" --> we co-construct our social worlds. Ex. Professor Sia's study: friendship that forms and disolve in organizational settings. Proposal: relationships-->mental creations that depend on communication (V/NV) to form and survive Critique: x both versions.
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7 TRADITIONS
Fencing the field of communication theory
6. CRITICAL TRADITION
7. PHENOMENOLOGICAL TRADITION
ETHICAL TRADITION
6. THE CRITICAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS A REFLECTIVE CHALLENGE OF UNJUST DISCOURSE
- CULTURE INDUSTRY: E-businesses that reproduce the dominant ideology (usually disregarding unfair distribution of power) Ex. TicToc Hank
- KEY:
- The "critical theory" comes from Frankfurt School (German scholars). -This school carried on the Marxist tradition of critiquing society (against capitalism, in favor of an egalitarian society). - Critical theorists are against: * The control of language to perpetuate power imbalances. Ex. o/a * The role of mass media in dullig sensitivity to oppression. Ex. * Blind reliance on the scientific method and uncritical acceptance of empirical findings (empirical work-science are not ideologically free) Ex. Professor Werking: Corss-Sex Friendship Research as Ideological Practice (chapter). = reigning cultural model of relationships btw W/M is romance. Critiques: - scholars reproduce hetero-sexual ideologies in their studies. - academic journals publish mainly publish research about dating, marriage, disregarding opposite-sex friendship --> no language describing frieship. - Western scholars; individualistic ideology that can be found in their research.
Ex.
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7. PHENOMENOLOGICAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS THE EXPERIENCE OF SELF AND OTHERS THROUGH DIALOGUE
- PHENOMENOLOGY: Study everyday experience from the POV of the experimenter. Understand the experience of self and others.
- KEY:
- Emphasis on people's perception and their interpretation of their own experiences- Problem: experiences are not identical--->Phenomenological theorists: Whis it so hard to sustain human relationships. How can this problem be solved? Ex. Professor Rawlins: studies friendship through conversations. Results: through the reconstruction of the women's segments, HE experienced what friendship is for the ladies because he paid attention to THEIR feedback and what friendship means for them
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Fencing the field of Communication Theory
ACCORDING TO THE AUTHORBackground: theorists, researchers, practitioners: each their own. "Squatter's rights" (illegal tenants): occupation of "land"- Griffin (author) proposes a map where the 7 traditions share space. Division: objective vs. interpretative theories+ Objective: Socio-psychological tradition* Interpretative: Phenomenological tradition- Hybrid theories are possible because theorists "cross-pollinate" (theory grounded on more than 1 tradition)- The 7 traditions might not cover all approaches to communication theory. CRAIG Pragmatic tradition --> where different perspectives can be accepted (shared "land")
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GRIFFIN'S ETHICAL TRADITION
- COMMUNICATION AS PEOPLE OF CHARACTER INTERACTING IN JUST AND BENEFICIAL WAYS
- Importance of Ethics in CT: unseparable from human beings and their theories.The National Communication Association adopted the Credo for Communication Ethics. What is ethical? Honesty vs. lying.- Principles: 1. Advocate for truthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason as essential to the integrity of communication.2. We accept responsibility for the short and long-term consequences of our own communication and expect reciprocity.3 We strive to understand and respect oter communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages. Ex. Rawling's book on friendship: friends negotiate their relationships voluntarily, respect each other, learn about each other constantly. Trustworthy, ---> What is ethic, what is right vs. wrong. d
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