Comm 250N Comm theory 9/13 Rhetoric- public communication, analyze written speeches.

40s 50s advanced comm, medium in which the speech was given, spoken, radio, TV (JFK vs Nixon) Mass communication- the medium is the message studying, social digital media classes, Journalism, PR, Advertising, Media criticism. Public speaking, Persuasion Comm Theory/studies -Interpersonal, non verbal, intercultural, group, generational, org comm, Determinist- Single Truth (one answer), -Focus on predicting behavior (scientific method testing hypothesiss) temp test between couples, -Belief in biology and environment (murders brain example) -Objective research (TV commercial selling the product) -Search is outside of us -Similar to behaviorism Research determinists prefer Quantitative -scientific, objective testing -controlled experiments -Descriptive statistics -Surveys -Focus on proving with numbers Humanist- Multiple Truths (how people came to their truth) -Focus on meaning and perception (BK break up story two truths) -Free will and individual control over choices -Subjective research (TV commercial what it did for the person -Search is inside of us Qualitative -Subjective analysis -Text analysis (loose term for text) -Ethnography (observation) in real settings -In-depth interviews Critical scholarship

-Critical thinkers for research -Seek not just to understand but to bring about social change -Critique others work as well as our culture Stewart Hall- how are minorities represented in the media -more power to the story tellers Communication Theory Vocab terms and knowledge Grand theory- attempt the explain all communication behavior in all manner that is universally true Mid-range theory- explains behavior of certain people or in certain contexts Narrow Theory- concerns only certain people in certain situations How do you see the world? Paradigm- intellectual traditions that ground certain theories; your assumptions; what you believe to be true to begin with -Shannon Leaner Linear model of information processing -Social constructivism (people create their own social realities) What is the nature of reality? Ontology- the study of being and reality -branch of metaphysics -The first philosophy -Vision of the world; what is real How do we know what we know Epistemology-how we go about knowing and what counts as knowledge Objectivist- Truth exists apart from our knowing it Subjectivst- truth can only be understood from the point of view of the individuals involved; truth is already in us Axiology- questions the place values in theory and research -Traditional scientific position is that research should be value-free; however most agree that is impossible -So, now we debate how and how much values should influence research Metatheory -Theory about how we get to theory -Covering law theorists fixed relationship between two or more events or objects; cause/effect;deductive and inductive reasoning

-prove cause and effect relationships between things (if this than that) -Rules theorists- human behavior is result of free choice; people pick and adhere to social rules that guide their interaction System theorists- human behavior is part of system Pure vs applied Pure research- generating theory for its own sake and for advancing our knowledge Applied research- wish to solve specific problem or use research in some way Ontological Questions? Do you want to conduct research that is: -Positivistic or empirical- value-neutral: truth is outside; goals of constructing laws; works for control; can prove with numbers -Interpretive or hermeneutic- views truth as subjective (objectivity is seen as impossible); rich descriptions; in depth -Critical- understanding knowledge relates to power; who is getting to tell their story? who is getting to shape reality/culture? 9/20 Symbolic Interaction -Theorys ownership is shared with Herbert Blumer -One of the major social constructivist theories (we create our own social reality) -Grand theory -Humanist theory Theory in a nutshell -we think and create meaning through symbolic language -what is real? -Mead believed that symbolic naming is the basis for human society -words have default assumptions (firefighter riddle) minding - inner conversations - taking the role of the other (talking to yourself to make sense of language) -the looking glass self - how do we look in the eyes of another person? -the person you are to a particular person is what you think of yourself -the generalized other -- composite picture, multiple reflections -does this create a self-fulfilling prophecy write out 10 exam questions on theory we choose Coordinated Management of meaning (CMM)

Barnett Pearce and Vernon Cronen -persons in conversation co-construct their own social realities and are simultaneously shaped by the worlds they create. -Major theory for social constructivists -useful to help us identify critical moments in our conversations and helping us act wisely in those moments. - the way people communicate is often more important than the content of what they say - dialogic communication- the kind of conversation where it makes you want to both speak freely and listen to what the other has to say - Logical force- when someone says something and you feel there is only one way to respond - Reflexivity- when you say something (or do something) and it bounces back to affect you. - Difference between stories lived and stories told - Stories lived- what you do and say in the present - Stories told- how you process that and re-tell it - We make meaning through stories told. Stories told -Nested hierarchy -Episodes -Communication routine that has boundaries and rules -Relationship -Affects how speech act will be interpreted -Identity -How speech act might affect and be affected by ones own self concept -Culture -Web of shared meaning and values Stories Lived -The serpentine model suggests that what one person says affects- and is affected bywhat the other person says -Meaning and context are co-evolving even as we speak.