Communications Theories/Processes

Question 1

Encourages open organizational systems and lists five characteristics for an “excellent” organization: participatory rather than authoritarian, symmetrical system of internal communication, organic rather than mechanical structures, intentional efforts to equalize opportunities for men and women, high job satisfaction among employees

Answer 1

Excellence Theory of Public Relations

Question 2

This theory says media messages directly affect human behavior. (reflects stimulus/response thinking)

Answer 2

Magic bullet/Hypodermic needle

Question 3

This theory says media messages indirectly affect human behavior. “Opinion leaders” mediate message effects.

Answer 3

Two-step flow

Question 4

This theory says media messages can have a direct cognitive effect but not necessarily a behavioral effect. Repeated news reports about an issue can make it important to readers/listeners.

Answer 4

Agenda setting

Question 5

This theory says framing involves transfer of attributes (or frames) describing a person, issue or topic from media to audience.

Answer 5

Framing, Second-level agenda setting

Question 6

This theory says organizations are more likely to give information than to seek information.

Answer 6

Organizational theory of public relations

Question 7

This theory says mass media (particularly TV) shapes people’s view of social reality. Secondhand experience through media content can distort what people think of the world

Answer 7

Cultivation theory

Question 8

This theory proposes five personality categories: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. Five factors influence how soon people adopt a new idea: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trainability, observability

Answer 8

Diffusion of Innovation

Question 9

This theory says people seek out communication media to satisfy specific needs.

Answer 9

Uses and gratification theory

Question 10

This theory says when a person lacks information about other people’s opinions he/she thinks others will think and behave as he/she would. People expect mass media messages to affect others more than themselves.

Answer 10

Third-person effect

Question 11

This theory states people constantly monitor the opinion climate around them. They perceive the majority viewpoint. Those who disagree stay silent.

Answer 11

Spiral of Silence

Question 12

This theory states that context influences relationships. Publics are active or passive, based on 1) problem recognition, 2)Constraint recognition, 3) Level of involvement

Answer 12

Situational theory of publics

Question 13

People can learn by watching others. People adopt opinions and behaviors they see modeled and rewarded.

Answer 13

Social learning

Question 14

Perceived costs and rewards of an action predict group behavior.

Answer 14

Social exchange

Question 15

People accept or reject messages to the extent that message content corresponds to each individual’s attitudes and beliefs and influences his/her self concept.

Answer 15

Social judgment

Question 16

Inconsistencies between attitudes and actions drive (motivate) people to change what they think/believe.

Answer 16

Cognitive Consistency Theory

Question 17

To understand or explain circumstances, event or phenomenon, communicators assign (attribute) cause to events. Internal attribution (personal factors), external attribution (situational factors) and attribution error (wrongly assigning cause) are important considerations.

Answer 17

Attribution theory

Question 18

Examines how communication helps people seek to identify with individuals, groups or causes.

Answer 18

Identification

Question 19

A person’s attitude toward a behavior consists of a belief that the particular behavior leads to a certain outcome and an evaluation of the outcome on that behavior. Knowing people’s attitudes and intents helps predict people’s behaviors.

Answer 19

Reasoned action

Question 20

People are more likely to resist persuasive messages if those people have been exposed to counterarguments in advance.

Answer 20

Inoculation

Question 21

People use different strategies for processing messages or making decisions. These strategies are based on how important the topic is or the individuals cognitive capacity. People generally try to use as little cognitive energy as possible.

Answer 21

Cognitive dual processing

Question 22

Describes how content elements prompt audience members to recall certain already established, shared and persistent stereotypes, metaphors or social qualities.

Answer 22

Framing

Question 23

Uses information about the communicator, the logic of the message and the emotional appeal of the message to describe and predict how effective the message will be.

Answer 23

Rhetoric

Question 24

People may initially reject a message because the source isn’t credible. But after about six weeks, people may forget the source but remember and begin to believe the message.

Answer 24

Sleeper effect

Question 25

Describes how organizations can use “information subsidies” to news outlets to influence the media agenda. News coverage doesn’t just reflect reality. News coverage is a manufactured product that can be influenced

Answer 25

Agenda building

Question 26

The perception of this depends on work context and the measurement method management uses.

Answer 26

Competence

Question 27

Advocates long-standing engagement between organization and publics with indicators of control mutuality, trust, satisfaction, commitment, exchange relationship and communal relationship measures used to evaluate relational dynamics.

Answer 27

Relationship management

Question 28

Consists of a sender, a message, a channel through which the message travels, noise or interference that impedes or distorts the message, and a receiver

Answer 28

Shannon-Weaver Communication Model (1948)

Question 29

The 7 C’s of Communication

Answer 29

1. Clarity
2. Credibility
3. Content
4. Context
5. Continuity
6. Capability
7. Channels