24 Aug 2017
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Chapter 1
Theory:
- An umbrella term for all careful, systematic, and self-conscious discussion and analysis
of communication phenomena (Bormann’s definition)
- A set of systematic, informed hunches about the way things work (Burgoon’s
definition)
Systematic – theories specify the relationships between the act of communication and
surrounding circumstances
Informed – in order to make a theory, you must be familiar with alternative explanations and
interpretations of the type of communication studied
Hunches – theories always involve speculation; a developed theory has an explanation and will
give an indication of the scope of the situation
Communication:
- the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a response
Relational – communication is a process of relating; can have an effect on the nature of
relationships with people
Process of creating – content and form of the text are constructed, invented, planned, crafted,
constituted, selected or adopted by the communicator
Process of interpreting – words don’t mean things, people mean things; humans act toward
people or things on the basis of the meanings they assigned to those people or things
Messages – the core of communication study
Elicit a response – communication must stimulate cognitive, emotional, or behavioral reactions
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