Chapter 1 - Understanding Theory

7/28/2019 Chapter 1 - Understanding Theory

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MASS COMMUNICATION

THEORY

BARAN & DAVIS (2012)CHAPTER 1


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DEFINING & REDEFINING MASS/MEDIATED COMMUNICATION

What is Mass Communication?

Consider what you know about the early

days of radio and televisionwhat wasmeant by mass?


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WRIGHT'S (1959) DEFINITION OF MASS

COMMUNICATION:

Directed toward large, heterogeneous, and

anonymous audiences.

Messages are transmitted publicly, often timed

to reach audience members simultaneously.

The communicator tends to be, or to operatewithin, a complex organization that may involve

great expense.


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DEFINING & REDEFINING MASS/MEDIATED COMMUNICATION

What are characteristics of the

new media environment?

Does this change

the meaning of

mass communication?

If so, how?


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SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW MEDIAENVIRONMENT (MCMANUS, 1994)

Even 19 years ago, he identified these:

Previously distinct technologies are merging.

Media scarcity --> Media abundance

Shift to content tailored for groups or individuals.

Shift from one-way to interactive media.

Any others to add?


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SCIENCE & HUMAN BEHAVIOR

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENCE

1.Uses logical reasoning

2. Uses systematic methods

3. Grounded in empirical data

4. Intersubjective

5. Replicable

6. Cumulative, open to modification


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THE WHEEL OF SCIENCE

Data-gathering

Empirical

Generalizations

Theory

Hypothesis


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SCIENCE IS BASED ON THE LOGIC OFCAUSALITY

Often people think of causes as

necessary or sufficient (cause of flu;

cause of death) But many causes are neither

necessary nor sufficient (Does flu

cause death?)


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REQUIREMENTS FOR CAUSALITY

1. Relationship

between two variables

2. Time order: Cause

precedes effect

3. Rule out other

explanations

(third variables)


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CHALLENGES IN SOCIAL SCIENCE

RESEARCH Human behavior and aspects of our social environment

are difficult to measure

Human behavior is complexall things in the socialworld have multiple causes

Humans have goals and are self-reflexive

The idea of causality in human behavior can betroubling: Does the notion of causality mean people

have no free will?


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THEORY

Basic definition of theory from Littlejohn & Foss (2008):

Any organized set of concepts, explanations, and

principles of some aspect of human experience.

Types of theories differ in assumptions about:

Ontology: The nature of reality, what is knowable

Epistemology: How knowledge is created & expanded

Axiology: The proper role of values in research and

theory building.


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TYPES OF THEORIES

Different school of thoughts define theory differently

depending on their goals and their beliefs about the

social world and knowledge construction.

Social Scientific Theory* [Postpositivist]

Hermeneutic Theory

Critical Theory

Normative Theory

*The others are not generally considered scientific


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TYPES OF THEORIES

Social Scientific Theory

Assumes knowledge about the social world can be

gained through scientific method and empirical data But recognizes that humans have goals, make choices, & make sense of

their world

Strives for objectivity (minimizes influence of subjectivity

on research)

Goals: Explanation, prediction and control


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TYPES OF THEORIES

Hermeneutic Theory

Focuses on understanding and interpreting the social world

When applied to people (as opposed to texts), focuses onhow they interpret and create meaning from their social

experiences

Believes that reality is socially constructed


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TYPES OF THEORIES

Critical Theory

Describes but also criticizes the social world

Concerned with the structure of power and oppression insociety, human agency, and the struggle between the two

Openly political and focused on changing the social world for

the better


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TYPES OF THEORIES

Normative Theory

This type of theory explains how ideal media ought tooperate within a specific system of social values

e.g., the four theories of the press


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CONCLUSION

There is no single definition or the right definition of

theory.

Theory is defined differently based on different schools

of thoughts, with different goals and different

contributions to knowledge.


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THINKING ABOUT THEORY: SEE PAGES 19-20 IN THE TEXTBOOK

Review the questions posed about new technologies, such as

the Internet, Facebook, mobile phones

Consider which questionsraised in the book, or newquestionsthat you think need to be answered

How can these questions be answered? What approach(es)

could be used?

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Chapter 1 - Understanding Theory