Traditions of Communication TheoryTraditions of Communication Theory

Multiple theories and perspectives will Multiple theories and perspectives will always characterize the field of always characterize the field of communication studies. communication studies.

Lacking a unifying theory, the field can Lacking a unifying theory, the field can be divided into seven traditions be divided into seven traditions

We will omit one of them , the We will omit one of them , the cyberneticcybernetic

TheThe Semiotic Tradition Semiotic Tradition

……focuses on signs and symbols. focuses on signs and symbols. Communication is the application of signs to Communication is the application of signs to bridge the worlds of individualsbridge the worlds of individuals

The basic concept unifying this tradition is theThe basic concept unifying this tradition is the sign, sign, sometimes referred to assometimes referred to as symbol, symbol, defined as a stimulus for designating defined as a stimulus for designating something other than itself.something other than itself.

SemioticsSemiotics, exploring the importance of signs , exploring the importance of signs and symbols as they are used, is the focus of and symbols as they are used, is the focus of many communication theories.many communication theories.

Semiotics is often divided into three Semiotics is often divided into three areas areas

SemanticsSemantics addresses what a sign stands for. addresses what a sign stands for. Dictionaries are semantic reference books; they tell us Dictionaries are semantic reference books; they tell us what a sign means.what a sign means.

Syntactics Syntactics is the relationships among signs.is the relationships among signs.• Signs rarely stand alone. They are almost always Signs rarely stand alone. They are almost always

part of a larger sign system referred to aspart of a larger sign system referred to as codes. codes.• Codes are organized rules that designate what Codes are organized rules that designate what

different signs stand for.different signs stand for. PragmaticsPragmatics studies the practical use and effects of studies the practical use and effects of

signs. signs.

The The Phenomenological TraditionPhenomenological Tradition

……isis the process of knowing through direct the process of knowing through direct experience. It is the way in which humans experience. It is the way in which humans come to understand the world.come to understand the world.

PhenomenonPhenomenon refers to the appearance of an refers to the appearance of an object, event or condition in one’s perception.object, event or condition in one’s perception.

Makes actual lived experience the basic data Makes actual lived experience the basic data of reality. of reality.

Stanley Deetz summarizes three basic Stanley Deetz summarizes three basic principles…principles…

Stanley DeetzStanley Deetz

Knowledge is conscious.Knowledge is conscious. How one relates to a thing determines its How one relates to a thing determines its

meaning for that person. meaning for that person. Language is the vehicle for meaning Language is the vehicle for meaning

The process of The process of interpretationinterpretation is central to most is central to most

phenomenological thoughtphenomenological thought.. Unlike the semiotic tradition, where Unlike the semiotic tradition, where

interpretation is separate from reality, in interpretation is separate from reality, in the phenomenological tradition the phenomenological tradition interpretation forms what is real for the interpretation forms what is real for the person.person.

Interpretation emerges from aInterpretation emerges from a hermeneutic circlehermeneutic circle in which interpreters in which interpreters constantly go back and forth between constantly go back and forth between experience and assigning meaning.experience and assigning meaning.

Three general schools of thought make up Three general schools of thought make up

the phenomenological traditionthe phenomenological tradition Classical phenomenologyClassical phenomenology, associated , associated

with Edward Husserl the founder of with Edward Husserl the founder of modern phenomenology, is highly modern phenomenology, is highly objective and claims the world can be objective and claims the world can be experienced, through experienced, through bracketing,bracketing, the the putting aside of bias without the knower putting aside of bias without the knower bringing his or her own categories to bringing his or her own categories to bear.bear.

Most contemporary phenomenology rejects Most contemporary phenomenology rejects the objectivist view…the objectivist view…

and subscribes to the teachings of Maurice and subscribes to the teachings of Maurice Merleau-Ponty. The Merleau-Ponty. The phenomenology of phenomenology of perceptionperception posits that we can only know posits that we can only know things through our personal, subjective things through our personal, subjective relationship to these things.relationship to these things.

Hermeneutic phenomenology,Hermeneutic phenomenology, the the interpretation of being, extends the subjective interpretation of being, extends the subjective tradition even further by incorporating tradition even further by incorporating communication: Communication is the vehicle communication: Communication is the vehicle by which you assign meaning to your by which you assign meaning to your experience.experience.

The The Cybernetic TraditionCybernetic Tradition

El skippoEl skippo

The The Cybernetic TraditionCybernetic Tradition

is a very common approach in the study is a very common approach in the study of communication, the behavioral of communication, the behavioral sciences, and all social sciences at large. sciences, and all social sciences at large. It focuses on the individual in social It focuses on the individual in social interaction with others as the definition of interaction with others as the definition of the communicator.the communicator.

This tradition emphasizes psychological This tradition emphasizes psychological variables, individual effects, variables, individual effects, personalities, perception, and cognition.personalities, perception, and cognition.

Most of the current work in this Most of the current work in this tradition tradition

dominated by persuasion and attitude dominated by persuasion and attitude change in communication, accentuating change in communication, accentuating message processing, strategies, message processing, strategies, reception and effects.reception and effects.

Most theories in this tradition are Most theories in this tradition are cognitive in orientation, providing insights cognitive in orientation, providing insights into the way human beings process into the way human beings process information.information.

The sociopsychological tradition can be The sociopsychological tradition can be divided into three large branches.divided into three large branches.

Behavioral, associated with a stimulus-Behavioral, associated with a stimulus-response approach, concentrates on how response approach, concentrates on how people actually behave in communication people actually behave in communication situations.situations.

Cognitive, the mental operations used in Cognitive, the mental operations used in managing information that leads to behavioral managing information that leads to behavioral outputs, is much more in vogue today because outputs, is much more in vogue today because many see the behavioral as too simplistic. many see the behavioral as too simplistic.

Communibiology is the study of Communibiology is the study of communication from a biological perspective. communication from a biological perspective.

TheThe Sociocultural Tradition Sociocultural Tradition

addresses the ways our understandings, meanings, addresses the ways our understandings, meanings, norms, roles, and rules are worked interactively in norms, roles, and rules are worked interactively in communication.communication.

This tradition holds that reality is not an objective set of This tradition holds that reality is not an objective set of arrangements outside us but is constructed through a arrangements outside us but is constructed through a process of communicating in groups, society, and process of communicating in groups, society, and cultures.cultures.

Sociocultural focuses on patterns of interactions rather Sociocultural focuses on patterns of interactions rather than individual characteristics or mental modes.than individual characteristics or mental modes.

Knowledge is highly interpretive and constructed Knowledge is highly interpretive and constructed

There are a number of contributing lines of There are a number of contributing lines of work within this tradition.work within this tradition.

Symbolic interactionismSymbolic interactionism from the work of from the work of George Mead, emphasizes the idea that social George Mead, emphasizes the idea that social structures and meaning is created and structures and meaning is created and maintained within social interactions.maintained within social interactions.

Social constructionism, Social constructionism, or theor the social social construction of reality construction of reality investigates how investigates how human knowledge is constructed through human knowledge is constructed through social interaction and argues that the nature of social interaction and argues that the nature of the world is less important than the language the world is less important than the language used to name and discuss it.used to name and discuss it.

Sociolinguistics Sociolinguistics is the study of language and is the study of language and culture.culture.

Closely related to sociolinguistics Closely related to sociolinguistics

is the work of Luddwig Wittgenstein and his is the work of Luddwig Wittgenstein and his philosophy of language which suggests the philosophy of language which suggests the meaning of language depends on its actual meaning of language depends on its actual use.use.

Language as used in ordinary life is a Language as used in ordinary life is a language gamelanguage game because people follow rules because people follow rules to do things with language.to do things with language.

John Austin refers to the practical use of John Austin refers to the practical use of language as language as speech actsspeech acts, the idea that when , the idea that when we speak we are actually performing an act.we speak we are actually performing an act.

EthnographyEthnography, ,

the observation of how actual social the observation of how actual social groups come to build meaning through groups come to build meaning through their linguistic and non-linguistic their linguistic and non-linguistic behaviors, is another perspective within behaviors, is another perspective within the sociocultural tradition.the sociocultural tradition.

The The Critical TraditionCritical Tradition

examines how power, privilege and examines how power, privilege and oppression are the products of certain oppression are the products of certain forms of communication.forms of communication.

While there are several varieties of While there are several varieties of critical social science, they are all critical social science, they are all normative and share three essential normative and share three essential features…features…

three essential features.three essential features.

They seek to understand 1)the taken-for-They seek to understand 1)the taken-for-granted systems, 2)power structures and granted systems, 2)power structures and 3)beliefs- or ideologies– that dominate 3)beliefs- or ideologies– that dominate society.society.

They are interested in uncovering They are interested in uncovering oppressive social conditions and power oppressive social conditions and power arrangements in order to promote arrangements in order to promote emancipation.emancipation.

They attempt to fuse theory and action They attempt to fuse theory and action

While critical theory falls within the modernist While critical theory falls within the modernist paradigm, there are three additional branches that paradigm, there are three additional branches that

break with modernity in various ways.break with modernity in various ways. PostmodernismPostmodernism came about as the information came about as the information

age emerged from the industrial society, as the age emerged from the industrial society, as the production of commodities gave way to the production of commodities gave way to the manipulation of knowledge.manipulation of knowledge.

Today this line of work is most associated with Today this line of work is most associated with cultural studiescultural studies

Cultural studies theorists share an interest in the Cultural studies theorists share an interest in the ideologies that dominate a culture and focus on ideologies that dominate a culture and focus on social change and how it is inhibited by group social change and how it is inhibited by group and class relations.and class relations.

Cultural studies places great value on the Cultural studies places great value on the marginalized and the ordinarymarginalized and the ordinary

PoststructuralismPoststructuralism, another postmodernist impulse, is , another postmodernist impulse, is centered on the study of signs and symbols.centered on the study of signs and symbols.

Unlike structuralism, poststructuralism Unlike structuralism, poststructuralism seeks to deconstruct the study of signs seeks to deconstruct the study of signs rather than generate a unified theory.rather than generate a unified theory.

It favors a plurality of methodologies and It favors a plurality of methodologies and focuses on the instability of meaning in focuses on the instability of meaning in texts.texts.

PostcolonialPostcolonial theory refers to the study of all theory refers to the study of all cultures affected by the imperial process.cultures affected by the imperial process.

Feminist studiesFeminist studies is another influential is another influential area within the critical tradition. It area within the critical tradition. It examines, critiques, and challenges the examines, critiques, and challenges the assumptions about and experiences of assumptions about and experiences of gender that pervade all aspects of life.gender that pervade all aspects of life.