The Communication Science Approach Flashcards
Definition of communication
Process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meaning
- process
- systemic
- symbols
- meaning
Tensions in defining communication
Differ in level of observation/ abstraction
- intentionality: intention/ lack of intention in decision to communicate
- normative judgment: whether or not communication is successful/received
Process
communication definition
Constantly happening, Progressive
- Goes beyond interaction
- Example: if someone says something to you and you initially think they are being sarcastic, but thinking about it afterwards, you realize they were actually being serious.
Systemic
communication definition
Not isolated, based on past interactions
- Any message we have has to be contextualized
- Example: if you have a fight with your mom, initially it might seem like a fight about something small, but if you think about the broader system in which the fight is occurring, you may realize that there are other stressors (like, if she just lost her job)
Symbols
communication definition
Arbitrary representations, foundation of communication
-Word and image-based
- Example: people from the US associate the middle finger with vulgarity, while people from Japan associate the pinky finger with vulgarity.
Communication science approach definition
A social, scientific approach to the study of communication
Meaning
communication definition
Moment of understanding, how things are significant
- Combining the three processes (systemic, process, and symbols) to find the true meaning of the message that was originally encoded
Philosophical assumption:
communication sci. approach
There is an objective and independent reality, or realities, that can be accessed or approached using empirical methods
- empirical: something you can observe
Quantitative approach
- Clear sense of what they’re looking for
- Designed in advance
- Numbers and statistics
- Efficient data
- Seeks objectivity
Qualitative approach
- Necessitates interpretation
- Have rough Sense of what they’re looking for
- Emergent design (design changes)
- Words, pictures, objects
- Rich data
- Recognizes subjectivity
Hypothesis
A testable explanation for some observable phenomenon
- Prepositional statements
Building blocks of research
- Tools: the Instruments you use
- Methods:
The perspective on which methods will best answer your research question - Theoretical questions:
systematically related set of ideas used to describe and explain phenomenon - Philosophical assumptions:
foundations of knowledge: epistemology, axiology/ ethics
- All the numbers affect the numbers above them
Research question
The problem posed, as a question, that the researcher seeks to answer by conducting research
- used by both quantitative and qualitative researchers
Experimental design
Testing, in a controlled manner, the cause and effect relationships between variables
Survey methods
Asking questions about beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of the population through interview or questionnaire
Content Analysis
Examining texts to identify, count, and analyze the occurrence of specific messages and message characteristics
Conversation Analysis
Examining naturally occurring verbal and nonverbal messages and interactions in order to analyze the occurrence of specific communicate utterances
Qualitative methods
- Interviews: spoken presentation of questions to evoke responses from people about particular issues, experiences, and messages
- Focus groups: interviews with small groups of people (5-7) about particular topic, experience, or product
- Observation: involves watching people doing and saying things in their natural setting
Taxonomy (Goals of Research)
List of elements that fit into a category
Description (Goals of Research)
The process of using symbols to represent phenomenon
Goals of research
- Description
- Taxonomy
- explanation
- prediction
- cultural understanding
- reform
Explanation (Goals of Research)
- an effort to clarify how something works (how, why, etc.)
- Correlative: demonstrates relationship between two things.
- Causal: outcome A is a result of factor B.
Prediction (Goals of Research)
projection of what will happen to a phenomenon in certain circumstances
- Researchers who use hypotheses to direct their research are guided by this goal
Cultural Understanding (Goals of Research)
- (qualitative scholars)
- Providing insight into what something means in a given context or for a particular cultural community or group
Appropriateness (Evaluating research)
- How consistent are the assumptions, method, and research questions/ hypotheses
- Do all parts match up internally?
Heuristic Value (Evaluating research)
- Does the research generate new thoughts/ideas?
- It should make you think further
Generalizability (Evaluating research)
- How does the research accurately generalize to the community it purports to?
Parsimony (Evaluating research)
- Is research simple enough to understand
Openness (Evaluating research)
- Is research open?
- Degree to which results are tentative and open to dialogue with other approaches
- Example: Wood’s article on women’s narractives of love and violence aims to explain why women stay in domestically violent relationships.
Utility (Evaluating research)
- A good theory should have practical use. This question probes whether there is useful knowledge, explanation, or practical value to the theory.
Hearing
- when we don’t attend to messages
- the process of sound waves striking ear drums
Validity
Is the research sound? This examines the truth or accuracy of a theory
1970’s
Interpersonal/mass media communication was studied
World War 1
- Field of communication began. People were interested in the new technologies that were forming. Political context circulated propaganda.
Theory
A description or explanation concerning some aspect of human experience.
It is an attempt to describe or explain how some phenomenon works.
Understanding
Primary goal of the humanist or interpretive approach; does this theory generate understanding
reform
- Qualitative scholars
- The active pursuit of positive social change
- E.g. justice, social activism
Listening
when the brain reconstructs sound waves into the original message trying to create meaning.
• Listening is one of the first skills we acquire growing up. We spend more time listening than we do talking, but listening isn’t always effective because we might misunderstand.
• Process: attending to messages, trying to create understanding, responding, remembering.
attending to messages, understanding, responding, remembering.
Hearing
sound waves striking your ear drums and causing vibrations
Remembering
- We decline over time (28% of material by high school)
Challenges to Listening
1) Pseudolistening
2) Selective listening
3) Defensive listening
4) Ambushing
5) Stagehogging
Pseudolistening
imitating listening, but not actually listening
Selective listening
when we only respond to the parts of the message that seem interesting or relevant
Defensive listening
taking innocent comments as defensive attacks against our personalities
Ambushing
collectively listening to information so we can later attack the person or information
Stagehogging
when you keep bringing the conversation back to yourself
More Barriers to Listening
1) Message overload
2) Rapid thought
3) Psychological noise
message overload
when you can’t process any more information because you’ve already taken in too much
rapid thought
- The brain can process info faster than you can speak
- You might be thinking about things other than what you’re listening to
~600 words/ minute, while we can speak 100-140 words/min
psychological noise
We are too influenced by what is happening mentally/physically/emotionally that we can’t listen
- Involves reduced responding
Listening Styles
We all have different inclinations to listening
1) Content-oriented
2) People-oriented
3) Action-oriented
4) Time-oriented
- 40 percent of people are two of these
Content-oriented (Listening Styles)
When we’re more interested in what speaker is saying rather than how they are feeling
- Good for analyzing problem
- Can result in a lost relationship dynamic
People-oriented (Listening Styles)
Listeners who are good at reading moods and responding to feelings
- Tend to be less judgmental and more interested in supporting/ understanding your problems
- Not good for helping you figure out what to do
Action-oriented (Listening Styles)
Listeners who are concerned with the ‘task’ or figuring out a response to the message quickly
- Good at getting to the point, but at the expense of the relational aspects
Time-oriented (Listening Styles)
When listener is most concerned with efficiency
- Listener is impatient
- Good if you have a deadline
Active/ Informational Listening
-Listening where you want to understand the other person
-Goal: Receive the same thoughts that the speaker is trying to convey
-Good for problem-solving, translating everyone’s perspectives
Tips:
a) Don’t judge prematurely.
b) Separate the message from the speaker.
c) Search for the value: what lead this speaker to come up with these ideas?
d) Ask a lot of questions (to ensure accuracy of understanding).
e) Paraphrase
f) Take notes.
Critical Listening
- Good for when you have to evaluate a message and decide whether to accept/reject it
a) Listen before you evaluate.
b) Evaluate the speaker’s credibility.
c) Examine evidence and reasoning.
d) Look for emotional appeals (their motives to induce emotionally).
e) Evaluate the message.
Supportive/Empathetic Listening
- Good for someone trying to solve a dilemma
- Ask lots of questions, offer messages of comfort
- Person centered- involves offering empathy & emotional support
Active/Empathetic Listening
- Involves listening to content and attending to person
Normative judgment
How we judge whether or not the communication is successful based on norms that are in place
