25 Aug 2017
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COMM 360 – Lecture 1 – What is Communication Theory
Theory – a set of systematic, informed hunches about the way things work
Systematic: everything is interconnected
Informed: backed up by factual evidence
Hunches: an assumption or idea about the way the world works (a theory is not born
from 1 hunch, it is born from multiple)
Metaphors that explain theories:
A net – woven with your own hunches to “catch” the ideas of the world
Lenses – used to hone in on a particular theory
Problem? It can narrow the scope too much and you’ll miss the other moving parts of the
theory
A map – gives a direct and easy to follow path of “how to get to” a certain theory
Communication (a crossroad discipline) – the relational process of creating and interpreting
messages that elicit a response
Relational process: takes more than one person and is always trying to relate to other
people
Messages: what is trying to be conveyed to an audience
Elicit a response: your message earns a reaction from the audience
Communication can be divided into two camps: objective and interpretive
Objective –
• In terms of the beer commercial: objective scholars looked at WHY the audience, as a
whole, felt the way they felt after watching the commercial
• Objective scholars study the response of the audience
• Believe that there is only one Truth and it can be found through unbiased observation
Interpretive –
• In terms of the beer commercial: interpretive scholars looked at WHAT the commercial
did to make the audience feel a certain way
• Interpretive scholars study the text
• Believe that there are many truths with multiple meanings
Differences between approaches:
Objective –
1. Truth; there is only one way of
knowing
2. Determinism; behavior is
predetermined via biology
3. Value objectivity
4. Believe in Universal Law
Interpretive –
1. Truth is socially constructed; there
are many ways of knowing
2. Free will
3. Value emancipation
4. Believe in a guide
To remember the differences, think: “What Is v. What Ought To Be”
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find more resources at oneclass.com