Situating C 4 D within the field of

Situating C 4 D within the field of communication

Forms of communication • Interpersonal—with another person, face-toface, by phone, Skype, letter, e-mail, social media • Group—meetings, classes, video conferences, social media • Mass—newspapers, radio, television, Internet, PR and advertising campaigns

Forms of communication • In interpersonal and group communication, you have control over who receives and how they respond to your message • Mass communication may reach your intended audience, but also other people • In mass communication, more difficult to predict who is reading, listening or watching, and how they will react or respond

C 4 D includes all three forms • Questions to ask for each demographic segment or community: • Which communication channels (interpersonal, group and/or mass) are used? • Which channels are most cost-effective? • Which channels are most trusted?

Example: health information • Most trusted source for health information may not be medical professionals or scientists but family members, religious or community leaders • People may not make health decisions on what we would consider a rational basis • In societies with high poverty and low literacy rates, traditional communication channels may be key

Definitions of C 4 D UN General Assembly (1997): Communication for development stresses the need to support two-way communication systems that enable dialogue and that allow communities to speak out, express their aspirations and concerns and participate in the decisions that relate to their development.

Definitions of C 4 D World Congress on Communication for Development Rome Consensus (2006) C 4 D is … a social process based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It is also about seeking change at different levels, including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge and skills, building policies, debating and learning for sustained and meaningful change. It is not public relations or corporate communication.

External and internal communication • External communication enhances the profile or brand of an organization, projecting its vision and mission to various audiences (governments, donors, media, general public) • Internal communication is the sharing and flow of information within an organization to improve efficiency • C 4 D aims to improve socio-economic level and health of individuals and communities

Aristotle’s three modes of persuasion Ethos Pathos Logos

The persuasion triad Ethos: Credibility of Speaker Pathos: Appeal to Emotions Logos: Rational argument

Social norms • Culture, belief systems and community values have an impact on how people behave, both individually and collectively • For change to occur, e. g. a decision to have children vaccinated, at the individual or community level, we need to understand the guiding social norms • Because of different norms, communication appeals (logos and pathos) will differ

Exercise • Think about examples from your experience that illustrate the persuasion triad. Write down examples of: • Ethos: Who would you consider a credible communicator? • Logos: A logical argument (facts and figures) • Pathos: An emotional appeal

Modernization theory • Rose to prominence after World War II • Held that societies can be pushed towards development through industrialization, urbanization, infrastructure • Key was transfer of technology and new ideas from Western societies • Implemented in national development plans, infrastructure projects, free-trade economic policies, government campaigns

Modernization theory • Held that traditional economic, social and cultural practices were bottlenecks to development • Modern societies were industrialized and democratic, relying on increased consumption of material goods for growth • Through aid, modern societies could help traditional societies undertake economic and social reforms, and rise out of poverty

Mass media and modernization • Mass media seen as ideal vehicles for the transfer of new ideas and practices from developed to developing countries • “Direct effects” model held that mass media could change people’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviors

Mass media and modernization • Communication seen as a linear, one-way, topdown process of sending a message through a channel to receivers • Communication is: Who (says) What (to) Whom (in) What Channel (with) What Effect (Lasswell) Assumed all receivers will read the message the same way and act/respond the same way

Shannon-Weaver Model (1948)

Where’s the “noise”? • Communication can be disrupted by noise: • Technical noise, e. g. poor radio or TV reception, bad phone lines • Environmental/social noise, e. g. low literacy, religious beliefs, cultural practices Credibility of source of message (Aristotle’s ethos) also key to message reception and action

“Direct effects” model of mass media • Development experts overlooked noise and “feedback loop, ” assuming uniform, direct effects • Mass media viewed as agent of social change, contributing to economic development, literacy, urbanization and democracy (Lerner, The Passing of the Traditional Society, 1958) • Media mobilize society and have key role in nation-building (Schramm, Mass Media and National Development, 1964)

Participatory development • Assumed that human attitudes and behavior are complex, and can be influenced by a range of factors, including mass media • Family, social organization, culture, religion, economic status may be more powerful than mass media • Instead of being passive recipients, people process messages through their own social and personal lenses

Participatory development • Cannot assume that any message will lead to collective change or action • C 4 D seen as two-way process in which communities and individuals define their problems and solutions and participate in their own development

Participatory development • C 4 D uses multiple channels—interpersonal and group as well as mass communication • Horizontal approaches that emphasize consultation and dialogue • New emphasis on community-based and traditional media—community radio, video collectives, village Internet centers, folk art and music, street theatre