What is Communication-Communication Studies?

Mira K DesaiAssociate Professor

University Department of Extension EducationS.N.D.T. Women’s University

Juhu Campus, Mumbai

Communication & Communication Studies:What is it?

Agenda for Today

Communication as a process and productCommunication for Media CommunicationYour individual SELF in communicationCommunication as a communicatorCommunication as a receiverCommunication as a discipline

FEELING

THINKING

UNDERSTANDINGWords have Meanings.

Meanings create world.

EXPRESSIN

GLOOKING

What is Communication?

Reality

Product

Facts, Opinions,

Emotions, Ideas…

Ideology Technology Process

Interaction Exchange

What is Media?

Reality

Product

Historical

Context

Ideology Technology Process

RepresentationCapitalandInstitutions

Elements/Process of Communication

= Noise

SENDER RECEIVERMESSAGECHANNEL

FEEDBACK

Context

Types of Communication

Intra-personal (self)Inter-personal (other)

Group (others)Mass (many groups)

Personal-InformalPublic-Formal

VocalNon-vocal

WrittenOral

DirectMediated

On-line

Off-line

Audio-visual AudioVisual

One-wayTwo-way

ParticipatoryUpward

DownwardHorizontal Vertical

Scope of Communication

MASS

GROUPINTERPERSONAL

Communication…?!

SOCIETY- Mass

MASS- Many GroupsInstitutional/Organisational

GROUP- With a group of peopleINTRA GROUP- Within a group

INTERPERSONAL- Between two peopleINTRAPERSONAL- Self as communicator

Functions of Communication

InformationInstructionEntertainmentPersuasionDebate and discussionCultural promotionIntegration

Types of Media

GroupMass

Personal-Private

PublicOn-line

Off-line

Folk- Proverbs, Songs, Theatre, DancesPrint- Newspapers, Magazines, Small print

Electronic- TV, RadioNew- Internet, Mobile

OralWritten

Audio Visual

ConvergentIndoor

Outdoor

COMMONs for Mass Media

Address different sensesApproach ‘MASS’Provide Information and/or EducationEntertain peopleTechnology/InfrastructureInstitutionsDifficulty of ‘modification’Economics of ‘buying’ and ‘selling’

CommunicationTransmission View

Communication links the ways messages are transmitted and received via technology with the composition of these messages (or more broadly, as communicative relationships), and with the analysis of the effects of these communicative acts.

Ritual viewCommunication is a

central daily ritual that helps form and sustain communities.

Approaches to Communication

TRANSMISSION‘imparting,’ ‘sending,’ ‘transmitting,’ or ‘getting information to others”

‘not toward the extension of messages in space’

‘not the act of imparting information’

RITUAL’sharing’, ‘participation’, ‘association’, ‘fellowship’, and ‘the possession of a common faith’‘toward the maintenance of society in time’‘the representation of shared beliefs’

Ritual View of Communication

SENDER

RECEIVER

MEANING

John Dewey (1859 – 1952) There is more than a verbal tie between the

words common, community, and communication. Men live in a community in virtue of the things which they have in common; and communication is the way in which they come to possess things in common. What they must have in common . . . are aims, beliefs, aspirations, knowledge, a common understanding– likemindedness as sociologists say. Such things cannot be passed physically from one to another like bricks; they cannot be shared as persons would share a pie by dividing it into physical pieces .... Consensus demands communication. (Dewey, 1916: 5-6).

Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)

Global VillageMedia as technological extension of human body.When you are on the phone or on the air, you have no body.People don’t actually read newspapers. They step into them every morning like a hot bath.News, far more than art, is artifact.All advertising advertises advertising.

James Carey (1934-2006)Communication as Culture“Communication is a symbolic process whereby REALITY is produced, maintained, repaired and transformed”.“social life is more than power and trade ... it also includes the sharing of this that experience, the religious ideas, personal values and the sentiments, and intellectual notions -- a ritual border”

Source: James Carey. A Cultural Approach To Communication. Routledge, York, N.Y., 1989.

Effects of Telegraph….Carey Ch-8

Facilitated growth of monopoly capitalism and imperialism (electric goods industry, centralized control across space)Inspired popular imagery combining peace and harmony with power and profit.Marked watershed in communication (separated communication from transportation, basis for transmission model)Influenced journalism (objectivity) and language (telegraphic style)Changed the meaning of time (standard time zones, time as frontier) and space (national commodities markets, geographically dispersed markets)

Effects of Communication Technologies…..Carey (Contd.)

MYTHS (future reality)Democracy, FreedomPeace, BrotherhoodEnlightenment

REALITYCentralization of

PowerImpersonalizati

onStandardization

Transmission vesus RitualTRANSMISSION

Transportation Sender & Receiver Sent & Received Receiver ‘gets it’ Accuracy of

transmission Influence across

space

RITUALo Ceremonyo Participantso Created and Recreatedo Shared experience o Sense of communityo Community across

time

Metaphor- Role of participants- Role of meaning- Success criterion- Basic function

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

SELF & OTHER in Interpersonal Communication

Non-vocal CommunicationSIGNALS: attract attention & transfer, Device to formulate extrinsic meaningSIGNS: meaning of intrinsic nature, Has Form-Setting-Colour-Location contextsSYMBOLS: abstraction made rooted in society/cultureICONS: Group/cluster of interactive symbolsGESTURES/Kinesics/Body languagePROXEMICS: ways of communication across cultures about use of time and space as well as body positions and other factors

Non-verbal communication in Interpersonal CommunicationGesturePostureFacial expressionProximityAppearanceOrientationAroma/smell

Head/hand movements Body contact/touchEye movement/contact

VOICE related elements: PitchPaceRateQualityLaughter/yelling etc.Silence

Construction of SelfEnculturation and indoctrination (Background and bring up)Institutional influences: Family, Schools, Media, Caste-Community-Society, Religion….Self awareness and effortsSupport of Others

Dimensions/Positions of Self

CasteClassReligionGenderEducationGeography …………………………

Self Esteem

Scholastic competenceAthletic competenceSocial acceptanceBehavioural conductPhysical appearance

Making of ‘Self’Self-confidenceMaturityExpectationEmotionsAmbitionAnalytical abilities

PersonalityPotentialities/StrengthsLikes/DislikesWeaknessesAttitudes Beliefs

Personality typesSensing: Sense the surroundingsThinking: Analyses the situationIntuitive: Depend on the gut feelingFeeling: Feel and fun for everything

Effective Self Communication

Looking-Seeing-Watching

We most often LOOKOccasionally we SEEThere are times that we WATCHRarely that we REGISTERIt is only at times that we UNDERSTANDIts only after EXPERIENCE that it makes SENSE to us.

Process of ‘Listening’ HearingFocusing on the messageComprehending-Understanding-InterpretingAnalysing and EvaluatingResponding and NOT ReactingRemembering……..remembering……..remembering

Effective FeedbackFocus on specific behavioursKeep it impersonalKeep it goal orientedMake it well timedEnsure understandingGive it direct towards behaviour that is controllable by the recipient

Human Intelligences* Linguistic : words, languageLogical/mathematical: relation of objectsSpatial: mind’s eyeMusical: comprehension/production of soundBodily/kinesthetic: using bodyInter-personal: knowing ‘others’Intra-personal: knowing ‘self’

* Gardner H (1993) Multiple Intelligences: The theory in practice, Basic Books, New York.

DISCIPLINE OF COMMUNICATION

Communication: Discipline…?!

Communication Science/StudiesJournalism Mass Communication/Media StudiesCulture & CommunicationMedia & Entertainment- Film, Music, New media, Outdoor, Gaming, Advertising “Journalism & Mass Communication”

Communication Science “a science which seeks to understand

the production, processing, and effects of symbol and signal systems by developing testable theories, containing lawful generalisations, that explain phenomenon associated with production, processing and effects”

Berger C R & S H Chaffee (1987: 17) The study of communication as science in Berger C R & S H Chaffee (ed.) Handbook of Communication Science, p-15-19, Sage, Beverly Hills.

Media Analysis of History

The Tribal Age- Oral culture, Multisensory involvement, Holistic-intuitive thinkingThe Age of Literacy- Writing, The line becomes organising principle, Logic emergesThe Print Age- “Guttenberg Galaxy” The eye becomes the dominant sense, Linear thinking- IndividualismThe Electronic Thinking- “Global Village”, TV dominant medium, multisensory involvement, Retribalization, Decline of logic and linearity

Media & Entertainment Industry…??!!

Advertising {OOH, Direct marketing, PR…}Broadcast, Cable, DTH, IPTVFilmed EntertainmentPrint- Newspapers, MagazinesPublishing- BooksRadioUpcoming convergent platforms- Mobile and telecom, Gaming, Internet & Social networking….

Media Sector Avenues

Mass Media:Print: Newspapers & Magazines

RadioTV

Films

Other Media:Publishing: BooksMobile & Telecom

InternetOutdoors & Events

AdvertisingActing

JournalismPublic relations

Graphics-GamingBeauty & Make Up

Art & DesignComputer Animation

FitnessFood

Transport

Media in India means…Public Service Broadcasting by Doordarshan and All India Radio700+ Television channels & 300 FM radio and 100+ community radio stationsRNI registered no of newspapers, as on 31st March, 2008: 69,323 1132 features produced in 2007 (total of US+China+Japan in 2008) 1250 productions (2010) in 13000 Cinema hallsEmerging markets of mobiles & Internet

Mass Communication: MapCULTUREPOPULAR orMASS

AUDIENCES/ EFFECTS

STRUCTURES• POLITICAL• ECONOMIC• SOCIAL•TECHNOLOGICAL

ORGANISATIONS• MARKET• FAMILY• MEDIA• STATE/GOVERNMENT

TRADITIONS* STRUCTURAL: Sociology, History, Politics, Law, Economics* BEHAVIOURAL: Psychology, Social psychological, * CULTURAL: Humanities, Anthropology, Linguistics

MEDIA CONTENT/

TEXT

MEDIA INSTITUTIONS

LOCATION: Local-Global, Micro-Macro, Intra-Inter-Group-within groups-Mass

THANKS for TIME & PATIENCE…

drmiradesai@gmail.comsndtmedia@hotmail.com