Communication Theory and Development Introduction to Communication Studies

Communication Theory and Development Introduction to Communication Studies Marilyn Shaw, Instructor

Source of Information for this Power. Point • Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life • A Practical Introduction , 2 nd Edition • By Marianne Dainton and Elaine Zelley

Communication • Communication is complicated • Skills in communication can make or break an individual’s personal and professional lives • Companies hire and promote people with excellent communication skills • Divorces occur because spouses believe they “no longer communicate. ” • Communication is seen as a magic elixir, one that can ensure a happy, long-term relationship and guarantee organizational success.

So, what is good communication? • Good communication means different things to different people • Everyday view • Synonymous with information • Flow of information from one person to another • One activity among many (planning, controlling, managing) • Communication Scholars • Process by which people interactively create, sustain, and manage meaning (Conrad & Poole, 1998). • It is how we plan, control, manage, persuade, understand, lead, love, and so on

What is Communication Competence • Most often understood as achieving a successful balance between effectiveness and appropriateness (Spitsberg & Cupcach, 1989). • Effectiveness • Extent to which you achieve your goals in an interaction (Did you get the raise? ) • Appropriateness • Fulfilling social expectations for a particular situation (Did you assertively ask, or meekly inquire? ) • Need both to be effective communicators

What is Theory? • Often intimidating • Been working with theories all of your life • Simply provides you with a abstract understanding of the communication process (Miller, 2002). • Move beyond describing a single event by providing a means by which all such events can be understood • Provides us with a lens to see the world • Can see more clearly, but also impact vision in an unforeseen way

Types of Theory Type of Theory Example Commonsense Theory Never date someone you work with—it will always end badly. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The more incompetent you are, the higher you are promoted. Working Theory Audience analysis should be done prior to presenting a speech. To get a press release published, it should be newsworthy and written in journalistic style. Scholarly Theory Effects of violations of expectations depend on the reward value of the violator. (expectancy violations theory). The media do not tell us what to think but what to think about. (agendasetting theory)

Evaluating Theory Area of Evaluation What to Look For Accuracy Has research supported that theory works the way it says it does? Practicality Have real-world applications been found for theory? Succinctness Has theory been formulated with the appropriate number (fewest possible) of concepts or steps? Consistency Does theory demonstrate coherence within its own premises and with other theories? Acuity To what extent does theory make clear an otherwise complex experience

Example---Groupthink • Developed by Janis (1972). • Is a dysfunctional decision-making process that happens when group members are so focused on making a unanimous decision that they fail to fully analyze a problem. • Groups go along to get along.

• Antecedent conditions make it more likely that group think will occur—they do not guarantee that group think will occur. • High cohesion • The degree of connection between group members or a sense of solidarity • Structural flaws • Problems with the way the group is organized • Group insulation • Biased leadership • Homogeneity—group similarity • Situational characteristics • Times of high stress create problems • Recent failures • Time pressure

Symptoms of Groupthink • All three conditions must be present for groupthink, but because they are present does not mean they will occur • Symptoms—(Janis) • Overestimation of the group • Illusion of invulnerability-a belief that because the group is good, the decisions they make have to be good. • Closed-mindedness—polarized thinking, viewing the world in extremes • Stereotyping (axis of evil) • Collective rationalization-justify decisions by talking themselves into it. • Pressure toward uniformity—actively suppress critical thinking • Illusion of unanimity • Pressure on dissenters

To the evaluation! • How accurate is groupthink? What evidence do you have to support your evaluation? • How practical is groupthink? • Is theory appropriately succinct? Or is it overly complex? Why do you make your judgment? • Is groupthink consistent with other theories about group communication? Does it demonstrate internal consistency? Why or why not? • Does groupthink demonstrate acuity? Does it demonstrate an ability to explain a difficult real-world problem? Why or why not?

The Theory-research link • Inductive Theory Development • Also known as grounded theory • Believe that the best theories emerge from the results of systematic study (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). • Study a particular topic, and, based on the results of their research, develop a theory—research comes before theory. • Deductive Theory Development • Generally associated with the scientific method • Requires that a hypothesis, or a working theory, be developed before any research is conducted. • Once theory is developed, theorist collects data to test or refine theory. • In short, deductive theory is known as law—starts with theory and the looks at the data.

Theory Research Link Deductive Theory Research Inductive

What is Research? • A disciplined inquiry that involves studying something in a planned manner and reporting it so that other inquiries can potentially replicate the process if they choose. (Frey, Botan, & Kreps, 2002). • Two Categories Primary Research Reported by the person who conducted it Secondary Research Reported by someone other that the person who conducted it. In newspapers, trade magazines, handbooks, textbooks, etc.

Types of Research Methods What it reveals What it conceals Experiments Cause and effect Whether the cause-effect relationship holds true in less controlled environments Survey Research Respondents’ thoughts, feelings, and intentions Cannot establish causality’ cannot determine what people actually do Textual analysis The content, nature, and structure of messages The effect of the message on the receivers Ethnography Rules and meanings of communication is a culture or context May provide a highly subjective (and therefore biased) view of the culture or context.

So---Social Science or Humanities? Issue Social Science Humanities Belief about human nature Determinism Pragmatism Goal of theory Understand predict Understand only Process of theory development Deductive Inductive Focus on research Particularism Holism Research methods Experiments, quantitative Ethnography, qualitative survey and textual analysis

Quantitative VS Qualitative • Quantitative methods • Rely on numbers or statistics • Explanatory and comprehensive in nature • Seek to predict what will happen for large groups of people • Control the study by identifying variables of interest before data collection takes place and trying to prevent extraneous influences for affecting the data • generalizations • Qualitative methods • Reject the limitations on individual interpretation that control requires • Eschews the use of numbers and verbal descriptions of communicative phenomena • Data typically in the form of extended quotes or transcripts of communication • Focuses on critique of communication rather than on genreralizations

Theory Clusters Click here to find out additional information on theories http: //www. utwente. nl/cw/theoriee noverzicht/Theory%20 clusters/